Page 53 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

Godwin, who occupies the bunk above mine, smiles down at me. “Ready to get your ass whooped, Gray?”

I grin. “In your dreams, Godi.” He grimaces at the nickname and charges when the whistle sounds.

This is something I know, something comfortable. I push away everything else and sidestep his attack before going on the offensive.

I get lost in the simple dynamics of charging and retreating, acting and reacting. My muscles go from warm and loose, past burning and aching, into protesting and screaming while we change partners again and again.

Two hours later, I limp back to our room, covered in sweat, dust, and bruises. Calix slings his arm over my shoulders, bumping into a bruise on my right arm, and I hiss.

Thank the gods Simeon twisted his blade in time and hit me with the broad side, or I would have needed Kyronos’s help again. A shiver goes through my body. The thought of getting healed still freaks me out, and who says it will work again? And that I’m attracted to him … it’s madness.

I dive out from under Calix's arm and shove him playfully. “Get away from me. You are disgusting.”

He laughs. “As if you look any better.”

I grin up at him. “I still don’t have the desire to get your gunk all over me, too.”

He laughs again. “Too late for that, Gray.”

“Oh, so you are all over me now?” I ask, waggling my brows.

“Stop it, or you’ll ruin my reputation.” He laughs while lunging for me and trying to get me into a headlock.

I dance out of his reach, throwing mock punches to keep him away.

“You have to do better than that,” Calix says, coming at me again. I jump back, my injured shoulder colliding with something hard. I stumble forward, hissing in pain when that brings all my weight on my right leg, which is still tender from a nasty hit yesterday. A hand grabs my arm, and I nearly jump out of my skin.

I look over my shoulder into a familiar pair of golden eyes.

Dammit.I step away.

Despite multiple steps between us, I still feel the golden glow of his gift pulling me in. Great, now I can sense it from over here? And even worse, I feel drawn to it.

What is wrong with me?

“Sorry, didn’t see you there,” I mutter.

His gaze lingers on my leg for a second before it wanders back to my face. For a moment, I think Kyronos is going to say something, but he just nods before stepping around me. He’s already halfway down the hall before he looks over his shoulder, catching me looking after him.

“He’s right. You have to do better than that.”

I watch his retreating back and hear Calix exhale next to me. “Well, that was anticlimactic.”

“What?” I look at him, confused, while a little tingle of panic ignites in my belly.

Does he know about my crush?

“Why?” I ask.

“Haven’t you heard what they say about him?” He looks at me incredulously and shakes his head when I only widen my eyes in question.

I don’t pay attention to gossip. I’m busy enough with my own shit and have no inclination or time to dig into someone else’s.

But Calix failed his calling as one of those chatty old women who spend all their time at a window commenting on the neighborhood. I grin at the image of Calix leaning out a window in a dress and headscarf.

“Well, then listen up,” Calix tells me, and to my mortification, I do. I’m simply too eager to learn more about Tate Kyronos.

“He and Jared Venti showed up here for Assessment three years ago, and no one knows where they came from.” He gives me a meaningful glance, which doubles my discomfort since he could say the same about me. “They say he escaped a prison up in the north since he has this scar on his neck, and they were dressed in northern fashion when they got here.” I snort at that.

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