Avari
Making my way to the meadow, I spotted Isaac’s silhouette from a distance. Tall, broad, and devastatingly well-trained, he was a clear testament to self-discipline. His neck craned toward the cloudy sky, and when I reached the top of the hill, I couldn’t contain my smile.
Anya flew with the Shadow Dragon in circles above the long stretch of meadows. At times, they would allow themselves to fall—their wings neatly slicked back—only to bounce back near the ground and soar in the skies once again.
Their deafening wings clapped against the wind like a furious storm, threatening to destroy everything in its path. But they never would. They carried themselves as if they had known each other for an eternity, following each other’s trail and manoeuvres with vigour and precision.
Perhaps that’s how well dragons coexisted. Or maybe they got along as individuals. Whatever the reason, I glanced at the dimmed sun and muttered a quick prayer of gratitude to the Gods for allowing me this sliver of peace.
‘Hi there,’ Isaac said, beginning to smile, but it never reached his eyes. ‘What’s wrong?’
My thoughts scattered as I stood a couple of feet behind him. ‘What are you talking about?’
A flicker of irritation crossed his face as he sniffed. ‘You look tired. And you smell of gore and… never mind. Did something happen?’
My hand rushed to my hair; the scent must have clung to it. With how tired I was, washing it felt like an impossible task. ‘You can still smell that? Seriously, your senses are insane. That was two days ago.’
There was an unnatural stillness in his posture, his ripped biceps flexing as he held his arms close to his sides. His cool, steady gaze held me in place, the quiet resolve behind it making it difficult to look away. It wasn’t fear that stilled me. There was something else in it—something grounding, almost reassuring.
He might have been a predator in sheep’s clothing, but there was a strange comfort in knowing he cared whether I lived.
Miriam had chosen the right trainer for me after all.
‘My senses are sharper. I was in the military.’ Something in him hardened. ‘Why do you smell like a battlefield, Ava?’
The intrusive weight of his stare made me flinch. He wasn’t waiting for an explanation. His calculating gaze swept over me, drawing conclusions of its own.
A deep sign tore out of me. Situations like this always stole my breath. ‘It’s a long story. We should just focus on training. I need my shadows.’
My plea only deepened his concern. ‘Tell me,’ he demanded, stepping closer. ‘Are you in danger?’
Internally, I smiled. Outwardly, I couldn’t look him in the eye and admit to the chaos my life had become because giving these deeply disturbing ideas a voice felt so… final.
Tension coiled in his posture as he awaited my answer. I considered turning back and reverting home, but I couldn’t. I needed his help. I had a sneaking suspicion he wouldn’t have let me leave either.
‘When have I ever not been in danger?’ I joked, attempting to ease the atmosphere, and his frown worsened. ‘It’s fine, I survive. It’s kind of my thing. I’m going for Medeis’ record of how many times I can cheat death.’
What was wrong with him? He looked so restless. ‘It’s not a big de—’
‘What happened?’ The question landed like a command.
My subconscious urged me to step back, but I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. ‘Honestly, it would take hours to explain, and you’re a busy man. Let’s just train.’
Glaring deep into my eyes, I half expected him to challenge me to a duel.
He watched me for a moment, then he pulled out his phone. ‘Clear my schedule,’ he barked, before pocketing it.
Well, shit. I didn’t expect that. Were we really doing this?
Getting even closer, he left no room for negotiation. ‘Speak.’
It wasn’t an easy conversation. Not when I spoke of how cruel my mother had been as a queen, deliberately omitting the abuse she’d inflicted on me. The memories still twisted my gut with shame. I should have fought back more… But over the years, I’d grown so passive I’d forgotten I even had a reason to. To fight for myself. It was shameful to admit, and I didn't think I ever would. Not to anyone.
And it wasn’t easy to describe what a threat the blood witches still were, or how they continued to plague Medeis. I had never lived through the blood witch war, but we had all studied it in school. They rebelled against our virtues, ignored ethics and ideals, and chose whatever they found most satisfying—anything that allowed them to grow in strength,so quickly the kingdoms never had a chance to catch up, as they siphoned power from civilians for their nefarious ends.
The hairs on my arms rose as I recalled the history books describing how close the kingdoms had come to extinction. Millions of witches, fae, shifters, and lesser magical folk were nearly wiped out by a single race consumed by greed.
Isaac’s face twitched when I told him. I felt the same. The mere thought gave me palpitations.
