13. Thalia
THALIA
M icah was to leave for the Godsrealm in less than a day. He had asked me to stay behind, nearly begged me not to mention it to Lucia or Damien.
How could I, though?
Recruits paced around in the training rings before me, the sun’s heat beating down on my skin.
My mind had been lost in a haze all morning, unable to stay on task.
What if it was true? Could they have really brought The Pits back?
If so, who was responsible? How long had they been operating?
How many more children had they stolen? How many more souls had they broken?
The beast bristled within my soul, feeding off my emotions like a pack of wolves devouring their prey.
Micah let out a grunt, and I lifted my eyes in time to see him hit the ground, the new recruit staring down at him, his chest heaving with each labored breath.
Barrett Stratos.
I hadn’t unearthed any new information on him, hadn’t wanted to dig any further than what I’d overheard last week for fear of what I might find.
Something deep in my chest left me wondering whether learning anything more would leave me further tangled up in the thoughts winding their way through my mind since I’d first laid eyes on him.
He was no better than a hunter’s trap.
Micah pushed himself up, brows shooting skyward as he blinked up at Barrett, who had just thrown him during their sparring match.
Barrett huffed a laugh and stuck his hand out for Micah to take before pulling him up from the dirt. Micah hadn’t spoken of Barrett much, but from what I’d seen, they seemed to have kindled some sort of friendship.
I frowned, my eyes lingering on Barrett for a moment too long and I froze the moment his gaze shifted to mine. Before I could give myself away further, I turned to the recruits, crossing my arms.
For a moment it almost felt as if the beast was laughing at me before its thoughts flitted across mine once more. So flustered.
You’re annoying.
The beast seemed to settle at the sight of them, and I tried to focus on the recruits before me instead of them.
You’ve always liked Micah, but I’ve never felt you fawn over him.
It huffed in response. The steel-eyed warrior has bite.
I rolled my eyes, and it seemed to tug at my attention, wanting me to watch them, when it spoke again. Perhaps you should take some of that bite out on him.
I glanced sidelong at Micah and Barrett as they paused for a break, ladling water from buckets to take a drink and splash over their heads. The water soaked into Micah’s shaggy brown hair, dripping down his neck and rolling down the tightly wound cords of muscle in his back, his arms.
Gods…
I could almost feel the humor in the beast’s thoughts. I think you’re drooling.
I stiffened, running a hand across my lips to find it had lied. Annoying creature.
Irritation swelled in my chest as it seemed to curl up, content to leave me flustered. Despite the urge to turn and ignore them, I couldn’t deny the way they looked together, how they somehow complimented one another.
I let out a sigh and stalked toward them.
Micah’s brows rose when he caught sight of me, and he turned in time to press a kiss to my cheek.
“Come to watch me get my ass handed to me?” he teased, his hands grasping my hips as he brushed his nose against mine, dragging a smile out of me .
“I thought I’d step in and see what the newest recruit has to dish out,” I said, glancing at Barrett.
Barrett peered over his shoulder before taking one last drink and facing me fully. His blond brows furrowed for a moment as he seemed to really look at me, steel eyes flitting between mine, as if searching for something.
“Does he know how to talk?” I asked, arching a brow.
Micah huffed a laugh, and Barrett seemed to blink out of whatever trance he had fallen into. “Barrett doesn’t usually have any issue speaking. More often than not he only manages to shove his foot in his mouth when he does.”
“This your bonded?” Barrett asked, gesturing to me.
He nodded. “This is Thalia. Thalia, this is Barrett.”
“Pleasure,” I said, giving him a smile that was all teeth.
Barrett huffed a laugh and pointed to himself. “You’re wanting to spar with me?”
“Too afraid to accept?” I asked, tilting my head as I crossed my arms over my chest.
Micah bit back his grin.
“Never backed down from a challenge,” he said, arching a brow. “I hope you offer more of a fight than your bonded.”
Micah stuttered, gaping as he held his hands out in clear offense. “Low blow! You got a lucky shot at me.”
“Keep telling yourself that, pretty boy,” Barrett said with a cocky grin as he turned his back on him to get one more drink and—Fates spare me—pour some over his hair. He shook it out, the water droplets rolling down his sweat-slicked skin.
I held my hand out to the ring, trying to regain any sort of control over myself as the beast seemed to chuckle in the depths of my soul. “After you.”
Barrett tossed the ladle back into the bucket of water and stalked past me.
As I turned to follow him, Micah’s arm snaked around my waist, pulling me back against him, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered, “Show him who’s in charge around here.”
The corner of my lips twitched. “Enjoy the show.”
Barrett came to a stop in the center of the ring, rolling his neck as he stretched his arms out and cracked his wrists. “I’ve been watching you with these recruits.”
“Really now?” I asked as I stopped before him. “Didn’t realize I’d attracted the attention of our newest. I hope you’ve enjoyed the view.”
That cocky grin curved his lips again, and irritation swelled in my chest at the way it left my heart fluttering, at the way the beast preened within me that he had been watching us.
Our bonded is watching, you traitorous creature .
It huffed. You say that as if our kind doesn’t share.
I chewed the inside of my lip, unable to respond.
It wasn’t wrong, but still, I couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt at the way the beast responded to Barrett.
It was reminiscent of the way it felt around Micah.
