By the next morning, the bruises from Jax’s “gentle” instruction had bloomed nicely.I rolled my shoulder experimentally as I stepped into the training yard again. It pulled, but didn’t scream.Progress.The yard was busier than usual.Word had spread.Mooncrest warriors, Nightveil soldiers, and even a few high‑ranking onlookers lined the edges. The air buzzed with anticipation.“They’re going to try something stupid,” Rowan murmured at my elbow as we stepped onto the sand. “I can smell it.”“Define stupid,” I said.“Anything that involves Kael, weapons, and teaching moments,” he replied. “Or Rian and his ego.”I snorted.My mark hummed, twitchy and alert under my sleeve.“Morning, Princess,” Jax called. “Ready to be a test case?”“I thought that’s what I’ve been every day,” I said.“Today’s different,” he replied.He wasn’t wrong.Kael and Rian were already in the yard, cloaks shed, and practice swords in hand. Their presence shifted the atmosphere in a way that even Alden’s didn’t.
Last Updated : 2025-12-24 Read more