Chapter 25

                                    

                                          
My fist landed on a strong, defined jaw, causing a couple of troops to groan loudly beside the ring. I jumped out of his reach on the balls of my feet as he spat blood on the ground beside him. It has been three days since Xander and I returned to Heartgrove, and I have not seen or spoken with him since. Today was River's turn to go around the training fields, chatting casually with the commanders while the rest of us practiced. Damon should return today after his trip to Latherket to check on Lord Adler. After learning about Bradley, a few of the more experienced chiefs went with him to give the lord some more protection. While Megan was combing through the notebook we retrieved for anything we might have missed.
"Come on, Syl. Stop teasing the guy." River, sitting on the wooden fence a few meters behind me, drawled, leading me to toss him a mischievous look over my shoulder as Randar straightened across from me. When I returned my attention to him, he was wiping the blood from his lips. A few bruises had appeared on his jaw and cheeks, and a huge, greenish bruise was mending along his ribs. Since being promoted to sergeant, I've exclusively trained against chiefs and other sergeants, but I've never complained. I preferred the more difficult fights, even if most of them couldn't last long enough in the ring with me.

"You're making us look bad, Ran!" Darran crowed behind his brother, almost reaching over the fence.
"Shut up; you got knocked out in the first fifteen minutes, Darran." Randar shot, keeping a close eye on me and raising his hands. River was right, though; I was toying with Randar. I wanted my final bout of the day to be as long as possible. I needed a distraction. I shuffled my feet slightly, securing my position, and Randar moved first, as if on cue. In just twenty minutes, I'd observed him long enough to recognize his opening move, and I sank low as he delivered his usual high blow. With my hands firmly placed beside my left foot, I reared back and smashed my heel into his stomach with a strong kick, sending him crashing to the ground. Another wave of groans echoed through the ring by the time I straightened up.
"Just put him out of his misery." Emile grumbled and stopped watching the fight while Amara laughed beside him.
"I think he has a few more minutes in him." She mused, flicking her strawberry-blond hair away from her eyes. When a big blow struck my cheek, my eyesight swam for a short second. I didn't allow him time to take advantage of it, and I moved before he could pull my legs out from beneath me. Dust flew up from where I stood, and I threw my right fist in a heavy arc, only for him to parry it. A smile spread across my lips. He was getting close; he had done an excellent job of avoiding me up to this point. He always kept a reasonable distance from me when he could. I instantly seized his forearm, where he had stopped my punch, and drew him closer, my fingers finding traction on his sweat-soaked flesh. I threw my elbow into his temple and watched him stumble back a few paces, blinking quickly as the end of training rang out throughout the grounds.
"That's my cue." Amara thought as she made her way to the edge of the training fields, and Darran jumped over the fence to assist his brother. I exhaled deeply as I watched people grab their shirts, a towel slung across my shoulder. More and more people started taking their shirts off since I've been here.
"You should really be training with us; your talents are wasted here." River drew from beside me, and I nodded in gratitude. When I heard her cry from across the ring, I used the towel's edge to wipe the dirt and sweat off my neck and brow.
"She's ours; get your own!" Keya purred, and I couldn't help but smile as she glowered at River and waved goodbye. 
"I second her on that one." Emile proceeded, jumping over the fence to join us in the ring. When River sighed alongside me, I swear he had a slight smirk on his face.
"I clearly missed a decent fight today." I looked around just as River did, and Damon was smiling near the ring.
"Finally, you're home." River purred, running his hand through his wavy blond hair and giving his brother a toothy grin. "Now I get to relax and give you all my responsibilities." Damon rolled his eyes as his brother marched towards the fence and perched himself on top of it again.