Zara – First Person POV
The morning bells rang sharp through the academy halls, cutting through the chatter of students dragging themselves toward the training grounds. My stomach twisted as I walked with the crowd, trying to keep my pace steady, trying not to look like my chest wasn’t heavy with dread.
Combat training day.
Normally, I would have welcomed it. The drills, the chance to push my body until sweat soaked my back and my arms ached, that rhythm was familiar. Safe. But today was different. Today, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong.
My eyes darted across the gathering students. I saw Alex leaning casually against a pillar, arms crossed, her lips curved in a smirk like she already knew the matchups would favor her. And Talia stood nearby, her dark
