Shadows Beneath the Crown

CHAPTER 15 : SPARRING CLASS

The soft rustling of pages and the occasional tap of my shoes echoed through the room, breaking the silence as I flipped through a thick textbook. I wasn’t expecting to see Lira today, but there she was, leaning casually against one of the doorways, looking like she was about to make some dramatic entrance, the sort that would make heads turn in slow motion.

She caught my eye immediately and, with the confidence only she could pull off, gave me a knowing smile that was equal parts mischievous and challenging. It wasn’t an unusual look for her; she had this way of reading situations and people that always made me feel like I was under a microscope.

“You know, Belle,” she began, her voice teasing with that lilt I knew all too well, “I can’t help but feel suspicious about your relationship with Orion.”

I blinked, caught off guard. My heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name, though I tried not to show it. “What relationship?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant, my words almost coming out too fast. I kept my gaze on the pages in front of me, willing my heartbeat to slow down.

She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned in slightly, clearly enjoying this. “Oh, come on. The two of you spend so much time together, and every time I turn around, I see you and him in the same place. It’s like some unspoken connection between you two. Also, I actually went to the library yesterday, and I saw you and him looking so cute together, so I decided a good friend and just let your sweet moment be.”

My stomach lurched, and I felt my cheeks heat up instantly. I forced myself to act unaffected, but I couldn’t ignore the way my pulse quickened. “There’s nothing between us, Lira. Nothing at all,” I said, though my voice faltered just a little, betraying me.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Uh-huh. Right. Well, if you say so.” The skepticism in her voice was obvious, but she wasn’t pushing it further. Yet.

I rolled my eyes, my best attempt at dismissing her teasing without giving away too much. “By the way, did you finally get an aide or slave?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from me and Orion. I didn’t want to linger on the idea of whatever was happening between us, especially when I wasn’t sure how to define it myself.

Her expression soured at the mention of her current situation. The playful grin slipped away as she sighed, rubbing the back of her neck as if the topic weighed her down. “Not yet, no. And it’s not like I can just pick one out of a catalog, you know. This whole thing is complicated.”

I shrugged, trying to hide the smile that wanted to break through. “Well, you know, I should be the one chosen. I’ve got plenty of experience being your partner in dorm and special classes. It’s practically a sign.”

She let out a grunt of frustration, her arms dropping to her sides as she gave me a look that could have melted stone. “I swear, Belle, if I could pick anyone for this, it would be you. But that’s not how it works, and you know it. There are rules, systems... it’s a mess.” Her voice softened slightly, the usual edge of her teasing demeanor disappearing just for a moment. “But if I could choose, you’d be the one I’d pick in a heartbeat.”

I felt a twinge of guilt at her words, even though I knew she was only half-joking. There was something in her tone that made it sound a little more serious than usual, like a fleeting moment of honesty slipping out from beneath her usual playful armor. She wasn’t just teasing me this time. It was clear she felt the pressure of the situation.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and gave her a weak smile, trying to brush it off. “Well, you’re stuck with me whether you like it or not. We’ve got a lot of history, after all.” My voice was light, but even I could hear the unease creeping in.

She shot me a half-smile but didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she stared off into the distance, as if lost in thought for a moment. “I know. It’s just... sometimes I feel like there’s a lot more at play here than we realize. It’s not just about what we want or who we pick. Sometimes, it’s about what we have to do to survive in this place.” Her words were quiet, almost a whisper, as if she was talking more to herself than to me.

I frowned, not understanding where she was going with this. “What do you mean?”

She shrugged, a little too casually for my liking. “Just thinking out loud, Belle. Forget I said anything.”

But I didn’t forget. In fact, the weight of her words hung in the air like a lingering shadow, making me question more than just the superficial issues we faced. It made me wonder how much she was really hiding beneath that tough exterior of hers. Was she as carefree as she wanted people to think, or was there something deeper weighing on her too?

I sighed and leaned back in my chair, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in my chest. “Yeah, well, I still think I’d make a great aide. If it ever comes to that, you know where to find me.”

