I thought Evelyn was clever-at least, in this moment, she didn’t expose me. If Magnus found out, he’d surely lose his mind. But I wasn’t entirely sure if Kael had really sent someone to keep an eye on Magnus.
I was deeply worried that Magnus might get caught in someone’s crosshairs.
Magnus, on the other hand, seemed calmer today, probably because Evelyn was right beside me. He acted far more normal than he had the other day.
We ate together and chatted about amusing things we’d encountered in our studies and work. Everything seemed perfectly ordinary.
After the meal, we went our separate ways.
Evelyn, however, wasted no time grabbing my arm. She looked at me with an eager expression.
“Seraph, what’s going on with you right now? Are you with Kael, or are you with Magnus?”
I hadn’t even replied when a mischievous grin spread across her face.
“Actually, you don’t need to choose. If I were you, I’d go for both. Don’t you think it’d be amazing? Two gorgeous men, and they’re completely different types!”
I shook my head immediately. “No way. I still remember how much Lucian hurt me because of something like that. How could I do the same thing to someone else? Am I crazy?”
“I know, I was just joking,” Evelyn said with a laugh. “But, Seraph, I hope this time you’ll be more careful. Seriously, don’t pin all your hopes on one guy. Treat men like toys-it’s so much more fun that way.”
I nodded, but deep down, I knew myself. Once I fell for someone, it was impossible for me to treat them like a toy.
When I fell in love, I’d give it my all, heart and soul.
To be honest, I felt myself leaning more toward Kael now. But I also knew that being with Kael would mean facing countless challenges. I wasn’t confident I could handle it.
From what Vivienne told me, Kael’s father was firmly against us being together. He even went so far as to fire me once to keep us apart.
I was too fragile. I didn’t have the strength to endure the endless emotional and physical struggles that would come with being with someone like Kael.
I hated that feeling more than anything.
Still, I was trying. But my small efforts felt utterly insignificant against the powerful forces I was up against.
After finishing my last class for the day, I headed to the Falcon Club for my part-time job.
Kael greeted me with a smile when he saw me.
“Seraphina, meet me later at our usual training spot. Let’s train together.”
“Sure,” I replied without hesitation.
Luckily, Kael had already spoken to Rebecca, and she’d assigned me only light duties. Once I finished my tasks, I seized the chance to sneak away and meet Kael.
He was already waiting for me when I arrived.
There was a dense forest not far from the club. For some reason, the sight of the dark woods unsettled me. But Kael seemed completely unfazed. He reached out, holding my hand.
“Don’t worry, Seraphina. I’m here. You’ll be safe. Plus, Marek’s nearby.”
Kael pointed to a tall tree in the distance. I spotted Marek perched on a branch, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings like a vigilant sentry.
I couldn’t help but laugh, relaxing a little.
“Alright, I’ll give it a try.”
“Come on, Seraphina. Follow me. Let’s run through the forest,” Kael said, already taking the lead and jogging into the woods.
I stood there, stunned. “Shouldn’t we start on flat ground? This is way too advanced.”
Did he think I was some kind of athletic prodigy? My PE grades had always been at the bottom of the class. While I’d recently improved a little, this was way beyond my limits.
The forest was thick with trees, the ground covered in layers of fallen leaves. Some areas were muddy and uneven. Every step felt treacherous.
“This isn’t going to work,” I muttered.
“You’ll be fine, Seraphina. Just try. I believe in you,” Kael called back.
I bit my lip and forced myself to follow him.
We ran deeper into the forest. I kept my eyes fixed on Kael’s back, determined to keep up with him.
Damn it. This terrain wasn’t just hard to run on-it was hard to walk on. The path had steep inclines and declines, only making it worse.
Kael, however, moved as if it were effortless, like he was taking a leisurely stroll. I couldn’t help but envy him.
If only I could be like Kael-so light and graceful.
All I could hear was the sound of my own labored breathing and the crunch of leaves underfoot.
I struggled to keep up, panting as I followed him.
How could Kael have so much stamina?
“Kael, can you slow down? I’m exhausted,” I called out.
“No way, Seraphina. Catch me, or I’ll disappear,” Kael replied with a teasing smile, not breaking his stride.
Panic and frustration welled up inside me.
The deeper we went into the woods, the denser the trees became. Their tangled branches blocked out the moonlight, plunging the forest into near-total darkness.
Kael’s figure grew fainter ahead of me. He wasn’t stopping.
Was he really going to abandon me here?
Fear overwhelmed me, and I broke into a desperate sprint. My legs burned, but I pushed through, running faster and faster.
The wind roared in my ears as my speed increased. My body felt strangely weightless, as though the fear had unlocked some hidden strength within me.
Finally, I caught up to Kael and punched him in the back.
He turned around, laughing as he grabbed my hand. His bright smile lit up his face.
“Well done, Seraphina. That’s the spirit! Keep it up!”
“You were going to leave me behind in the woods!” I glared at him, fuming.
“Seraphina, you wound me,” Kael said, his expression softening into something almost sad. “Do you really think I’d abandon you after everything I’ve done to protect you? Is that how little you trust me?”
“Of course not,” I muttered, still annoyed. I turned and started walking back. “That’s enough training for today. I’m heading home.”
Before I could take another step, Kael grabbed my hand.
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