THE GREAT PRETENDER ¬ ACOTAR

chapter xxix.

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CHAPTER XXIX

TRAINING THE CURSEBREAKER GONE WRONG?

CALLAGHAN watched Feyre with careful eyes as Cassian trained the newly turned fae. Cal knew about Cas' tough love, especially when training. She was once in Feyre's shoes before. A girl with no proper background on how to fight, then thrusted into a ring with one of the most powerful Illyrians in history. It won't end clean, but you will learn.

On the other side of the area, she could see Az and Rhys have a go at each other. When Cassian mentioned a break, Cal joined them both to walk to the water pitcher. "You seem a bit thirsty, Cursebreaker." The spy teased as she followed her gaze towards Rhys and Azriel. Both had their tan bodies glistening with sweat. The ink on their skin looked even more interesting under the light of the sun. Their muscles rippling everytime they moved.

"Rhys is out of shape and won't admit it," Cas said, jerking his chin towards the two, "Azriel is too polite to beat him to the dirt."

"That's unfair," Cal complained, "He didn't seem polite when he nearly broke my elbow days ago."

"That's because it's you, Callaghan."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

When Cassian didn't explain what he meant, she turned to look at the High Lord and the spymaster. Observing. Taking mental notes. Watching. Admiring. She could definitely see how Azriel pulled on his attacks, the usual ferocity he had was a bit dampened. Cal wondered if Rhys were bothered by it.

She focused back on Cas and Feyre when the General told the girl to get back in the ring. "Rhys told you?" Feyre asked.

The letter. Her letter to the High Lord of Spring that she won't be coming back to him anytime soon. It was a risky letter, Cal knew.

Cassian was wise to be on edge at the look on Feyre's face, "He informed Azriel, who is… monitoring things and needs to know. Az told me."

"Because he's a tattletale," Cal said, leaning on her heels. She could feel Azriel listening in as some shadows tickled her ear.

Feyre briefly turned to her, "You know too?"

"Like I said, a tattletale."

Cassian had worn some sparring pads and walked into the ring. The tactical general was back, spewing out orders on what he wanted her to do. Cas talked to her, but it seemed like Feyre was digging a deeper hole onto herself, thinking too much upon his words.

Cal's eyes narrowed when she saw Feyre cry and her fists burned through the pads. Cassian was ready to take the heat on his palms. The clashing blades between Az and Rhys quieted as well.

Heat, flames. It was from Autumn.

"I killed them," her voice sounded tired, almost broken. It only made Callaghan's anger for Amarantha burn even more. So many lives. So many had suffered under her hands. All for power, for fear, for Hybern.

She felt Feyre's despair, her guilt. A task. She had to kill innocents for a task. Though she did save them all, the task still took a toll on her. Killing is no easy feat, Cal knew that.

Rhysand swooped in. Standing close to the Cursebreaker. His mighty Illyrian wings wrapped around him and Feyre, giving them the privacy she needed.

Cal turned to the other two winged warriors, pulling out her sword and tossing another to Cassian, "Our turn?"

They were a blur of blades and punches. Cassian against her and Azriel, Callaghan against Azriel and Cassian, and Azriel against Cassian and Callaghan.

Cas had offered a few quips here and there, reminding her of her form and stance. Azriel, though, just swung his blade around, not bothering with teaching at all.

For a second, Cal noticed how the boys would tilt their head subtly to the side. "Hey," she swings a blade, but they move fast, "Don't look at them too much. Train me!"

But her inner gossip girl won, she also eavesdropped while simultaneously fighting against her friends. Cal had barely missed the fist that swung by her face as she listened in while Rhysand talked and joked with Feyre.

"Look who's listening at them now?" Cassian swipes his blade in an arch, but she intercepts it, bringing the point to the ground.

"You heard what he said too. I think he's beginning to be too full of himself," Cal panted, but still avoided an incoming strike from Azriel, "Don't tell me it didn't disgust you even a little bit."

"I'm surprised there aren't more mirrors in this house, since you seem to love looking at yourself so much," they heard Feyre say. That launched Azriel into a coughing fit, and Cassian had to turn away to keep himself from laughing, but Callaghan didn't care at all. She just bursted into laughter right there.

But her laughing was cut short when darkness enveloped them. Rhysand had summoned the night. To her right, Cassian swore. "Scared of the dark, Cas?" Azriel challenged. That was enough to urge them to start again. Cal took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let her magic guide her. The blades moved with her, protecting her from the blows coming from the general and shadowsinger. This was — is her element. She worked in the shadows, in the dark. All she had to do was be one with it, accept it.

When the light had returned, Callaghan stuck her tongue out at Azriel who had amusement dancing in those hazel eyes of his. He saw that she had a few nicks at her skin from the blades he and Cassian swung at her. So much for being one with the darkness. "Maybe you needed the training after all," he told her.

She twirled her sword in her hand, "Shut up, you bat."

Eventually, Cassian left with Feyre, leaving Rhys, Azriel, and Callaghan.

"Care to join us, Rhysand?" Cal asked, weighing a pair of twin swords in her grip.

"To do what?" the High Lord teased, looking between her and Azriel. The latter raised a brow upon hearing his brother's words.

It took a whole lot of her not to hurl the blade at his head, "Get your mind off the gutter, Rhys. I meant training or sparring or whatever."

In a blink of an eye, Rhysand was with them in the ring. "I'd love to see you on your ass, Cal."

"And I'd love to see your face on the ground."

"Enough talking," Azriel raised his own blade, the silver shining from the sunlight, "Let's start."

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[ notes! ]

the power this story holds if only i planned it to be a poly fic between rhys x cal x az ksjssjksskl

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