CRYSTAL POV
"I'm not distracted."
"You are," he said without hesitation.
I let out a small breath, more frustrated than I wanted to admit.
"And whose fault is that?" I shot back before I could stop myself.
The moment the words left my mouth, I felt the shift. The air between us tightened instantly.
His gaze hardened slightly, it was noticeable, almost like it wasn't there. But I did see it.
"That's not an excuse," he said.
Something in my chest twisted painfully.
"Of course it's not," I laughed quietly, but there was no humour in it. "Nothing ever is, right?"
Silence.
Because we both knew this wasn't just about training anymore.
"You're here to learn," he continued after a moment, his voice steady again, authoritative, like he had already pushed whatev
