A loud slap reverberates through the training hall. I hold my burning cheek in shock while my father stands before me with a mixture of anger and sadness in his face.
"You must be out of your damn mind to let that man into the house. What have you not learned from what happened last year? I thought you were smarter than that."
"I had to let him in. He would have made me and the Winter name out as the bad guy if I turned down his request."
"Safety! Your safety is the top priority! Not your image!" My father paces back and forth while wiping the few tears that had fallen down his face. "An image can be fixed. When you get physical hurt, there might be no turning back even if you enlist the help of all of the angels in the Northern Country. Once you die, you're dead. There's no going back."
"I'm... I'm sorry if I let you down..." I turn to walk out of the training hall to give my father some space when I feel arms wrap around my neck.
