CHAPTER 17
1363 Words
The room fell silent. Nobody wanted to say anything for awhile. Then I felt the need to break the silence.
“That seems like a very important detail.”
“It’s not common knowledge.” Talia said quietly.
“No kidding.”
“The power doesn’t disappear when a Hybrid dies,” Elias said. “It transfers to the one who killed them.”
The implications hit me immediately. Axton already possessed Creation. If he killed Kaiden...
My eyes flicked toward Kaiden. He was staring at the table with an unreadable expression. Like he was thinking about the same thing as me.
“Axton will gain Control, if he kills Kaiden.” Elias said like he knew what was going on in my head.
All of them looked uncomfortable, but none seemed surprised. They’d all known this for years.
“Which means,” Finn said calmly, “if Axton finds the Third Hybrid first...”
He didn’t finish the sentence, he didn’t have to. The entire table already knew how it ended.
For the first time since this conversation started, I understood why everyone became quiet whenever the Third Hybrid was mentioned. They weren’t worried about finding them.
They were worried Axton would find them first.
The meeting ended shortly after. Apparently Elias had decided we’d all had enough existential dread for one morning. Training was his preferred solution.
Chairs scraped against the floor as everyone stood. Conversations started quietly between a few of them, though none lasted very long. The atmosphere remained heavier than before, as if the discussion had followed us out of the dining room.
I walked after the others through a corridor I hadn’t explored yet. The estate was even larger than I’d realized.
Morning light spilled through tall windows, turning the polished wooden floors almost golden. Portraits of people I didn’t recognize lined the walls between dark oak doors. Some looked centuries old. Others looked recent enough that I half expected them to step out of their frames and join us.
“This place is ridiculous,” I muttered.
Rowan looked over his shoulder.
“I know. I got lost three times my first week.”
That earned a laugh from me.
We stepped through a pair of large double doors and out into the open air. The training grounds stretched far beyond what I expected. They definitely looked different during the day.
Several practice arenas covered the center of the courtyard, each surrounded by weapon racks filled with wooden swords, spears and staffs. Archery targets stood along one side beneath a row of ancient trees. Beyond them, another group trained with real steel under the watchful eye of instructors dressed in black. The sound of clashing weapons echoed across the estate.
Apparently monster attacks didn’t qualify as an excuse to skip training.
Elias stopped near the center of the largest arena.
“Pairs.” Elias’ voice carried easily across the training yard. His gaze swept over the group. "Finn you're with Talia."
Finn picked up a wooden sword and walked toward Talia.
“I still think coffee should come first before training.” She sighed dramatically before following him.
“You’ve already had coffee.” Finn pointed out, rolling his eyes at her.
“I was hoping for more.” she murmured quietly.
Elias’ gaze shifted again.
“Rowan. Caelyn.”
Rowan grabbed two practice swords from the nearest rack and tossed one toward me.
I caught it instinctively.
“Well,” he said, spinning his own sword lazily between his fingers. “looks like you’re stuck with me.”
“I was beginning to wonder who would draw the short straw.” I grinned at him.
“Careful. I start charging for emotional damage after the third insult.” He flashed his usual grin before stepping into the center of the training circle.
Around us the other pairs had already begun.
Finn moved with quiet precision. Every strike was calculated. Every step deliberate.
Talia relied less on strength and more on timing, forcing him to constantly adjust his footing.
On another side of the yard, Kaiden sparred against one of the senior members.
Even from this distance he looked... effortless.
“Eyes over here, princess.” Rowan called.
I looked back at him, unable to hide a small grin.
“Jealous already?”
“Devastated." Rowan shook his head dramatically. "I haven’t even had the chance to impress you yet.”
“Don’t worry." I smiled sweetly. "You still have my undivided disappointment.”
His grin widened.
“Okay, you ready now?”
“As I’ll ever be.” I lifted the wooden sword.
Without another word, he attacked first. The strike came straight toward my shoulder.
I raised my sword just in time. Wood cracked against wood. The impact surprised me. Rowan wasn’t using magic, he didn’t need to. He was stronger than he looked.
“Good,” he said with a grin. “Most new people panic by now.”
“I like disappointing people.” I said lightly, stepping back into my stance.
He attacked again. Each strike flowed into the next without giving me time to think. I barely managed to keep up, blocking one blow only to immediately dodge the next. He wasn’t trying to overpower me. He was testing me.
I could do that too.
The next time he swung, I sidestepped at the last second. My speed carried me around his right side before he could fully turn. I aimed the wooden sword toward his ribs.
He twisted away just in time.
“Finally...” Rowan took two quick steps back, a grin spreading across his face. “There she is.”
Around us, a few nearby conversations had gone quiet.
By now, several of the other sparring matches had slowed as people turned to watch ours.
Rowan circled slowly.
Without warning, he lunged again.
This time I met him halfway.
Our swords collided.
Technically, he was the better swordsman.
Every movement was cleaner.
Every strike more controlled.
But every time he thought he’d cornered me, I was already somewhere else.
I caught movement from the corner of my eye.
Of course...
Elias was watching us.
“Stop looking at him,” Rowan said, catching my distraction immediately.
Then he tapped my shoulder with the tip of his wooden sword.
“And... You’re dead.”
“I object.”
“Objection denied.”
“You talk too much.” I rolled my eyes.
“Don’t blame me for your death.” he smirked.
This time I attacked first.
I feinted high before dropping low, using my speed to slip around his guard.
For a split second, his balance shifted.
That was enough.
I stepped inside his reach and pressed the wooden blade lightly against his chest.
Rowan looked down at the sword.
“Who's dead now?” I asked, unable to hide my grin.
He lifted both hands dramatically.
“I’ve been defeated.”
A few people nearby laughed.
Finn didn’t.
“You left your guard open,” he said flatly.
Rowan shrugged. “I was trying not to crush her confidence.”
“Every time you lose, you come up with a different excuse.” Talia scoffed.
“I’ve never lost.”
She pointed at the sword still resting against his chest.
“This is aggressive storytelling.”
Rowan sighed dramatically before taking a step back.
“I demand a rematch.”
“You’re not getting one,” Elias’ voice cut across the training yard.
Surprisingly Rowan looked a little embarrassed.
“You saw the whole thing?”
“I saw enough.”
“And you’re giving her the win?”
Elias looked at him without a trace of amusement.
“She won.”
Rowan looked toward the sky.
“No justice in this organization.”
Elias ignored him completely.
His gaze settled on me.
“Again.”
“Again?” I frowned.
He nodded once.
Then he looked past me.
“Kaiden.” His voice carried clearly across the training yard.
Kaiden lowered his practice sword and met Elias’ gaze.
A faint, almost amused smile appeared on Elias’ face.
“Let’s see how she handles you.”
- Writer
