Chapter 44
I Do it All the Time
Raven
“Iknow you can fight. What else did your grandparents teach you?”
I pause mid-step, staring at him wide-eyed. But I don't hide my reaction fast enough.
He raises an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh, so you’re still sticking to the story that you tripped the night of the ball?”
I open my mouth, ready to deny it, but honestly? I’m tired of hiding things. It’s clear he already knows about it. How, I have no clue, but there’s no point in pretending if he knows.
With a sigh, I rub the back of my neck, not sure where to start.
“Umm… I know how to garden. I know a lot about herbs and how to use them for pretty much everything.” I glance at him, but his face gives nothing away, so I keep going.
“I can defend myself with the basics. Um… I know how to meditate, and… I’m really good at swimming. I'm basically a Girl Scout.”
“Well, that’s a start.” He nods to a man passing by before focusing back on me. “Listen, I don’t know how else to say this, but I want to train you. Or at least see what you already know, just in case.” His voice sharpens. “I get that it might feel unnecessary, but trust me on this one."
"I also want to help you understand your magic. How to use it. How to control it. The more we work with it, the easier it’ll be to figure out what you’re truly capable of. Especially while we’re still piecing everything together.”
I don't know what to say. I'm surprised by his offer, and I really want to take him up on it. “Can we start today?” The words leave my mouth before I can second-guess them. Excitement and nerves hit at the same time. The idea of sitting around all day, aimlessly waiting for everyone else to figure out what’s happening to me… yeah, not happening.
“If you’re up for it. How are ye feeling? You should be feeling back to normal.”
I do actually. I feel a lot better. But am I ready for this? Because once I start, once I actually do something with magic, it’s going to make everything feel a hell of a lot more real. No more brushing it off as a fluke. And I can't keep pretending I'll just wake up from this.
But, when I think about everything that’s happened, it almost feels like a chance to finally figure something out. The unanswered questions, the strange pull I’ve been feeling for weeks, and if I really admit it… the way I knew something was coming before I ever stepped foot here.
I can’t keep avoiding it.
“Now that you mention it, I do feel good.” I square my shoulders. “So yes. Let’s do it.”
Cam walks me back to my room, and I spot the same man standing at the end of the hallway. He’s still there, standing like some kind of statue. Yeah, a statue that could kill you.
“Hi, you’re doing a great job. It’s nice to see you again.” I throw in an awkward wave for good measure before looking at Cam. I lower my voice and ask, “Is that really necessary? I thought this place was supposed to be safe?”
“You are safe,” he reassures me. “But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be cautious.”
I nod, but the idea of needing a guard outside my room still feels unnecessary if you ask me. If I didn’t think he was keeping secrets before, I for sure do now. Why else would I need someone outside of my room? They're either trying to keep me in, or keep something else out.
“You can go change, I’ll be out here when you’re ready,” Cam says, looking over his shoulder. “If you haven’t snooped yet, Elle stocked your drawers and the closet. She also said I was a dick for not thinking of it earlier.”
I snort. “I mean, she’s not wrong.”
He shakes his head, muttering something about how this is his worst nightmare as he starts to walk over to the statue of a man watching over my empty hallway. He throws a glance back at me. “Hurry up, trouble. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
I roll my eyes, but a smile tugs at my lips as I step into the room, heading straight to the dresser. I pull the drawers open and find them stuffed with neatly folded clothes. There's a bit of everything I could possibly need… and then some.
Warmth spreads through my chest, catching me off guard. It’s a small thing, but knowing someone thought about what I would possibly want and need feels really nice, and also a little unexpected. Especially since I don't even know how long I'll be staying.
I think Rachel and Elle would love each other. The second I let myself think of her, emotion punches through me. I miss her. But I’m relieved that Cam said no one will notice I’m gone—because if Rachel couldn’t get a hold of me, she'd show up with a pitchfork at Kane’s front door.
I giggle at the thought while I grab a pair of leggings and a different top, going for something easy to move in. I have no idea what Cam has planned, and I’m not about to show up unprepared. I throw a sweater over the top, just in case.
When I step back into the hallway, Cam gives me a quick once-over before giving a short nod of approval. “Good.” He turns on his heel, heading down the hallway.
