Page 31 of Fated for Dawn

Well, except for one thing—I had one less class. Lucien hadn’t insisted I return to Potions. And with Miss Clarissa gone, a new teacher had taken her place—not that it mattered since I had already dropped the class.

Still, the atmosphere had undeniably shifted. Even after two weeks, whispers followed me down the corridors, and plenty of students still seemed to think I had something to do with what happened. After all, I was a member of the former Luminary Coven—one of the closest to Morgana and Lia—and I’d been gone for over a year. I could understand their wariness. Even if some were outright hostile, I shrugged it off. Being the center of Arcanum Academy’s gossip mill wasn’t new for me.

Still, I missed Theo’s teasing remarks and his sarcastic quips whenever someone looked at me the wrong way. It wasn’t the same without him, and the silence where his voice should’ve been made the Academy feel lonelier.

Friday night arrived, and I breathed a sigh of relief. There would be no lectures or disapproving whispers for the next two days. The only things on my agenda were sword training with Rafe and devising a plan to rescue Lia and end Eris’ schemes, whatever those were.

It was difficult for me to grasp the situation fully. Eris wasn’t just a witch like Morgana; she was a powerful deity with thousands of years of experience and fanatical followers. Every possible scenario I imagined resulted in more loss and defeat. How could we possibly stand against her? We had no plan, strategy, or even a clue where to begin.

How does one stop a Goddess? I had no idea.

With magic restored to its full strength, it was like a ticking time bomb. Eris wouldn’t stay hidden for much longer.

We needed to be prepared.

That was exactly what I planned to do.

Continuing my training with Rafe was the logical course of action right now. If we hoped to defeat Eris, we had to be stronger and faster—prepared for any challenge that came our way. Time was not on our side, and I couldn’t afford to waste any of it.

As I made my way to our usual training spot, the sound of clashing steel reached my ears before I even turned the corner.

When I entered the courtyard, I couldn’t believe what I saw. Rafe and his brother Zade were locked in an intense sparring match, their swords moving in a deadly dance of strength and precision. It was truly awe-inspiring to witness these celestial beings with their wings spread, gracefully but ferociously battling each other.

I found a comfortable spot to lean against a tree and watched in fascination as they danced, their swords moving with lightning speed. The raw power emanating from them was palpable.

Zade appeared to have a slight advantage, but Rafe held his ground. Every strike was met with precise blocks, and every fake move was countered effortlessly. I couldn’t help but be amazed at their power and elegance. Their level of expertise surpassed anything I had ever witnessed before.

Suddenly, they both turned to face me.

I gulped.

Looked like I was up next.

Rafe grabbed something and walked over, holding out what looked like a sword sheath. I accepted it and examined it with fascination. The sheath was exquisitely designed, with smooth leather and delicate gold accents.

“Why are you giving me this?” I asked, my eyes widening. The sheath was made from the same fire-resistant material as my clothing.

“The guys and I thought you’d need a sheath for your sword. And it’s not just any sheath,” he continued, his eyes lighting up. “It’s imbued with the same magic as ours.” He motioned toward Zade’s sheath.

I raised an eyebrow, urging him to go on.

“It lets the sword hide in a pocket when you don’t need it. But when you do.” He grinned. “The sword will reappear.”

I gasped. “That’s amazing!” I threw my arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. “Thank you!” I kissed him, intending to be quick, but it deepened as our lips met.

Rafe’s lips pressed against mine, and I groaned softly, losing myself in the warmth of his touch and the tenderness of the moment. His hands were gentle yet possessive, and for a few stolen moments, the world around us faded away.

When we broke apart, breathless, I looked into his eyes, which sparkled with pride and affection.

“We really need to plan some alone time,” I whispered, my fingers tracing the outline of his jaw. “You know, just the two of us—between saving the world and all.”

A sudden cough interrupted our moment. Zade stood nearby, arms crossed, his expression unreadable—except for a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth as he eyed his brother.

“Enough with the pleasantries,” he said. “Show me what you can do with that sword. Rafe keeps gushing, but maybe his feelings are clouding his judgment.” His eyebrows lifted in Rafe’s direction.

Nervousness fluttered in my stomach. Zade’s stern demeanor made me want to impress him—even more so because he was Rafe’s older brother and the best battle guardian out there.

Rafe helped me attach the sheath to my back, showing me how to release the sword. Drawing a deep breath, I began to spar with him.

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