Rai stood among the recruits, muscles tense as the drill instructor paced before them, his eyes scanning each face like a wolf assessing prey. The academy’s training yard was vast, encased in towering stone walls that trapped the heat of the midday sun. Today’s trial was simple—hand-to-hand combat. The last recruit standing would earn recognition, while the weak would be left bloodied in the dirt.
Khael stood several feet away, arms crossed, his sharp gaze unreadable. Rai had noticed that he always watched her a little too closely, but he never spoke about it. It unsettled her. Did he suspect something?
The instructor's voice boomed across the yard. “Pair up! No weapons. Just fists and instinct. And remember, only the strong survive here.”
Rai clenched her fists, reminding herself to ho
