𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅

chapter twenty-four

Emriana

I woke up abruptly, unable to breathe. Akira's fur was blocking my face. I pushed him off to the side, gasping for air. He growled, playfully biting my arm, but I rolled my eyes as I pushed him off me.

"You almost killed me, Aki!" I whispered-yelled, not wanting to wake up Dana, lightly snoring on the other side of the room.

I glanced outside, seeing it was still dark, but there was a small shimmer in the sky. The sun was about to rise. I slipped out of bed, dressed for the day, braiding my hair before leaving the room. I tiptoed my way down the stairs, passing by a different guard than the one from last night. I mumbled a good morning before heading down the hallway. Akira was like usual, trotting happily beside me, even though he had almost murdered me a few minutes prior.

Loud noises coming from the end of the hallway drew my attention. I made my way over there, surprised anyone was up at this hour. I lightly pushed on the door, my eyes not ready for the sight in front of me.

Zander, bare-chested, was hitting a weird pole. It looked like it was cushioned so he wouldn't get hurt. I closed the door behind me, which drew his attention to me. I tried not to let my eyes linger for too long at his handsome physic, his toned muscle glistening with sweat.

My eyes settled on dark bruises along his side and a long scar across his back.

"Good morning, Zander," I said, noticing the way he raised a brow, noticing my lingering stare. My face blushed profoundly. 

"What are you doing up so early in the morning?" He shrugged.

"I could ask you the same thing," his groggy, baritone voice echoed through the large empty room.

"Akira almost killed me from suffocation," I said with a smile, but his brows furrowed at my words.

"I'm sorry to bother you. I'll just go," I added quickly, knowing how Zander liked to be unbothered.

"Don't, it's fine," I was surprised he spoke again. In the past two days, he had started talking to me a little more, and I couldn't get myself to understand why he spoke all of a sudden.

"You sure?" He gave me a curt nod, already getting into position, and began to hit the cushion pole with force. I stepped further into the room, walking to where he stood, my eyes fixed on him. I couldn't get myself to look away. His muscled were all engaged, all bulging as he sent powerful blows toward the pole.

I settled on a chair not too far away from him as I watched him exercise. Akira lay by my feet as he went back to sleep in little to no time. We just stayed quiet for a long moment. The only audible thing in the room was the low groans from his throat whenever he threw a punch. I didn't know much about fighting, but Zander looked experienced. There was a precision behind each punch, almost like an art that followed a certain rhythm.

"You're good," I said when he slowed down.

He threw a glance my way before walking over to a chair next to me and grabbing a towel I had just now noticed. He wiped his face, the sweat dripping from his toned muscle. I frowned as I saw the little cuts on his knuckle.

"You should be careful. You're hurting yourself," I said, motioning to his hands. He narrowed his eyes at my words, and I bit my bottom lip, hoping I hadn't said anything wrong.

"Take this," I pulled out the same embroidered cloth from my pocket he had given back to me a few days before.

He hesitated before reaching for it and wiping the blood off his knuckles.

"Do you think you could teach me?" I said out of nowhere, and by his slightly lifted brows, he wasn't expecting me to say that.

"You?" His voice was laced with surprise and grumpiness, almost like it was the craziest thing he had ever heard.