It had taken a liking to him from the beginning, but this… There was something different about it.
“You sure like to stare,” Barrett whispered, and I stiffened at the coy smile spreading across his face. “Don’t think I didn’t see you watching us train the last week.”
Had I been so obvious?
The beast nuzzled against my consciousness. You weren’t exactly secretive in your observation.
Shut up!
“Shall I have my likeness painted for you to admire whenever you like?” Barrett whispered, and I ground my teeth.
“I shall have your likeness ground into the dirt beneath my boot,” I growled, running forward.
Barrett huffed a laugh, seeming triumphant as I charged for him. What he didn’t realize, though, was that while others might become flustered when angered...
I thrived.
Barrett narrowly evaded my first strike, and I smiled at the grunt that burst from his lips as my other fist connected with his kidney a second later.
Micah broke into laughter as Barrett stumbled back. “Just remember, you asked for this!”
I didn’t give Barrett the chance to respond, swinging my leg through the air.
His arms shot up, blocking my kick before he reached out to grasp my leg.
He wasn’t fast enough as I snatched it out of his reach and paced back, flexing my fingers as the beast prowled within me, just as eager to fight as I was.
Shouts broke out, and I realized the recruits had stopped their training to encircle us, watching our match.
This was freedom. This was where I belonged: feeling the rush of the fight, the energy of those watching, feeling the blood race through my veins as I put everything I had into bringing my opponent down.
Barrett stepped forward, and I met him in the middle. I punched, he blocked. He kicked, I evaded. We fell into step, our bodies moving in a rhythm that flowed like the rivers and streams, like the birdsong through the maple leaves.
The beast relished in the feel of our bodies colliding. I told you he had bite.
Air rushed from my lungs as his fist connected with my gut. Our movements paused a moment as we stared at each other, panting.
He cracked a cocky smile. “Not tapping out on me, are you? ”
I met his smile with one of my own, and he blinked, as if surprised. “Don’t get full of yourself.”
I slammed my face forward, our foreheads connecting, and he cursed as he stumbled back.
A collected groan echoed from the crowd surrounding us, and I stalked around Barrett as he clutched his face, blood already rolling down his chin from his busted nose.
“ Not tapping out on me, are you ?” I mused, taunting him with his own words.
His steel eyes lifted to me, lit with something I couldn’t place, and my heart danced in my chest. Was he…enjoying this? Who exactly was this male?
He cracked his neck and balled his hands into fists. “Not at all.”
My thoughts scattered at the sight of the smile still lingering on his face.
He seemed to relish in the fight when I had expected him to lose his temper.
I shouldn’t have liked that as much as I did.
I bit back the irrational anger, the irritation bristling through my bond with the beast. I shouldn’t feel this, shouldn’t find delight in sparring with this strange male.
The beast prowled within me, bristling at the display of confidence. Show him we are better. Make him submit.
I launched forward, and Barrett took a step as well, but when he reached for me, I ducked out of his grasp, slipping past him around to his back.
He tried to turn to me, but I kicked his knee out from under him.
He went down and I leaped up, winding my arm around his throat, my other over his head to trap him in a headlock.
We hit the dirt, and he fought against my hold.
The recruits went silent as we struggled, Barrett’s movements kicking up dust. He grunted, body wound tightly as he failed to break free.
“She’s got you!” Micah called. “Tap out!”
Barrett’s chest heaved, and at first, I thought he might choose unconsciousness to submission.
“You’ve lost,” I said through gritted teeth, my arms quivering as he tried to pry himself free.
He let out a groan and finally tapped my arm.
I released him and stumbled back.
The recruits erupted in cheers around us, but I didn’t pay them any attention as I walked around to extend a hand to Barrett. “I like the way you fight. Reminds me of myself.”
His eyes lingered on my outstretched hand for a moment before he looked up at me and took it. I helped him to his feet.
I dusted off my pants and straightened my tunic. “Could use some shaping, but I think you might last longer than others here.”
His eyes flickered between mine again, something akin to confusion within them .
“Shit, I thought you were gonna pass out!” Micah said as he hurried toward us. “Stubborn bastard.”
Barrett blinked as Micah patted him on the shoulder. “You weren’t kidding. She packs a punch.”
“Maybe we’ll make a warrior out of you yet,” I said and turned to the recruits around us. “Aren’t you supposed to be sparring? Or have you found yourselves so bored by my instruction that I should give you something more entertaining?”
They all stiffened before quickly dispersing, and I snickered at how quickly they busied themselves.
“I’ll let you get back to what you’re doing,” I said, turning to head toward my trainees, but I paused, glancing back. “Oh, and Barrett?”
His blond brows rose.
I gestured to my nose and mouth. “You’ve got a little something here. Might want to get it checked out.”
Micah stifled a laugh as Barrett ran the back of his hand across his mouth, smearing the blood from his busted nose.
The beast nuzzled against my consciousness as I stalked out of the training yard, feeling something I couldn’t quite explain, couldn’t quite place. It left me no less irritated than I had been moments earlier. The steel-eyed warrior has potential. He is worthy.
I shook my head. His name is Barrett, and stop talking about him. He’s simply another recruit.
Keep telling yourself that, little one.
I growled. Stop calling me that.
Would you prefer I call you little beasty?
My steps halted. I hadn’t heard that name in what felt like ages, and it brought about a painful longing.