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"No,orphan. You are not ready," Kaizen rasped, his wicked smile endorsing my flames. I lunged for his neck, but before I could reach him, he grabbed hold of my wrists. He pushed me back again, taunting me like some annoying bug that wouldn't leave him alone.

"Shouldn't be left in the dark about anything?" I barked at him, my voice dripping with venomous rage.

He merely smirked in response, provoking me further. With a primal cry, I lunged forward, aiming a punch at his face. But he effortlessly sidestepped, leaving me stumbling forward, my knees and palms meeting the unforgiving gravel.

"You're far too slow, Eliah," Kaizen taunted, his voice dripping with derision. "Perhaps when you learn to fight properly, I'll consider enlightening you."

"Enough of this, Kaizen!" Levon's voice cut through the tension, his fury evident in the fiery glint of his turquoise eyes and worriedly looked around our surroundings.

I jumped up, fueled by a raging desire to tear Kaizen's face apart, but Levon intercepted, standing firmly between us.

"Eliah,stop," he ordered, gripping my arms with a strength that forced me to meet his gaze. His eyes softened in stark contrast to Kaizen's dismissive snort and prideful retreat.

I wanted to unleash a torrent of curses at him, to rend him limb from limb and rid myself of his presence. I never knew I could hate someone so intensely.

I ground my teeth, fury coursing through me, as Levon's rough hand grasped my chin, forcing me to face him. "Eliah, look at me," he urged, his voice cutting through the storm of anger within me as I averted my gaze."Look at me."

I fought to rein in my anger, struggling to find my center amidst the tumult of emotions that seemed to take control.

This wasn't who I was.

With a frustrated grunt, I locked eyes with Levon. "If you're still going to hide things from me, I'm done," I declared, my voice a thunderous roar echoing through the trees. "I won't be part of this anymore. Why can't I have a choice, too?" I demanded, wrenching my arms free from his grasp, fully aware that no matter what I wanted, I had no choice in the matter.

Levon let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples in frustration. "I know, Eliah. I know," he confessed, his voice heavy with regret. "I want you to have a choice. I want you to be free," he insisted, his words carrying the weight of his sincerity. "I want you to know everything, but…you can't right now. It's too dangerous," he pleaded, his hands closing around mine with a desperate urgency.

"Please, trust me," he implored, his eyes dark with unspoken truths and burdens too heavy to bear alone.

I felt utterly powerless, trapped in a web of obligations and threats. There was no escaping the Miehja, no fleeing from Jesri's reach or this Match.

But something had to change. I had to play their game if I wanted to uncover the secrets veiled from me. I would submit to Kaizen's training, cease my constant questioning, and mold myself into the person they wanted me to be.

I would not bend or surrender my freedom. No matter the price, I was determined to shatter these oppressive chains and liberate myself, even if it meant confronting the wraith of death itself.

17

As three weeks slipped by, I found myself suffocating under the weight of compliance, each day pushing me closer to the brink. Levon was consumed with preparations for the Match and the impending dinner with the king, an event that filled me with more dread than the tournament itself.

And to my dismay, Kaizen had become an ever-present figure, infiltrating every aspect of my daily routine. The mere thought of working alongside him, especially when we had to clean together in the kitchens, filled me with repulsion. I held no desire to spend more time in his company beyond our demanding training sessions, which had escalated to levels far beyond anything I had experienced under Darius's watch.

Each morning unfolded with a relentless routine. Starting with a rigorous run alongside Levon, followed by an hour of breathing exercises, controlling my thoughts and emotions. After Levon departed for his other duties, my training continued with Kaizen, focusing on weaponry and defense. Both mentors pushed me to the brink of exhaustion, testing my limits until my body protested against the relentless strain.

Training with Kaizen delved deep into the core of combat, dissecting every aspect of a fighter's demeanor. From stance to gaze, breath to anticipation, we left no element unexplored in our pursuit of mastery. Frustrated by my lack of prior knowledge in close combat besides what Darius had taught me, I yearned for the guidance of books. However, Kaizen remained adamant that true wisdom came not from pages but from experience. His mysterious past only added to my intrigue, leaving me with more questions than answers about his origins and connection to Levon. With each elusive response, my resentment simmered, mingling with an insatiable curiosity that refused to be quenched.

Amidst the rigorous training regimen, Levon insisted on etiquette lessons, a task more taxing than the soreness in my muscles. I had assumed I possessed a decent understanding of etiquette, but each session unveiled the gaps in my knowledge, humbling me and fueling my determination to improve.

After enduring Kaizen's grueling workouts, I was promptly ushered to the ballroom, where Elise patiently guided me through the intricacies of posture, conversation, and social grace—where she learned them from Levon himself.

Levon, on the other hand, assumed the task of honing my dance skills, but not before insisting that I cleanse myself and don a gown suitable for the occasion. Thus, I kept them waiting, relishing in a luxurious soak in the opulent clawfoot tub, scrubbing away the grime and sweat that Kaizen had mercilessly extracted from me.

As the steam enveloped me in a cocoon of warmth, a gentle knock echoed at my door, interrupting my steamy indulgence.

"Eliah, please tell me you are not soaking in the tub," Levon pleaded through the door.

With a chuckle, I swiftly arose from the tub, dripping water onto the plush rug. I wrapped up in my robe and slid the bathdoor open, exposing Levon leaning against my bed frame. "Of course you were," he remarked dryly.

I flashed him a grin, releasing my braided hair from the confines of my robe. "You don't want me to appear clean and ladylike?" I teased sarcastically.

Levon chuckled, strolling over to my armoire. Witnessing him so relaxed since Kaizen's arrival had become a rare sight. I yearned for these fleeting moments when he let his guard down, reminiscent of our initial encounter or his visit after my last evaluation. That felt like ages ago.