The demon soldier's cough echoed in my ears like a hammer to an anvil. I pushed myself off Aeliana, rolling my eyes at the intrusion. The soldier was doing a poor job of hiding his grin, and I shot him a glare sharp enough to slice through iron.
"What?" I snapped, annoyed that he'd interrupted… whatever the hell that moment was.
"Apologies, Lady Ciara," he said, his tone dripping with forced innocence, "but the rest of us were beginning to wonder if we'd ever see you get off the ground."
The other soldiers snickered, and I felt the heat rise in my face not from embarrassment, but from the sudden flare of irritation. "Watch it, or you'll be doing laps until your demon feet bleed," I warned, my voice low and threatening.
A few of them laughed, and one particularly bold soldier, a wiry demon with a scar running down his cheek, dared to raise an eyebrow. "No need to be jealous, Lady Ciara," he said with a mock bow. "Not everyone can handle the Aeliana."
I let out a huff of exasperation. "Oh, please," I scoffed. "Handling her isn't the problem. It's getting her to listen that's the real challenge."
Aeliana, now standing and brushing grass off her pants, shot me a look. "I'm right here, you know," she muttered under her breath, but there was a faint smile on her lips.
"Good," I fired back, a grin tugging at the corner of my mouth, "because I wouldn't want you to miss a single word of this."
The soldiers were still chuckling, and I decided to let them have their fun. Maybe I was feeling a little too relaxed, or maybe it was the way Aeliana's presence seemed to make everything less heavy, less serious.
For a moment, I didn't care about appearances, about rank or protocol. For a moment, it was just… fun.
"Alright, back to training," I commanded, clapping my hands together. "Unless you want me to kick all of your asses again."
They grumbled good-naturedly and shuffled back into line, their eyes twinkling with that familiar mix of fear and admiration.
I caught Aeliana's gaze, and for a split second, something unspoken passed between us something that made my chest tighten and my breath hitch. I shoved it aside. Focus, Ciara.
"Hey, princess," I called over to her, not bothering to lower my voice, "you up for another round?"
She rolled her eyes but stepped forward. "You don't know when to quit, do you?"
I grinned. "I'll quit when you admit I'm better."
She laughed, a light, melodic sound that sent a shiver down my spine. "Not gonna happen."
We squared off again, and I felt that familiar rush, the thrill of a challenge. This time, I wasn't holding back. I lunged at her, moving with a speed and ferocity that took her by surprise. Our swords clashed, a sharp, metallic sound that seemed to echo in the crisp air.
Aeliana was quick, but I was quicker. I dodged her strikes with ease, my body moving like a shadow, slipping in and out of her reach. I could see the determination in her eyes, the way she focused, the way her breath quickened. I could almost feel the tension in the air, thick and electric.
"Getting tired?" I teased, darting to the side as her blade came dangerously close to my shoulder.
"Hardly," she shot back, swinging again, and this time, she was close enough that I had to twist my body to avoid the blow. The move brought me close to her, close enough to catch the scent of her, the faint hint of something sweet and floral. It made my head swim for a moment, made my blood sing in my veins.
I hesitated, just for a fraction of a second, and she took the opportunity to shove me back, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "Gotcha."
"Oh, no, you don't," I muttered, pushing forward, forcing her to step back, our blades locked. There was that tension again, thick and tangible, like a rope pulled tight between us, ready to snap.
And then, with a sudden burst of energy, I twisted, knocking her sword from her hand. She gasped, more in surprise than fear, and I couldn't help but grin. "Looks like I win," I said, my voice low.
But before I could relish in my victory, she darted forward, her hands gripping my shoulders, and with a surprising amount of strength, she pushed me back. I stumbled, caught off guard, and she used the moment to retrieve her sword. "Not so fast," she said, a smirk playing on her lips.
"Cheating again, princess?" I taunted, but I was laughing, genuinely enjoying this.
Aeliana shrugged, not at all repentant. "Winning is winning."
We went at it again, the soldiers around us cheering and laughing, enjoying the show. I could feel their eyes on us, but I didn't care.
For once, I didn't care about what they thought, or about my reputation. I just wanted to win. To feel that rush of victory and see the look of begrudging admiration on Aeliana's face.
But then, just as I was about to make my next move, a voice cut through the noise like a knife through butter. "Aeliana!"
I froze, my eyes narrowing as I saw Leora standing at the edge of the training field, her arms crossed over her chest, a stern expression on her face.
She looked from me to Aeliana, and I felt a sudden flash of annoyance. What did she want now?
"Sorry, Ciara," Aeliana whispered, lowering her sword. "I have to go."
I opened my mouth to protest, to tell her to stay, but before I could say anything, Cassandra appeared out of nowhere, her face pale and her eyes wide with panic. "Ciara," she said, her voice urgent, "I need your help. It's urgent."
I felt a twinge of irritation. What was so damn important that it couldn't wait? I glanced between Aeliana, who was already heading toward Leora, and Cassandra, whose expression was growing more desperate by the second.
Something was wrong. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach. "What is it?" I demanded, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.