Chương 14: On The Edge
When the duo got to the sparring arena, they found Tyr, Charlotte and Nazi.
After they greeted the crown prince, Charlotte was asked to spar with Nazi. Charlotte managed to punch Nazi on the face, hard enough to make her bleed silver. Nazi wouldn't have it; she retaliated even more violently and by the end of their sparring session, Charlotte had a bruised kidney, a fractured wrist, a broken nose and a few bruised ribs. Hazel rushed to her friend and helped her out of the sparring arena. Charlotte was a mess. She kept crying, both from the pain and the humiliation.
"She wouldn't stop, not even when I surrendered" she sobbed into Hazel's arms.
"Maybe, I'm not worth it. Maybe, I'm just not fit for all of this"
"Please, Charlotte. Don't give up because of some Silveran bitch. Promise me you won't give up" Hazel said and Charlotte shook her head.
"I don't know-"
"You can't give her the satisfaction of winning"
Charlotte's bloodshot gaze fell on Nazi who had an arrogant smirk on her face.
"Your highness, we don't have all day. Let's begin" Tyr said and Hazel nodded.
"I won't let her break me" Charlotte said to Hazel through gritted teeth. Hazel squeezed Charlotte's uninjured fingers gently and stepped into the fighting arena.
"Today, we will be learning to effectively use our legs to do real damage during combat" Tyr began and began the training session by using a dummy. Hazel was able to leave a dent on the dummy after performing the first kicking technique Tyr had showed them. Nazi lost her footing and sprained her ankle because she wasn't balanced. "Now, the both of you will spar briefly" Tyr said while Caden watched his fiancée with admiration. She was certainly badass and he appreciated that fact. While Nazi and Hazel sparred, Hazel knocked Nazi to the ground. Caden grinned, feeling proud.
"That's my girl!" he cheered and this only angered Nazi even more. She attacked Hazel, hitting her continously, without giving her a chance to defend herself. She didn't hesitate to use her magic to daze Hazel but Caden was too focused on Hazel to notice what she did.
"Alright! Enough, Nazi!" Caden ordered and rushed to the sparring arena, supporting Hazel when she swayed. Upset, he led her out and took her to her room. When he'd laid her down on the bed, he brought her a glass of water and made her empty the glass.
"Are you okay? " he asked and she nodded, avoiding his eyes.
"Hazel-"
"I want to be alone" she said coldly.
"You're upset" he pointed out.
Hazel was beyond pissed. She suspected that Nazi had cheated and this did not sit well with her. As a matter of fact, she knew that she would do better than Nazi if she was a Silveran. The only problem was that she was a mere red blood. "Can I be alone for now?"
"You don't need the healers?" Caden asked with a frown.
"They're not necessary at the moment"
Caden sighed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"Get some rest then"
As soon as he was gone, she rose to her feet and began to pace back and forth, her frustration soaring by the second. "Are you okay?"
She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Yuka's voice.
She turned to see him sitting on the chaise longue in her chamber.
"Don't do that" she hissed and he tilted his head to the right, a questioning look on his face.
"Don't--just don't startle me like that again"
"What's wrong? " he asked.
"That bitch cheated. She keeps getting on my nerves. I wish I wasn't so weak"
"The fact that you're a red blood doesn't make you weak, Hazel"
"She used her magic. I don't know why this is bothering so much and I hate it"
He rose to his feet and walked up to her. Then, he placed a hand on her shoulder and used his thumb to gently stroke the cut just above her right eye. It instantly vanished and her eyes widened when she couldn't feel the pain anymore.
"You can heal others?" she asked.
He shrugged, a few strands of his hair falling over his left eye.
"I just can't heal myself"
"Oh..."
"What are you going to do about Nazi?" he asked.
She gazed at him, noticing how enchanting his violet eyes were.
"I want you to train me...."
His eyes widened.
"Secretly" she added.
"Why? Why not Caden?"
"He's most likely to go easy on me"
He raised a dark brow, surprise crossing his features.
"And I won't because?"
"You'll want me to be tough"
He smirked and moved closer to her until there was barely any space between them. She smirked and inched closer, her lips nearly touching his.
"Is someone trying to tempt me?" he said and she leaned close enough to whisper in his ear, her tone seductive. "It depends on what you definition of tempt is, Romeo"
She pulled away and he grinned.
"There's something about you that's both unnerving and enticing. Why?" he said and she licked her lower lips. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I have a question for you"
The glint in her eyes was unmistakable.
"Are you manipulating my mind right now? "
His eyes widened.
"Don't act so surprised"
"You know I would never do that"
"How do I know you're telling the truth?"
He sighed and turned away from her.
"I can read your mind but I would never--"
"You what?! "
"I can't help it--"
She immediately turned away from him, her cheeks burning. She felt embarrassed. Few minutes ago, she'd been fantasizing what it would be like to kiss him and she'd only snapped out of it when she recalled that she was supposed to be the crown prince's bride.
"I think you should leave now" she mumbled and he nodded.
"Are you still on for the training?" he asked.
"Yes"
He vanished from sight. Then, she lowered herself to the ground and pulled at her hair.
"I'm so stupid! Damn you, Yuka. Damn you for being so gorgeous" she muttered. Unknown to her, Nazi had been standing by the window all along, watching her with a look of mischief in her eyes.
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