Chapter 57
Nikolai
I’d been watching Nuel for weeks. It started subtly—little things that caught my attention during training. The way he never sparred too close to anyone, always lingering at the back of the locker room, choosing the furthest corner. He never let anyone stand too close, spoke only when necessary, and always seemed hyper-aware of his surroundings.
Something was off.
At first, I thought it was just a personality quirk. Some people are naturally distant. But then I noticed his reaction when someone grabbed him unexpectedly—how he tensed, almost like he was bracing for something worse than a sparring match. The way he carried himself, the precision in his movements… it wasn’t how most of us were trained. It was careful. Controlled. Deliberate.
And then there was the bigg