Without a word, I fall into step beside him and the nervous energy that's usually buzzing under my skin stays quiet for once. My thoughts, however, are a different story. A million questions swirl in my head, tangling and twisting until they’re impossible to sort.
We round a corner, and I see Elle walking down the hall. When she sees us, her face lights up, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Hey!”
“I couldn’t wait until our date later,” she teases, and I already know she's up to something. She looks me up and down and whistles. “Wait, damn. You look good in that.”
I look over at Cam and he has the same expression she does. What are they up to?
“She’s here for you,” he says, laughing. “I'm just observing.”
“Oh, so you’re afraid I'll hurt you?” I cross my arms, knowing damn well he could kick my ass if he wanted to. I'm suddenly feeling a little nervous.
Elle giggles, clapping her hands together. “I absolutely love her.
Cam rolls his eyes, but there’s the ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “No, Raven.” His voice dips into a warning. “I'm afraid I'm going to hurt you.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Sure. Whatever you say.”
I turn back to Elle, about to say something, but before I can get a word out, she lunges right for me.
Thank God my body reacts on instinct, because my brain sure as hell didn't. I twist out of the way at the last second, her strike missing me by inches.
What the fuck?
She watches me, circling with calculated steps, with a grin on. her face. “Something you should know,” her eyes lock onto mine like a predator sizing up her prey. “Things are different here. You have magic. If you haven’t picked up on that already, you should keep that in mind. Always.”
She tilts her head slightly. “Your senses are sharper. Your reflexes are faster. But don’t expect that to save you on its own.”
Then her tone shifts, like a blade pressing against my skin. “And I'm not going to go easy on you. If someone genuinely wants to kill you, they will. They’re not going to wait until you’re ready.”
I don’t even have time to respond before she’s lunging at me again.
Fuck. She’s fast.
I throw myself back, but I’m off balance. I stumble, and the second I do, her knee slams into my stomach.
Pain explodes through my ribs, ripping the air from my lungs. I double over, gasping, clutching my stomach as the burn spreads like fire.
Shit.
“Move.” Elle commands. Her voice cuts through the fog and she's circling me again. “Get up.”
I force myself to straighten, wincing through the ache. “Ow,” I mutter, breathless, letting out a laugh.
What the hell am I thinking? My grandfather never went easy on me either. Why would this be any different? Not to mention, I don't know these people, not really. I need to be on my toes here.
I roll my shoulders, planting my feet like I actually know what I'm doing. My grandpa always said 'Your body’s a weapon,' so here goes nothing.
Fuck it.
Elle doesn’t give me another second. She moves again, a blur of power and precision. But this time, I’m ready.
I dodge, twisting on instinct. I go left, and she sidesteps, but not fast enough. My elbow connects with her ribs, but not as hard as I was hoping. It's enough to make her feel it, though.
It was also enough to make her grin.
“Don’t hesitate.” Her tone is all fire as she throws another hit my way. “Trust your instincts. They’ll keep you alive.”
And then she’s on me again. We spar for what feels like hours, moving seamlessly through the halls, like we’ve done this forever. At some point, we make it outside, leaving a massive mess in our wake. But now, it’s just the two of us in a dance of movement and violence.
I land hits. Good ones. A hook to her ribs. A sharp jab to her cheek. A well-placed kick that sends her back a few steps.
But Elle isn’t pulling her punches either.
My lip is split, and the metallic tang of blood is sharp on my tongue.
My brow throbs, and I know that’s bleeding too.
I can feel it dripping down my face. My ribs ache, my arms burn, and I know I’ll have a black eye by morning.
And yet, I feel amazing. I feel alive in a way I haven’t felt in years.
I forgot what this feels like, to just run on instinct and skill, letting my body do what I was trained to do. Turns out, all those years weren’t wasted.
I shake out my arms, still buzzing with adrenaline, and look over to see Cam standing there watching me.
He's been in and out all day. Right now his arms are crossed, and his expression is unreadable. He's not wearing his usual smirk, or that cocky amusement I’ve come to expect. No, this is different. His gaze lingers, sharp and assessing, like he’s actually seeing me for the first time.
“Not bad, bitch.” Elle smears sweat and a little blood off her brow, grinning like it only makes her prouder. “You’re stronger than you look.”
Then her stance shifts, and I know she’s not done with me yet. My body tenses in anticipation.