Chapter 10 #2
He didn't take a step towards me, so I stupidly let my arms down and lowered my guard. I glanced towards Pia for a split second.
Big. Fucking. Mistake.
Sawyer sprinted forward and was on me within seconds, throwing his whole body into mine. My back slammed into the mat, his entire weight falling on top of me. My head ricocheted off the floor, making my ears ring and the room around me spin.
“You need to watch your mouth when you're talking to the king's head soldiers, Willawood,” Sawyer snarled, spit and blood dripping from his teeth.
Okay. So this is about me.
Sebastian must have told Sawyer how I'd been mouthing off to him.
I parted my lips to protest, but my jaw clamped shut when Sawyer planted his fist into the side of my face. My vision blurred from the force, my head pounding so hard that I bordered the fine line of consciousness.
“Sawyer, what the fuck!” I heard Sebastian yell, and I vaguely made out his figure as he grabbed Sawyer's shoulders and pulled him off of me.
The release of pressure aided in my vision returning to normal. I sat up slowly, holding my hand to my cheekbone. It stung to the touch, but otherwise seemed intact.
Sawyer spit out a mouthful of blood on the ground in front of me, then wiped his lips and stormed out of the arena.
“At least my punch drew blood, asshole,” I called after him.
Kohen's figure appeared above me. His blond-brown hair was matted with sweat against his forehead, and he looked just as angry as Sebastian did. They spoke briefly before Kohen darted out of the arena after Sawyer.
Sebastian watched him go, shaking his head in disappointment. “Class dismissed,” he announced to everyone in the arena. “Everyone get the hell out!” he yelled when no one moved.
While the others packed up and filed out of the arena, Sebastian reached a hand out to help me up. “Are you okay?”
I declined, swatting at his palm. I didn't need aid from someone who clearly had a part in this. I tried to stand on my own, but stumbled and fell back to my knees.
Sebastian moved behind me and lifted me up by the underarms.
“I'm fine,” I grumbled, shouldering him away from me.
“You're bleeding.”
I raised a hand to my throbbing cheek, wet and warm from my blood. Damn. Sawyer’s punch actually did split my skin—I didn't notice it before. Awkward.
“What did I do to deserve that?” I snarled, spinning to face Sebastian as I wiped the blood from my face.
He looked taken aback. “What?”
I scoffed. “Don't play dumb. I saw you two whispering to each other on the mat.”
He shook his head. “No, Maeve, I had nothing—”
Pia rushed over to where we stood, my bag thrown over her shoulder. “Are you okay? That was totally kick-ass what you did to him!”
I faked a grin while the soreness in my muscles took over my body. “I’m fine,” I repeated myself.
She took my hand. “Let's go back to the dorms. I'll try my healing magic on your wound.”
I nodded and stumbled off the mat, paying no attention to the soldier who followed after me.
Pia was able to stop the bleeding on my face, but she hadn't practiced her magic enough yet to fully close the wound.
She pushed me to go to the infirmary for sutures, but I assured her that it would heal on its own in a few days.
When I finally got her to reluctantly agree, she left and I showered before falling asleep in utter exhaustion.
My head was still throbbing when I woke hours later. I wouldn't have been surprised if I had a concussion from Sawyer bashing my skull into the mat. Oh well. There would be plenty of those during my time at the academy.
I rolled to my side and looked out the window. The sun had almost set, meaning my nap lasted longer than planned. I should have gotten up and gone to the castle for dinner, but the idea of having to face Sawyer or Sebastian again today gave me goosebumps.
I let out a long, heavy sigh and pulled the quilt up to my neck. How had everything in my life gone so wrong in a matter of weeks? I was happy before I was gifted. I had spent most of my time at the beach or working with my mother. Now, I was getting my ass handed to me by the king's soldiers.
My fingers lifted to the gash carved into my cheek. “Fuck,” I moaned, the wound aching to touch.
A soft knock hit my door, and I jolted upright again, clutching my blanket into my fists. “It's unlocked,” I answered mid-yawn, figuring it was Pia returning.
