Chapter 119 Chapter 119: Scars and the Ring
\[Lilia\]
I awoke the following morning all by myself in my bed. There was no sign of Kael. The only evidence he left, proving that last night wasn’t a dream, was the soreness I felt right between my legs.
I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that he had left before I woke up after what happened between us last night. Though I couldn’t blame anyone else but myself. I had let my guard down. I had let him pass through the gaps in the wall I had been mending around my heart. I had no one to blame but myself for this ridiculous amount of pain, and now I had no choice but to take full responsibility for it.
Drawing out a deep, shaky breath, I blinked back the tears that were trying to escape my eyes and focused my attention on the reflection of myself on the ceiling mirror. I was still naked under the blanket, and I could see a few of the kiss marks littered over my chest—a painful reminder of my foolishness.
Guess I am not as strong as I thought I was, emotionally.
He had spoken with delicacy, ensnaring me once more with his words. But as much as I hated to admit it, last night wasn’t that terrible. In fact, it helped me ground my feet to where I stood in this place.
I pushed myself up and climbed off the bed, padding towards the bathroom before Aya would come in and see me naked. I was careful not to exert more force on my injured foot. She would immediately know what happened if she saw me naked and full of red marks on my skin. I was sure she would be disappointed in me as well.
I took a bath as quickly as possible and changed into a comfortable white t-shirt and jogger pants, just in time for the door to my room to open. Aya came in with my breakfast, and then she cleaned and redressed my bandages. She instructed me to stay in my room for the rest of the day, and I was more than pleased to comply, immersing myself in the pages of the books I had asked her to lend me as I contemplated how to make things easier for me.
Weeks rolled by so quickly, and my wounds healed nicely, leaving behind nothing but scars to add to my collection carved on my skin.
Kael visited me every now and then at night, giving in to both our carnal desires. I knew I was an idiot, walking into dangerous waters by letting him into my bed again. But I could not deny the force of gravity pulling us together. I might as well surrender to it, but I set some boundaries for myself. As much as I enjoyed having him in my arms, I could not let him hurt me again. I made it clear to myself, talking through the mirror every day to remind myself that this was just temporary.
All was going well so far, and I was enjoying what fate had to offer us right now.
“Are you getting nervous?”
Sasha’s voice broke me out of my trance as she clapped her palm onto my shoulder, and just like that, my body thrummed with mixed anticipation. She had been back from her mission weeks ago and waited for my wounds to heal before we continued with our training. Right now, it was going to be my first duel against another reaper in training.
I knew it was a huge leap for me from just learning the basics, but I believed in myself that I could do better.
“Slightly, now that you reminded me,” I breathed out shakily, sparing a glance towards my opponent on the other side of the ring. It was a man, and the smirk on his face told me that he wouldn’t go easy on me.
Well, that was good. That meant I could measure the extent of my potential in combat.
The gym was packed with the other trainees. They would observe today’s duel, just like when I had seen Sasha for the first time.
“Well, I believe in you,” she muttered confidently, pinching the cords of strained muscles on my shoulders.
“Sweet cake!” a familiar voice shouted from a distance. I turned around and saw him striding closer to us.
“Val,” I said, waving my gloved hand at him as he came to a halt right in front of me.
“Are you ready?” he asked, patting the top of my head and taking both my hands to check the wraps.
“Yes,” I let out another shaky breath, cocking my head toward the woman right beside me.
“Sasha has done it, so I know I can.”
The woman just preened proudly, like a mother seeing her child marching onto a graduation stage. The thing is, this wasn’t any graduation; I would be cracking my head inside the boxing ring, and with any luck, I would get out of there conscious—or worse.
“Remember, it’s always alright if you yield,” Val reminded me of what to do in case I was locked in a grip and pushed down. I knew that, but I would do whatever it took not to be in that situation. Fortunately for me, my opponent wasn’t as big as the one Sasha had fought.
“I hope I won’t get to that,” I jeered nervously as my nerves wracked me at the moment. “It would taint your pride as my coach if I did.”
Val just smiled, shaking his head as he sniggered. “Silly.” He helped me to my feet as he led me to the ring. “Now get up there.”
I simply nodded at him as he gripped my waist, hoisting me onto the platform. Sasha stood by next to him, her eyes glinting with encouragement as she cheered me on.
This was it.
I was going to prove to them that I was not just a mere decoration that Kael had purchased. I knew in time all this training would come in handy if any situation arose where I found myself in between.
He wasn’t here, of course. But words may travel much more quickly than any disease, and he’d know about my fight.
That I wasn’t just any porcelain doll used for display only.
Fragile and precious, always needing protection.
I am not just an ordinary pet doll.
I positioned myself in the middle of the ring, squaring my stance. The bell tolled, and I braced myself as my opponent delivered the first move.
This doll would fight, and would win, no matter what.