Reina’s POV
Days at Cavata Military Academy passed like shadows. Every drill was harder, every order sharper. I woke with sore muscles and went to bed with bruises, but I never complained. I wanted to prove myself. I wanted to show everyone that I was not weak, not a burden.
Julian was still there, still standing tall as an instructor. He moved through the training grounds like a shadow, always calm, always controlled. He saved me once during the terrorist attack, but here, he gave me no attention. His eyes slid over me like I was just another cadet. Sometimes, it felt like he was even colder toward me than the rest.
And yet, my heart still betrayed me. No matter how hard I tried, I still searched for him in every line of soldiers, every corner of the yard. Even when he ignored me, I fe
