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“Pick up the pace,” Professor Barros bellows across the gym, his words echoing in the cavernous room. I comply, passing students on the left. My stamina has increased dramatically since our first class. Since the attack a week ago, Barros has us working twice as hard. Despite Headmaster Mavros’ insistence that the threat has been dealt with.
I pass by Kali, waving as I lap her, faintly hearing her grumbling in the distance. Her and Stacia’s private study with Professor Gabris was effectively put on hold after that morning. Gabris still hasn’t been back to class, choosing to take a sabbatical after the traumatic event. Not that the students had an option like that. Despite the complaint lodged by Kyros and the professors. Headmaster Mavros continues to state the issue has been dealt with, whatever that means.
I haven’t heard from most of the godly pains in my ass lately. I push down the worry twisting my stomach at that thought. Maximus is supposed to be dealing with the attack and tracking down the person—or god it looks like—that summoned the demon.
Adrian is on assignment in the mortal realm, which is ending tonight. Mateo, I have no idea where he is, not having seen him since my first day here.
Finally, Kyros took over the History of the Gods class for Professor Gabris. Which has been a good and a bad turn of events. Good, since he’s an excellent teacher, and selfishly because I get to see him every day. Bad, well, because I get to see him every day, it’s not easy focusing on history when your professor is a deliciously sexy god you’ve made out with.
It’s also not fun to have all the other female students in the class ogling said professor. Luckily, in combat we’ve been sparring with other students. Allowing me to work off some of the aggression, sometimes even on the students checking out his ass every morning.
I finish my last lap, and jog to the side before slowing to a walk, letting my muscles cool down. I move to the center, stretching with the few other students who’ve finished their laps.
The rest are still running around us. Despite the attack, I find myself settling into a routine. Feeling more at home in this realm than I had in my mortal life.
“You ready?” I ask Domenic after finishing my stretches.
“Oh, I’m always ready.” He winks, gesturing to an empty spot by the door. Part of our routine is practicing with each other while the other students finish their run.
We move through our punches, kicks, and blocks—one holding the bags while the other works through the movements.
“Let’s split up,” Barros grumbles, shouting out names, his voice carrying throughout the gym.
“Liv, you’re with Zina.”
I flash Domenic a feral grin, startling a chuckle from his lips. Oh, sparring with Zina should be fun. During history this morning, she conveniently dropped her pencil right in front of Kyros, trying the old bend and snap on him. Which did not work, much to her chagrin.
“Go easy on her,” he chides jokingly, not even able to keep a straight face as the words leave his lips.
“Now, where’s the fun in that, Dom.” I give him a teasing wink before sauntering over to the woman in question. She props her hands on her hips, her long black hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail—her lip curling into a sneer at the sight of me. I’m not her favorite person either, it seems. I shrug at her display, readying into a fighting stance. Let the games begin.
* * *
Despite all her blustering,Zina can’t keep up. I continue to land every hit on her. Her limbs move too slowly to block my attacks. I land a roundhouse kick to her torso, pulling the impact to avoid a bruise.
I mean, I want to show her up, not cause her bodily damage. She stumbles back, her body reacting a moment too late to avoid the blow. However, her legs seem to have missed that message. Arms flailing, she loses her balance, sending her careening into two students behind her.
One of which happens to be Dom, who catches her around the waist. Righting her, he gives me a wry smile over her shoulder, shaking his head in amusement. I lift my shoulders in a slight shrug, careful that she doesn’t see me. What am I supposed to do if she can’t take a hit?
“Okay, you’re getting really good,” she admits, hobbling back over to me. Walking gingerly on her right leg. Her earlier hostility disappears.
“Thanks.” I chuckle, reaching my hand out to shake hers. She takes it without hesitation, much to my surprise, giving me a friendly smile. “You’re getting better too.” I mean, technically, she is. Everyone is better than the first day.
She barks out a laugh, cringing in pain at the sharp movement. I take her arm, helping to support her weight. The bell rings as I lead her over to the changeroom.
“See you next week. Stay safe,” Barros barks gruffly, moving from a pair of students he was assisting.
“You should really take it easy, Liv,” Kali observes, popping up on my other side out of nowhere. My heart leaps in my chest, her sudden appearance scaring me half to death. I scowl over at her, using my free hand to clutch at my chest—the movement causing both Zina and Kali to chuckle.
“Oh, this wasn’t her fault. My own clumsy feet are to blame,” Zina admits, defending me. I toss a smug smile over my shoulder at Kali, sticking my tongue out at her.
Laughing, she walks in front of us, holding the door open for me to awkwardly support Zina, the two of us squeezing through the door at the same time. I help her sit on the bench before taking off her shoes.
Letting her do the rest, I move over to change into my own uniform, peeling the sweaty gym clothes off my body. I opt to shower back in my room since Adrian’s picking me up there for dinner.
A faint smile plays on my lips at the thought of seeing him again. Sure, we’ve been texting every day for the past week, but it’s not the same as seeing him in person. There’s so much I haven’t told him. Keeping the events of the attack to myself, not wanting to distract him on his mission.
“You know, you’re alright,” Zina says from behind me. I turn to see her fully dressed. Balancing on one leg, she closes her locker, swinging her bag over her shoulder.
