Page 33

Pivot. Hook. “Oh, so now I need to let him speak to me? Where was that all last year when he was at the Watch? There were countless times he could have told me the truth.”

The caves of Terraguard hum low and constant, like the city itself is growling beneath our feet. Phosphor veins glow along the walls, painting Cadex in green-gold light as he squares his stance. He is enormous up close, all carved muscle and scarred confidence, and entirely too pleased with himself.

“You sure you want to do this?” he asks. “I bruise easily. Emotionally.”

I don’t answer. I punch him.

My fist slams into his guard, the crack echoing through the cavern. He absorbs it with a grunt and a grin. I hit him again, and again, letting the heat in my chest guide my hands.

“Ah,” Cadex says, backing up a step. “So this is about Atlys lying to you.”

“Understatement of the century,” I snap, ducking under his counter and driving my shoulder into his ribs. “He let me stand beside him for a year. Fight for him. Bleed for him. And never once thought to mention that the man who just kidnapped me is his brother.”

Cadex blocks my next strike, forearm like stone. “You’re assuming that’s an easy sentence to say.”

“I’m assuming honesty shouldn’t be optional,” I fire back, twisting free and landing a clean jab to his jaw. He laughs—actually laughs, like I just told a joke instead of confessing a betrayal.

“You hit harder when you’re offended,” he says. “It’s impressive.”

“I am not offended,” I growl. “I am furious.”

He sweeps my legs. I stumble, recover, and come up swinging. We trade blows in tight quarters, boots scraping rock, breath fogging the air. Every impact shakes loose another shard of anger.

“He paired with me,” I say between punches. “Trusted me as his champion in the Summit. And still didn’t trust me with the truth.”

Cadex catches my wrist mid-strike, grip firm but careful. “He trusted you with his life.”

“Not with his past,” I shoot back, wrenching free.

“With your safety,” Cadex corrects. “Rollo doesn’t just hurt people, Akemi. He uses them. If he knew what you were to Atlys, he’d have broken you just to prove he could.”

That lands harder than any punch. I hesitate just a fraction too long. Cadex taps my shoulder in a clean, controlled strike that would have shattered bone if he’d put weight behind it.

“Dead,” he says mildly.

“Cheap shot,” I mutter, shaking out my arm and resetting my stance.

“You paused,” he counters. “In Terraguard, that’s consent.”

I snort despite myself and come at him again, faster now, smarter. He meets me blow for blow, our movements tightening into a rhythm that feels earned rather than accidental. Sweat slicks my spine. My lungs burn.

“He could have told me after,” I say, ducking under a wide swing. “After the Presentation or after the first task when I proved I wasn’t going to quit.”

Cadex blocks, retreats, then plants his feet. “He was afraid.”

I laugh sharply. “Atlys doesn’t get afraid.”

“He does,” Cadex says, eyes steady on mine. “Just not of the things everyone else fears.”

I drive my fist into his chest, feeling the solid resistance beneath skin and bone. “He should’ve been afraid of losing me.”

Cadex absorbs the blow, then gently shoves me back. “He was.”

That makes me falter.

“He watched that treaty tick down like an execution clock,” Cadex continues, voice lower now, less commander and more friend. “Every day he couldn’t touch Rollo was another day he had to trust you’d survive without him. Do you know how many tunnels he collapsed to keep Rollo’s forces from moving freely?”

I shake my head, throat tight.