“They didn’t heal you,” she whimpers, and her voice breaks a bit. Her fingers trace the three wounds on my shoulder. I didn’t want these healed. I want their scars. I keep the scars as a reminder.
“It is nothing, Honey. You’re the one passing out and hiding your broken ribs,” I tease, but my voice doesn’t sound like I am joking.
“I told you, I am fine,” she breathes out bossily, but I can hear her breath pitch. I use my hands to push myself up from the chair I’m sitting on. I turn around and step closer to her. She is wearing a light-yellow shirt that is way too big for her body. I really want to track those curves with my eyes again, but this shirt makes it hard. Her golden hair lays on her shoulders in loose waves. She looks up to me as I step close. I can see her swallow as she looks up at me with doe eyes, her plump lips are slightly parted. I can feel my eyes darken as my gaze washes over her.
I really—really want to press my mouth against hers. My upper body is shirtless and I need to resist everything inside of me to not lift her shirt off her body too and lift her up, press her against the wall. Could I kiss her here, or would it make me even a bigger asshole than I already am? Probably.
She is being vulnerable.
But her eyes speak something different than innocence.
Her eyes scan my body.
“You’re really muscular,” she squeaks out, looking into my eyes. She starts tapping her foot, but is too stubborn and bossy to turn around. The light hanging in the rooms seems to shine brighter and start to swing because of the energy rushing through it.
“That is what you get from forced training your whole life,” I growl. She is still holding our eye contact, making sure not to break it.
“Is that how you got those scars?” she breathes out.
I thought she would never find the courage to ask. Her fingers brush the huge scar at the bottom of my chest.
I shiver, hard.
I really hope she didn’t see that. I close my eyes, and a groan escapes my throat.
“Something like that.” Before I can ruin this thing—tension, bond or however you can call this—I spin around, breaking our eye contact. I take the shirt off the bed and throw it over my shoulder. I can’t look her in the eyes as I walk out.
“See you later, Honey.” I can feel her smile without looking at her. I need to press my lips together before I do something stupid.
“When did you get that new tattoo? The little sunny thing on your chest,” she gushes. Should I answer that question honestly? Maybe she doesn’t understand anything of what it means.
“The week before the trials.” I sigh. The corner of my mouth twitches up because of her alertness.
She noticed.
Chapter 19
Eliane
He doesn’t act like I am fragile.
Braxton sits in front of me, eating in silence, but his gaze holds mine. When I finally got out of the healer’s bed last night, it was already dark outside. Apparently, I’d been out for almost a whole day. So, after leaving the healer’s place, I went straight to my own bed. After a bit of reading, sleep pulled me under. I needed the distraction after what happened with Braxton. I am not even sure I should call it a thing, but it was probably the most sexual thing I’ve ever experienced with a man. He acted so calm and cool, while my body was on fire. I don’t want him to hurt me. But even worse, I don’t want to hurt him. I am planning on seeing the world after these trials. Check out the continent together with Da. I am not going to stay because of a boy.
A man.
A boy or man or whatever.
I am not even sure he would ever really like me. I don’t even like myself that much. I am anxious and not strong. My power doesn’t define me the way everybody expects. So maybe it is also a way of self-protection. But is that a bad thing? I can’t give in tohim. And he probably doesn’t even feel the same way. Nor does he seem like a relationship type of guy. My head is still spinning back and forward about the attraction I feel to him.
So when Braxton appeared in the room later than me, I was kind of relieved. I needed to get my heart under control first.
The tension during this breakfast around this table is to cut with a knife. I’m not sure why they make us live under the same circumstances as before the trials, while everything between us and our whole dynamic has changed. Nobody died this first round, but some did get hurt. I heard that Aaliyah and Aiden won, but luckily that bitch was hurt as well. Not as badly as me, but still. Because of my injuries I’m not allowed to join sparring training these two days. It is now April the 16th, and on the 18th the second trial will begin. I am happy for Aiden that he got first placed. I learned we finished second, but others say we didn’t finish at all. There is still some discussion about that. We are going to watch the recording later this afternoon. I always forget we film everything. The king has access to everything he wants to display, from us waking up to going to bed. It is kind of scary, but luckily enough for us, you don’t notice it when you just do your thing. Hazel sits next to me and we have been chatting. She and Kailey found each other after Braxton found me and they stayed down the mountain, trying to get some sleep and climb the mountain the next day. They thought most would. I was kind of surprised when she first told me, but sometimes I forget I am the only light wielder of the group. She explained that Delilah and Aaliyah also had an impressive fight and both had some injuries. Braxton also seemed to ‘forget’ to mention he and Caleb had a fight. He keeps denying it, but I will see if all of that is true this afternoon.
A few people decided to keep their mouths shut. Ethan seems to be shut up by Delilah. He didn’t fight, but has some injuriesbecause he wasn’t blocked out during her fights. I am curious if the tapes will reveal the truth. I’m glad Hazel and I are talking because the conversation helps ease my nerves. Besides, I genuinely enjoy talking to her. She really does feel like my sister after all.
Braxton jogs towards me as I walk through the garden. I don’t have to look over my shoulder to know that it is him. I can feel it everywhere. My skin tickles and goosebumps appear. Everybody is in spar training, but apparently, he skipped too. He presses one of his hands on my shoulders.
“I want to show you something,” he announces, whispering in my ear. His warm breathing tickles my ears. I wrinkle my nose at the memories his warmth brings me.
