I threw a soldier across the training yard, watching with satisfaction as he hit the dirt hard. Damn, I needed this. Each punch, each kick, each impact on flesh and bone, was a small release for the frustration boiling inside me.
The soldiers started backing off one by one, eyes wide with fear. Good. They should be scared. I was not in the mood to play nice.
This whole perfect match bullshit had me on edge. Of all the people in the world, why the hell did it have to be Aeliana? That prissy, goody-two-shoes was the last person I wanted to be tied to.
And Leora, in her infinite wisdom, had decided to turn off my magic to keep me from teleporting away. Great. Just fucking great. I couldn't even escape to my own damn castle without trudging through the kingdom on foot or by car.
"Fuck this," I muttered, my fists slamming into the next soldier who dared to approach. He crumpled to the ground, groaning. Why Aeliana? Why not someone I could at least stand to be around?
She was so... irritating. Always following the rules, always so damn perfect and super hot. It made my skin crawl just thinking about her.
One soldier made a break for it, sprinting toward the edge of the training yard. I caught him by the collar and yanked him back, delivering a swift punch to his gut. He doubled over, gasping for breath. The others hesitated, exchanging nervous glances. They knew they were outmatched.
"You all gonna run away like cowards?" I shouted, eyes blazing. "Get back here and fight!"
But they didn't. One by one, they slunk off, leaving me alone in the yard, panting and sweating, my anger far from spent. I needed more. I needed to hit something that could actually hit back.
"Impressive," a voice drawled from behind me.
I turned to see Zephara, her arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips. "You've scared them all off, Ciara. Quite the feat."
I rolled my eyes. "What do you want, Zephara?"
She chuckled, stepping closer. "I was just admiring your technique. You seem... tense."
"Tense?" I barked a harsh laugh. "That's putting it mildly. I'm stuck in this shit show of a situation with my magic cut off and the worst possible match I could've gotten. What do you think?"
Zephara's eyes sparkled with amusement. "How about a real challenge then? Fight me."
I smirked, wiping sweat from my brow. "I don't want to hurt you, grandma."
Her expression darkened, the teasing glint in her eyes replaced with a steely resolve. "We'll see who gets hurt."
We squared off, and I felt a surge of adrenaline. This was more like it. A real fight. Zephara was no pushover, and I knew better than to underestimate her. She was older, sure, but she had the experience and the skill to back it up.
She moved first, quick as lightning, and I barely had time to block her punch. I retaliated with a swift kick, but she dodged, coming at me with a flurry of strikes that had me on the defensive. I growled, my frustration fueling my movements, but Zephara matched me blow for blow.
"Is that all you've got?" she taunted, landing a solid hit to my ribs.
"Bite me," I spat, lunging at her with renewed fury.
We traded blows, each impact sending shockwaves through my body. She was good. Damn good. But I wasn't about to back down. I poured everything into the fight, every ounce of anger and frustration channeled into my fists and feet.
Zephara's movements were fluid, almost graceful, as she countered my attacks. I managed to land a few solid hits, but she shrugged them off, her focus unwavering.
"You're strong, Ciara," she said, ducking under a punch and sweeping my legs out from under me. "But you're reckless."
I hit the ground hard, rolling to my feet just in time to avoid her next strike. "Reckless gets the job done," I snapped, launching myself at her with a roar.
She caught my arm, twisting it painfully behind my back and slamming me to the ground. I struggled, but her grip was ironclad. "Not always," she murmured, her voice calm. "Sometimes, strategy wins the day."
With a final twist, she pinned me, and I knew I was beaten. I lay there, panting, every muscle aching. "Fuck," I muttered.
Zephara released me, standing and offering a hand to help me up. "You've got potential, Ciara," she said, her tone serious. "But you need to learn control. Especially now."
I glared up at her, ignoring her hand and pushing myself to my feet. "Control is overrated," I grumbled, but her words struck a chord.
She studied me for a moment, then sighed. "You're in a difficult situation. But running from it won't solve anything."
I clenched my fists, wanting to argue, but the truth was, she was right. I hated it, but she was right. I couldn't keep avoiding this, no matter how much I wanted to.
Zephara didn't give me time to dwell on it. She was on me again, her strikes coming faster and harder. A punch to the jaw sent me reeling, and before I could recover, her knee connected with my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I doubled over, gasping for air, but she gave me no respite.
"Get up," she barked, her voice harsh. "You think the world will give you a break? Think again!"
I barely had time to stagger to my feet before she was on me, her fists a blur. I tried to block, but she was relentless. A hook to the side of my head left me seeing stars, and a vicious kick to my thigh nearly buckled my leg.
"Fight back!" she demanded, her eyes cold and unyielding. "Show me what you're really made of!"
I swung wildly, desperation driving my movements, but she easily sidestepped, countering with a brutal punch to my ribs that made me cry out in pain. Her follow-up strikes were merciless, each blow driving me further into a corner.
"You're weak," she sneered, her tone dripping with contempt.
"Shut up!" I yelled, launching myself at her with all the strength I had left. She caught my arm mid-swing, twisting it until I thought it might snap. The pain was blinding, and I fell to my knees, helpless.
"Look at you," she said, her voice icy. "All that rage, and for what? It's useless if you can't control it."
She kicked me in the chest, sending me sprawling on my back. I tried to get up, but she placed a foot on my chest, pinning me down effortlessly. I struggled, but it was no use. Her strength was overwhelming.
"Give up," she said, her voice soft but firm. "There's no shame in admitting you're beaten. But learn from this, Ciara. Learn that brute force won't always save you."
Her words cut deep, but there was truth in them. I hated it, but I couldn't deny it. My vision blurred with tears of frustration and pain, but I forced myself to nod.
"Good," she said, removing her foot and stepping back. "Now, get up. We have work to do."
I lay there for a moment, gathering what little strength I had left. Every part of my body ached, but I couldn't stay down. Not now. Not ever. With a groan, I pushed myself to my feet, my legs trembling.
Zephara watched me, her expression unreadable. "You've got potential, Ciara," she said again. "But potential means nothing without discipline. Remember that."
I wiped my eyes, refusing to let her see me cry. "Yeah," I muttered, my voice hoarse. "I get it."
She nodded, a hint of approval in her eyes. "Come on," she said, clapping me on the shoulder. "Let's get you patched up. And then, we'll figure out what to do about your... predicament."
As we walked off the training field, I couldn't help but wonder if there was a way out of this mess. If there was a way to deal with Aeliana and this perfect match nonsense without losing my mind. But for now, all I could do was try to survive one day at a time.