~ Aria ~
The bruises from yesterday bloom across my skin like ink stains, spreading deeper every time I breathe. My ribs ache, my jaw throbs and sleep never touched me— only jagged flashes of Daren’s fists, the circle of warriors jeering, and Kael’s voice cutting through the chaos. “Up Aria. Always rise.”
So when the doors creak open at dawn, I already know who it is.
Kael moves into the room like a storm contained in flesh. He doesn’t ask if I am hurting. He doesn’t check the damage. He simply tosses a bundle of black cloth on the bed.
“Wear it” he says
I unfold it with stiff fingers. And realize it’s a training gear. Not the soft leather from yesterday rather, a heavier reinforced one built for pain.
A bitter laugh slips from my lips. “I can’t even lift my arm without pain”
His g
