Page 60 of Eluvonia
“I understand,” I say, my jaw tightening.
“Good.” He leans forward, his gaze hard. “Do not fail me, Kaida.”
I nod, asharpgesture of respect and dismissal. As I turn to leave, his voice stops me once more.
“And, Kaida,” he says, his tone softer but no less commanding. “If she is gifted by the Ymirals… tread carefully. Gifts like that often come with strings.”
I glance back at him, his words settling uncomfortably in my chest. I look down at my wrapped arms. Well-a-fucking-ware. But I say nothing, simply nodding before stepping out into the corridor.
A group of guards marches past, their footsteps echoing in the dim corridor, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turn left, the familiar path to my room stretching ahead, but the ache in my chest grows heavier with each step.
Aeris is mine.
The thought settles in my mind like a weight, heavy and undeniable.I need to protect her, no matter what it takes. From The Arcanis Order, from my father, from anyone who dares to touch what’s mine. The bond may be a chain, but it’s also a promise. She’s mine to guard, and no one will take her away from me—not without a fight.
Chapter 24
AERIS
The air in the training room smells faintly of sweat and old leather, the kind of scent that sticks in your nostrils and refuses to leave. I sit against the padded wall, a towel clutched in my hands as I dab at the sweat dripping from my forehead. My muscles ache, my arms feel like jelly, and my legs threaten to give out every time I so much as think about standing. I’ve been at this for days—trying everything I can think of to unlock my magic—but it’s like I’m banging my head against an invisible wall. Nothing works. Not frustration, not focus, not imagining Kaida’s smug grin while calling me useless.
I lean back and close my eyes, just for a moment, when I hear the door creak open. My stomach immediately knots, and I peek through one eye.Is it Kaida or Declan?
Standing in the doorway is Shura, Kaida’s half-sister. A pang of disappointment settles in my chest, but I brush it off quickly, tryingto push it aside.
She’s tall and lean, her athletic build obvious in the tight, stretchy pants and tunic wrap she’s wearing. She holds a staff in one hand, and her sharp gaze scans the room with military precision until it lands on me. Her lips curl into a smile, though there’s no warmth in it.Oh, this can’t be good.
“Get up, Fae,” she orders, her voice sharp enough to cut through steel. “I’m your training partner today.”
I blink at her, momentarily stunned, before her words fully register.Partner?My stomach sinks. Great. This feels more like a punishment than a partnership.
I scramble to my feet, clutching the towel like it might shield me from whatever fresh hell she’s about to unleash. “Uh…”
“I don’t do pleasantries with Fae,” she snaps, holding up a hand to silence me. “I’m ‘ma’am’ to you. And I’m only here because my brother and the prince asked it of me.”
“Let’s go, Fae,” Shura barks, pointing to a weapons cart by the wall. “Grab a staff.”
I huff under my breath but comply, walking over to the cart and selecting a staff that feels reasonably balanced. When I return to her, she’s already in a fighting stance, her eyes locked on me like a hawk watching a particularly unfortunate rabbit.
“Do you know how to use one of these?” she asks, her tone skeptical, like she already knows the answer but wants to hear me admit it anyway.
“Kaida showed me a few moves,” I say, gripping the staff tightly. “I’m better with a bow.”
She nods once, then—without warning—lunges at me.
The staff swings toward my side faster than I can blink. I yelp and barely manage to block it, the impact reverberating up my arms. She doesn’t give me a second to recover. Her nextstrike comes high, then low, then from the side. I’m on the defensive, my muscles screaming as I block each hit, but it’s like fighting a storm. She’s fast—so fast I can barely see her movements—and her strikes are precise, calculated, meant to keep me off balance.
“Is this the best you’ve got?” she taunts, her lips curling into a smirk. “Pathetic.”
I grit my teeth and focus, trying to anticipate her next move. Every time I think I see an opening, she’s already two steps ahead, her staff slamming against mine with a force that makes my palms sting.
“Come on, Fae!” she growls. “Fight back! Or are you only good at seducing Dragon males?”
Her words sting more than the blows, but they also light a fire in my chest. I glare at her, narrowing my focus. When she swings again, I see it—a fraction of a second where her guard is down. I pivot and go for a strike, aiming for her side.
But she’s faster.
Her staff blocks mine with a resoundingcrack, and before I can process what’s happening, she sweeps her staff low, knocking my legs out from under me. I hit the padded floor with an unceremoniousthud, the air rushing out of my lungs.
