CHAPTER 162 : SHARPENED BY TIME

It was almost dark.

The training ground was quiet except for the steady rhythm of her breath.

She stood poised, her hair pulled into a tight bun with just a few loose strands sticking to her sweat-slicked skin as she focused on the row of targets ahead.

She lifted her bow, fingers steady as she nocked an arrow.

Deep breath.

Sharp exhale.

Release.

The arrow whistled through the air, piercing straight into the center of the wooden target with a solid thud.

Without missing a second, she rolled into a low tumble, reaching for a dagger at her waist.

The instant her feet met the ground, she snapped her wrist, sending the blade flying at her other target, which it met, buried right at the heart of the target.

Already in motion, another dagger and another throw, a spin, and a perfect shot, her body deadly and fluid.

The last blade left her fingertips, slicing through the air and embedded itself into the final target's throat.

The moment it hit, she heard a slow clap.

Kira didn't need to turn to know who it was, a smirk tugging at her lips as she recognized who was standing behind her.

"You can't go a minute without missing me, can you?" she teased, brushing some strand of her hair away from her face.

"You can't blame me," Lythari shot back, her tone filled with amusement. "Think fast."

As the words came out of Lythari's mouth, something sailed toward Kira, and without looking or hesitating, she snatched the bottle of water midair, her reflexes now sharper than before.

Twisting the cap open, she downed the entire bottle, the cool water sending relief to every part of her insides. Then, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she finally turned to face Lythari.

"I know, I know," she said, knowing fully well that Lythari was about to give her a little scolding. "I'm already done. Let's go."

Arching a brow, Lythari still spoke after giving Kira the privilege too. "One might think you are obsessed with training."

"Ugh Lythari. I'm not," Kira defended with a soft laugh. "Don't start. I'm done for the day; let's just go."

"Yeah, sure," Lythari agreed with a shake of her head.

"Let's just go," she mimicked Kira, falling into step beside her as they now walked side by side, talking and laughing.

By the time they reached Kira's home, they had talked and laughed about a lot of things, and Kira pushed the door open, stepping inside and stretching her arms over her head.

"Need anything?" she asked Lythari, already heading toward her room. "There's food in the kitchen, snacks, fruits, anything you want. I have to shower."

"Whatever," Lythari responded lazily as she flopped onto the couch. "Just be fast, so we can start."

"Whatever you say, Captain," Kira chuckled and went to her bedroom.

A few minutes later, she stepped out of her room, feeling refreshed after a shower, her fresh clothes fitting comfortably on her body.

She ran a hand through her hair, which was now loose, before turning to Lythari.

"You ready?" she asked.

Lythari, who had been sitting lazily on the couch, straightened up and answered, "Yeah," as she lifted the box she had kept in Kira's house in the morning for Kira to see. "Now, sit on the floor in front of me."

"You can just say please," Kira joked but complied, settling down in front of her friend, who had the habit of taking charge when she wanted too.

"I'm the one helping you," Lythari pointed out as she set the box beside her and began sorting through it. "You should be the one telling me, please relax, or even, please my queen."

"Please, my queen," Kira uttered mockingly, earning herself a playful slap on the shoulder from Lythari.

"Ouch???" She pouted, acting like it actually hurt.

"I know that didn't hurt you," Lythari said, paying no attention to her fake reaction. "I am not falling for that again. Anyway, has Eldrin brought your dress?"

"Yes, he has," Kira answered, adjusting her position a little to make it easier for Lythari to work on her hair. "The dress is beautiful, and I cannot wait to put it on."

"How about you, though?" Kira asked, glancing up at her.

"My dress is already ready, and I cannot wait to put it on too," Lythari said, making both of them giggle. "I also sent someone to bring it here, so we can get dressed and go together."

"Love that plan," Kira agreed, relaxing as Lythari started bringing out what she needed to style Kira's hair, her own hair already styled.

"You better sit still and don't shake," Lythari warned as she began working on Kira's hair.

"Yes, ma'am," Kira muttered and did as she was told, Lythari now brushing her hair thoroughly to remove tangles and make it smooth.

Lythari was gentle with the brushing and applied a bit of styling serum for shine and control. Afterward, she parted a small section from the top of Kira's head and clipped it away for later.

"So, interested in that man?" Kira brought up as Lythari took two sections from the front, twisted them slightly, and secured them at the back with a small pin.

"What man?" Lythari questioned, acting like she didn't know what Kira was talking about as she then gathered hair from beneath the twisted sections and began a loose three-strand braid down the back.

"You know the man I'm talking about," Kira said, "the one who is interested in you, and I think you're interested in too, Lythari."

"Kira, I do not know who you are talking about," Lythari said, hiding her smile as she kept what she was doing on Kira's hair slightly relaxed so it looked elegant rather than tight.

"There is no man," she muttered, and once she was done with the braid, she carefully secured it with a small tie, then added some decorative hairpieces, placing them evenly along the twists and the braid. "I wonder where you get your information from."

"I saw you talking to him, and your eyes sparkled," Kira pressed on teasingly. "If you like him, just go for it. He's decent, strong and seemed very sweet even from where I stood."

"So, you spy on me now?" Lythari asked, gently pulling at some of the braid sections to make it look fuller. "And before you say anything or complain, I was going to tell you."

"So, you do like him," Kira said, a smile on her face.

"I'm done," Lythari muttered almost immediately and handed a small mirror to Kira. "See it."

"You know it's okay to like someone," Kira said softly as she took the mirror from Lythari, a pleased smile on her face. "You do not have to be shy."

"I am not shy," Lythari protested and bit her lips softly before clearing her throat. "Can we just talk about this later? And stop teasing me."

"Yes, we can talk about it later," Kira agreed while laughing. "The hair is perfect too; I love it. Thank you, my friend, and as for teasing you, I will never stop."

"You are welcome," Lythari replied while rolling her eyes. "I don't like you anymore."

"Even your soul knows that's a lie," Kira muttered and winked at her, wiggling her brows to tease her some more.

Just as Lythari was about to fire back, a knock came at the door.

"You win today," she said as she stood up, Kira standing up as well. "And that must be my dress; I'll answer it," she muttered before walking over.

Opening the door, Lythari exchanged a quick thank you with the person outside and took her carefully wrapped dress.

As she shut the door, she turned back to Kira, flashing Kira a grin. "Let's get dressed."

"Let's get dressed," Kira repeated, setting the small mirror aside as they prepared to change.

It was going to be a long night.