My eyes narrowed on him as Sebastian let himself into my room, closing the door behind him. The corner of his mouth twitched upward in a sad attempt at a smile. He looked out of sorts, and though I hadn't known him for long, he didn't often seem to get frazzled.
“What could you possibly want?” I questioned, obvious annoyance rolling off my tongue. The audacity of him to come here—his friend just beat the crap out of me, and I was sure he had something to do with it.
He took a few more steps into the room before he spoke. “Please just let me talk before you say anything,” he insisted.
I didn't have the energy to resist, so I pointed my eyes at the ceiling, doing anything I could do to avoid his gaze.
Sebastian sighed heavily. “First of all, I'm sorry for what happened today on the mat. I had no idea that Sawyer was going to attack you like that. It was uncalled for and an abuse of power.”
I dropped my eyes to him and sat up a little straighter, pushing my back against the headboard. “You didn't know? Really?” I raised my eyebrows in suspicion. “Am I supposed to believe that?”
“I swear to the gods that I didn't know. Sawyer suggested demonstrating some techniques, but he didn't say anything about using you as an example. I never would have allowed that had I known.” The seriousness in his expression was enough to make me believe him.
“Then why didn’t you intervene?”
“That is incredibly frowned upon. The fact that I tore him off of you at the end was dishonorable enough.”
I’ll tell you what's dishonorable.
My lips parted to counter his claim, but he got the first word.
“Let me finish,” he demanded and inched closer to me.
“I’m sorry for not warning you about my father’s plans to announce your gift during the gala.
” He held his gaze to mine, hardly blinking as he went on.
“And I'm sorry I was such a dick about it afterwards. You didn't deserve that.”
My blatant shock was obvious. “No. I didn't.”
He held a single finger to his lips and took another step towards my bed. His cerulean eyes were sewn to mine with an invisible thread, and I couldn’t look away.
My breaths quickened. I pulled the quilt up higher to cover my breasts, suddenly all too aware of the thinness of my shirt's material.
“I’m sorry for yelling at you under the tower. I didn't want to, but you have no idea about the implications that my father has set for me. If anything happens to you—” He averted his glorious eyes from me to walk to my window, settling his hands upon the sill.
I watched the way the muscles of his back tightened as he drew a breath, holding it for a moment before setting it free into a deep sigh. His head bowed. “My father will always do everything he can to protect Caelestis. Even if that means putting the kingdom before his family.”
Silence overwhelmed us. I wanted to ask exactly what he meant by that, but something told me that now was not the time to pry. He seemed so…unbalanced. Distraught. As if he truly was sorry for these things.
When I was sure he was not going to say anything more, I slid out of bed and went to accompany him at the window. He didn't look at me as I joined him in staring out at the twilight.
My breath fogged the glass of the window. “I'm sorry that I assumed the worst of you, and that I've been making your job more difficult, and for all of the terrible things I have said to you.” My apology was soft spoken and much shorter than his, but it was heartfelt and I meant it.
Sebastian turned to me, his eyes glistening in the soft light of the moon. A forced smile found his face, though it was short-lived, vanishing when he caught a glimpse of my wound. He reached out to touch it, but stopped himself, putting his hand back on the window sill.
“I’m going to kick his ass,” he mumbled under his breath.
I brushed a finger over the injury. “It's not that bad, and let’s be honest, it was only a matter of time before someone beat me up,” I tried to joke.
He didn't laugh.
The air was heavy between us. Strangled with tension and something else that I couldn't quite name.
Sebastian blew out a deep breath before pushing off of the window sill.
He tilted his head in my direction. “Now that that's out of the way, I say we start fresh. We are going to be spending a lot of time together over the next few years, and it will be a hell of a lot more enjoyable if we can get along.”
The corner of my lip tugged up. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Good. Okay.” He forced a brief smile as he turned for the door, but I stopped him.
“Wait. Can I ask for a favor? You know, seeing as your friend used me as a mop today?” I chuckled, but he still didn't laugh.
“Sure.”
“Would you be able to get me some writing supplies? I know we aren't supposed to write to family, and I swear that I won't. I just want to…write.”
Sebastian’s forehead creased, but he nodded. “Sure.”