The training room smelled like chalk dust and old sweat, and Rhea had started to love it.
She had asked Caden three days ago, standing in the doorway while he wrapped his knuckles, the question coming out faster than she’d planned. “Will you teach me? To fight.”
He had looked at her for a long moment before he answered. “Why now?”
“Because I’m tired of being someone things happen to.”
He had nodded once, like that was the only answer that would have satisfied him, and told her to be in the training room at six the next morning.
That had been three days ago. Her arms still ached from the first session.
“Again,” Caden said now, circling her slowly on the mat. He wasn’t even breathing hard. She was.
“You said that four times already.”
“You’ll hear it a hundred more before you stop dro
