THE GREAT PRETENDER ¬ ACOTAR

chapter xxii.

* 　　 · . 　  　　✺    　　  ✧　.  　✵  * 　　* 　　 · . 　    　　✵  * 　　　　  ✫  * 　 . 　　·          ⊹ 　  ✺    .  　  ✧　　　  ✦    ✫ 　 .   ✫  * . 　　　　　 　 　　    ·  　 ⊹ 　  ✺ .   　　　  ✧　.　  ✦    ✫ 　 .  .

CHAPTER XXII

COCK BLOCKED

IT TOOK HER WEEKS, to finally adjust to Velaris. She didn't flinch at every loud sound she heard anymore. She had an acceptable amount of sleep at night. She ate and gained some weight.

In the mornings, she would practice her knife throwing and they were improving. She had trained with twin blades as well, a set of weapons she loved before being trapped. Vik would often join her in training, but haven't sparred with her yet.

Her old tan was slowly coming back from being under the sun too much. The muscle in her arms grew to an extent. Cal could feel the change in her. She was getting stronger. The usual playful glint in her eyes returned. Her hair had grown a bit, now lying just above her shoulders. Banter came easily between her, Az, and Cas — much to everyone's amusement. The old Callaghan was resurfacing and she was excited to have her back.

Cal had even visited the pastry shop she dearly loved. The store owner gasped loudly upon seeing her thinned state, giving her enough pastries to last her three days. But of course it didn't last for three days, it lasted for just less than ten hours. Which didn't do any good, she had to stay in bed for another couple hours because of that.

She was punching the hell out of a bag when Rhysand found her, "Are you sure you're alright?"

She paused, "Yeah, why?"

"It's nearly dusk," he said, "You missed lunch, I'm not allowing you to miss dinner too."

Cal rolled her eyes, trying to get past him, but he held onto her arm, "You can't stay still, can you?"

Callaghan hated how right he was. It's true. She was doing all sorts of stuff: training, practicing, running, cleaning, even gardening — and she never tended to a garden her entire life. While Under the Mountain, not having anything to do was like a sin for a servant. If you did your task too quickly, you get punished. If you did it too slow, you get punished. If you were doing nothing, you get punished. Every move in there felt like you did something wrong especially when you did nothing at all.

"You're home, Callaghan," Rhys said to her, "You're not Under the Mountain anymore. Not a servant."

She turned to him, "Why talk about me, when we can talk about you?"

Rhysand leaned back, meeting her gaze with his violet eyes.

"I saw you earlier," Callaghan shrugged off his hold, "Sparring with Cas. You were pulling your punches, he wasn't. You let him hit you. You took each hit, claiming you were out of practice. But I see right through you, Rhys, you're still blaming yourself for what she told you to do. Now tell me, are you sure you're alright?"

"You done?"

"Yes," she breathed out, "Guess we both got a slap on the face."

Rhys flashed her a smile, "We sure did."

──────────────────────────────

CASSIAN JUMPED when a book fell to the ground. He glared at a smirking Callaghan when he turned, "I told you not to do that!"