Lira let out a half-laugh, shaking her head, but there was a faint sadness in her eyes that didn’t quite match her usual carefree demeanor. “I’ll keep that in mind, Belle. Don’t think I won’t.”

We stood there for a moment in silence, the air thick with the unspoken things we hadn’t addressed. I wanted to push further, to ask her what was really going on inside her head, but something told me that now wasn’t the time. Instead, I let the silence stretch between us, both of us retreating into our own thoughts, until Lira finally broke it with a sigh.

“Anyway,” she said, standing up straighter and flashing me a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes, “I’m not the one who’s going to be dealing with Orion’s mess, so I guess I’ll leave you to that.”

I stared at her, my mouth opening to say something—anything—but before I could get a word out, she had already turned on her heel and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts.

-----

The gym was suffocating—hot, loud, chaotic. Shoes scraped against the floor, punches thudded against mats, and voices shouted over one another like crashing waves. My fingers twisted into my sleeves. I hated this class. I hated being seen. Being paired. The last P.E have been so bad to me that i fainted.

“Maybe we’ll be partners again,” I said quietly to Lira, my only comfort in this place.

She gave me a small smile, but I could see the nerves in her eyes. “I hope so.”

Our proffesor’s voice sliced through the noise. “Alright! Warm-up’s done. I’ll be assigning partners today.”

My heart dropped.

Random partners.

No. Please no.

Name after name echoed around the gym. Lira was paired with someone I didn’t recognize. I waited, fingers clenched, heartbeat speeding.

“Vonder… and Evangelista.”

No.

I looked up and saw her already walking to the mat—Rina Evangelista. She's one of the friend of my stepsisters. A venomous smile pulled at her lips, the kind that promised pain. She was cruel, popular, always hiding her wickedness behind laughter that the teachers never questioned.

I heard Lira hiss beside me, “Rina? Wasn’t she the one who poured milk in your bag last month?”

“Yeah,” I muttered, barely nodding.

“She’s worse like your stepsisters.”

“I know.”

“Belle… be careful.”

I stepped onto the mat with lead in my legs.

---

The first few hits weren’t bad. I could handle them. Just quick jabs. We circled each other, gloves up. But there was something wrong in her eyes—something that said she didn’t care about the rules.

She struck my arm harder than necessary. Then my side. Her movements were sharp, too aggressive.

I winced.

“Delicate, aren’t you?” she sneered, too low for anyone else to hear.

I didn’t respond. I just braced.

But then she hit me again—this time in the head. Not a light tap. Not a sparring move. My ears rang as my vision swam. I touched the spot and stared at my fingers.

Blood.

“You hit too hard!” I shouted, the sting making my voice tremble.

She smiled. “Oops.”

My chest burned. I stood my ground. “This is sparring, not a street fight.”

“Then fight back,” she spat, stepping closer.

I barely blocked the next blow. She was relentless. I could hear the other matches still going on, no one paying attention. The professor had stepped out, probably trusting us to behave.

A sharp kick landed against my hip. I fell to one knee, gasping. My head throbbed.

And then I heard her again—too close, too smug. “You should’ve stayed down.”

I looked up just in time to see her leg lift.

She was aiming for my head.

I couldn’t move fast enough.

Everything slowed.

Then—

SLAM.

Something shoved her away from me. Hard. She hit the mat with a surprised yelp.

And in the space between her and me, he stood.

Orion.

My breath caught in my throat.

He wasn’t shouting. He wasn’t moving fast.

He was silent. Silent in a way that made the air shift, like the calm before a violent storm. His face was blank, but his eyes—his eyes were fire. Controlled, barely.

He took one step forward.

I’d never seen him look like that.

Rina scrambled back, shocked. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

He didn’t speak. His jaw clenched. One more step forward.

A couple of our male classmates rushed in, grabbing his arms. “Orion! Stop—dude, chill!”

I just stared.

I was still on my knees, blood dripping down the side of my face, and yet the only thing I could feel now was the silence inside him—roaring like thunder.