Page 28 of The Fractured Veil

He held my gaze for a beat, a silent battle of wills playing out between us. His hand lingered a moment longer before he finally let go. The warmth quickly dissipated, replaced by an almost uncomfortable chill—as if his touch had left an imprint on my skin.

"I'll be here in a few hours to pick you up for training," he said, the sharp edge in his voice softening as his usual playful smirk returned, a hint of challenge dancing in his eyes. "Be ready, or I'll drag you out there myself."

The threat, though delivered with a playfully, held an undercurrent of seriousness that made me shiver. "Don't threaten me, Zarek," I warned, my voice low but firm. "I'm not one of your fangirls to be bossed around."

"No, you're not," a light laugh escaped his lips, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "But youaregoing to train with us. Whether you like it or not." He turned to leave, then paused, glancing back at me over his shoulder. "And Thalia?"

"What?" I asked, my voice laced with annoyance.

"Don't be late," he said, a wide grin spreading across his face. "I wouldn't want to have to resort to drastic measures."

As I walked away, I heard his voice call after me, laced with that signature teasing warmth. “I’ll see you later, Firefly.” I didn’t turn around, but I could hear the smile in his words.

I made a beeline for my dorm. The audacity of him, thinking he could just decide I was training with them. As if I needed their help. As if I was just going to fall in line because he commanded it. The nerve.

I pushed open the heavy wooden door, stepping into the relative peace of the dormitory. I could feel the tension of the day slowly starting to melt away as I made my way down the dimly lit hallway to my room. Or at least, it would have—had my mind not been occupied with Zarek's proposition—or more accurately, his demand.

Train with them? Yeah, right.I scoffed to myself, the thought alone was laughable. Sure, they were powerful—and annoyingly attractive—but that didn't mean I needed them. I had managed just fine on my own so far, hadn't I? I didn't need their help, their pity, or their presence messing with my head any more than it already was.

As I reached my door, I paused, my hand resting on the cool metal of the doorknob. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to clear my mind. But Zarek's words still lingered, echoing through my thoughts with an unsettling persistence.

I'll be here in a few hours to pick you up for training. Be ready, or I'll drag you out there myself.

The memory of his hand on my arm sent an unexpected warm down my body. His warmth, his closeness—it had taken me by surprise, catching me off guard. It wasn't just his touch, though. It was the look in his eyes, the urgency in his voice. It was... different.

I shook my head, trying to dispel the thoughts.What am I even thinking?This was Zarek we were talking about. The same Zarek who teased me relentlessly. Who flirted with every girl in sight. Who always seemed to be playing some kind of game. I couldn't let myself get swept up in... whatever this was. I needed to stay focused.

I pushed open the door to my room, stepping inside to the soft click of it closing behind me. The room was just as I'd left it—a small haven amidst the chaos of the academy. My gaze fell on the scattered notes and books strewn across my desk, remnants of my attempts to catch up on what I'd missed.

I moved towards the desk, gathering up the notes and trying to organize them into some semblance of order. I was supposed to be studying, to be preparing for the challenges ahead. That was what mattered—not Zarek, not his ridiculous proposition, and certainly not the confusing mess of emotions he seemed to stir within me.

I sat down at my desk, pulling out my textbook and flipping it open to the bookmarked page. I stared at the words, my mind refusing to focus. Frustrated, I let out a sigh, running my fingers through my hair as I leaned back in my chair.

Why can't I just stop thinking about them?

My focus should have been on my studies, on desperately trying to unlock whatever dormant abilities I supposedly had. The Wonders of Nexara was a daunting reminder of the expectations of being gifted. I needed to be ready. To prove to myself—and to everyone else—that I was more than just a human amongst gods.

I glanced at the clock, the hands ticking away with relentless precision. Time was slipping through my fingers, and I felt powerless to stop it. I had a decision to make, and I knew I couldn't put it off forever.

Train with them, or face the challenges alone?

The thought of training with Zarek—and by extension, Damon and Nox—was both thrilling and terrifying. They were the best of the best, the epitome of power and grace. If I trained with them, I would be stepping into their world—a world I wasn't entirely sure I was ready for. But if I didn't... would I be passing up an opportunity to grow stronger? To become the person I was meant to be?

I stood up, pacing the small confines of my room as I weighed my options. The walls seemed to close in around me, the pressure building with each passing second. I needed to clear my head, to escape the suffocating silence of my room.

Without allowing myself to second-guess, I grabbed my jacket and slipped out the door, heading towards the one place where I could find some semblance of peace: the forest.

As I walked, the sounds of the academy faded into the background. The midday sun beat down mercilessly, casting a harsh light over the path ahead. I breathed in the cool, crisp air, letting it fill my lungs as I ventured deeper into the forest.

Chapter13

Thalia’s POV

Iwandered deeper into the trees, seeking a moment of solitude away from the prying eyes and whispers. But that damn unsettling sensation of being watched crept over me, a prickling at the back of my neck that I couldn't shake off. I tried to dismiss it, to convince myself it was just paranoia, the result of too much stress and too little sleep. The usual.

But the feeling persisted, growing stronger with each step I took. It was like a prickling at the back of my neck, an itch I couldn't scratch. I stopped in my tracks, my senses on high alert as I scanned the surrounding forest. Then I saw him, leaning casually against a tree with a mischievous glint in his amber eyes—Zarek.

"For someone who says they don't want to play games, you sure do," he drawled, his voice laced with amusement. "Enjoying a little game of cat and mouse, are we?"

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