Page 89 of Celestial Combat

My mother sighed, shaking her head at my reaction, her dark eyes soft but firm. “Kali, he’s the best person for this.”

My father remained silent. He didn’t need to say anything. If he was on board with this, then it was already decided. There was no way out of it.

I turned back to Trevor. “Where is he?”

“He left before you were done with the doctor.”

My jaw locked.

That infuriating asshole. He couldn’t even be here to face me? Just left me to deal with my family acting like I was some helpless princess who needed a damn knight guarding her tower?

“This is bullshit.”

Trevor’s voice lowered. “This is necessary after what Tao said.”

I knew arguing wouldn’t get me anywhere.

I knew I had no choice.

But that didn’t mean I had to like it.

I turned on my heel and stormed off, the heavy doors of the living area swinging open as I moved through the halls of the mansion.

I felt trapped.

Not just by the decision that had been made for me – but by the weight of everything else.

The past few days. The blood, the violence, the truth of what was coming.

And now Zane was a part of it.

Whether I wanted him to be or not.

I should’ve known I wouldn’t get away that easily.

I woke up early – before the sun had fully risen, before the mansion stirred with life. Slipping out of bed, I moved through the halls with careful, measured steps, the cool marble under my feet grounding me. The house was silent, the kind of stillness that only came in those early morning hours when the world hadn’t fully woken up yet.

I grabbed my gym bag from my room, pulled on my hoodie, and slid out the front door as quietly as possible, easing it shut behind me without a sound.

Only to find Zane already waiting for me.

Leaning against the SUV, arms crossed, dark eyes locked onto me like he’d been expecting this exact thing.

I sighed, rolling my eyes. “Really?”

He didn’t answer. Just opened the passenger door and held it.

I debated turning around and going back inside out of pure pettiness – but that wasn’t an option. Not when I needed to get to training. So, I huffed out a breath, adjusted my gym bag on my shoulder, and climbed in.

Zane didn’t say a word as he shut the door behind me.

The drive was quiet.

It took forty minutes to get to Python. We barely spoke during the ride, the low hum of the engine filling the silence between us. Not that I minded. I wasn’t in the mood for small talk, especially not with him – not with the man who had suddenly been assigned to follow me like a shadow.

Zane pulled into the underground parking garage, maneuvering the SUV into its usual spot, and we rode the elevator up in more silence.

Once we got to the gym, I got to work.