Rafael's Point of View
The gym lights hum above me, steady and cold, as the sound of my fists slamming into the heavy bag fills the air. Thud. Thud. Thud. Each strike lands harder than the one before, my sweat flying, my breath tearing through my throat like fire.
It is my first full day back at the academy since Noctwyn, and I cannot stop moving. I do not want to stop if I am being honest.
Every time I close my eyes, I see the destruction, the smoke curling up from the trees, the blackened walls, the bodies lined in silence. And under all that, Octavia’s face when she looked at me, she was so calm, and focused, but also very worried.
I grit my teeth and drive my fist into the bag again, feeling the sting ripple up my arm. The chain creaks, the leather groans, but I do not let up.
If
