Nero's body was still hunched slightly from the blow, one hand pressed to his stomach where Rhyka's fist had landed Dust clung to his cloak, fragments of wood slid down his shoulder from the shattered post he'd been slammed into For a moment, the sharp rise and fall of his chest seemed to say everything that Rhyka had not only struck him but driven the air clean out of him
But then… his expression shifted
His lips peeled back, slow at first, before stretching into a wide smile
Not the arrogant smirk of a noble brushing off an insult Not the forced mask of someone trying to save face A real smile sharp, bright, and brimming with adrenaline His gray eyes gleamed with something Rhyka recognized instantly Excitement
Nero's breath was ragged, but the tone that left his throat was steady, deep, and laced with genuine satisfaction
"Good…" he muttered, straightening his back despite the pain still rippling through his abdomen "…Very good"
