After the near-incident of the day before, Elena decided to avoid Soren forever.
Or at least until her nervous system stopped oscillating violently betweenthrow something at his head and throw herself at him and see what happens.
She considered this a reasonable, medically sound plan.
Naturally, the universe disagreed.
If Elena's life were a movie, this would be the part where the audience shouted, Don't go down the hallway! while she very much went down the hallway anyway.
She found him in the corridor outside the war room.
He was giving orders, broad-shouldered and terrifying, coat half-open, hair damp from training. A few passing nobles stared openly; Soren ignored them like they were decorative furniture.
When he dismissed the last commander, his gaze snapped to Elena.
Sharp. Hungry. Unimpressed.
"Elena," he said. "You have been avoiding me."
She lifted her chin. "I have not been avoiding you."
"You disappeared for seven days."
"I was busy."
"With what?"
She crossed her arms. "Healing studies."
His jaw flexed. Dangerous. "Without my approval."
"There it is," she snapped. "Everything about me must come with your permission."
"Elena—"
"No, really, I'd love to hear the list. Can I breathe without approval? Blink? Think?"
Soren's eyes darkened to something molten.
"Do not twist my words."
"You twist them for me."
He stepped closer. Too close.
"You went to the Kharath prisoner alone," he said quietly. "If I had arrived minutes later—"
"I know," she whispered.
"No," he corrected, voice dropping. "You don't."
Heat shuddered down her spine.
He stepped closer again. Close enough that she felt his breath.
"You could have died," he murmured. "And I do not tolerate losing what is mine to protect."
The word mine nearly liquefied her bones.
She swallowed hard. "You do not own me."
His lips curved—not amused. Devastated.
"No," he said softly. "And it ruins me."
Before she could respond, he stepped back.
"Training yard. Now."
"What—why?!"
"Because if you are determined to be reckless," he said, turning away, "then you will learn to survive it."
...
The Sentinels were already in the practice yard when she arrived—sparring with swords, moving like shadows and steel.
It was mesmerizing.
But Soren…
Soren was something else entirely.
No shirt. Scarred shoulders. Muscles carved like someone had used a very dramatic chisel.
He moved through the ring like a storm given human form—controlled, lethal, breathtaking.
Elena forgot how breathing worked. When he noticed her, everything stopped.
Absolutely stopped.
Eight Sentinels froze mid-strike. Kael actually dropped his sword.
Soren's gaze traveled down her body and back up, slowly, deliberately.
"Elena," he said, voice rough. "Come here."
She walked toward him on legs that were hopefully attached to her body.
"Take a stance," he said.
She did. Badly.
Soren stared at her like the stance itself was a personal insult.
"No," he muttered. "Your balance is wrong."
He circled behind her. "Elena," he murmured, breath brushing her neck, "you are leaning too far forward."
"I'm—I'm standing how you told me."
"You are not."
He slid a hand along her waist. Her entire soul left her body.
"Straighten," he said.
She straightened.
"Lower," he added.
She lowered.
"Not like that," he growled, stepping flush behind her.
His chest touched her back. Her breath stopped.
"Soren—"
"Move," he whispered. "Let me adjust you."
She did.
He adjusted.
Slowly. Firmly. With hands that absolutely did not need to be touching her that much.
Her pulse thundered so loudly Eris actually backed away for safety.
Finally, Soren stepped in front of her.
"Strike me," he said.
"What?"
"Try."
She swung—
poorly—
and he caught her wrist with one gloved hand.
Easily.
Too easily.
"Again."
She tried again.
He blocked her. Stepped in. Crowded her backward—
Until her back hit the wall of the yard. Snow drifted around them. Their breath mingled in the frozen air.
Soren braced one arm beside her head and leaned in. Elena's heart tried to escape her ribcage.
"This," he said softly, "is what happens when you fight without control."
Her voice shook. "You're too close."
"Am I?"
"Yes."
"No," he murmured. "This is close."
He moved closer.
Bodies nearly touching. His breath mingling with hers. Lips inches apart.
Her pulse stuttered.
"Soren," she breathed, "don't—"
He lifted her chin with two fingers.
"Elena," he whispered, "I am losing my patience with pretending not to want—"
"COMMANDER."
Kael's voice cracked in sheer panic.
Soren snarled—an actual quiet snarl—and stepped back so fast the air shifted.
Kael stood rigid, eyes wide with I-did-not-want-to-see-that energy.
"Your Highness," he said stiffly, "the council… requests you."
Soren did not move.
He stared at Elena. Elena stared at him.
Kael stared at the ground like if he looked up, he would commit treason by witnessing hormones.
Finally, Soren tore his gaze away.
"We're not finished," he said to Elena.
Her legs wobbled. "Oh, good."
He walked out of the training yard without another word.
Kael waited until Soren was entirely out of earshot. Then he exhaled a breath he'd been holding for ten minutes.
"My lady," he whispered, "are you trying to kill him?"
Elena blinked. "What?"
Kael rubbed his face. "He looks at you like you hung the moon. Like you invented air."
"What?!"
"It is obvious. Painfully obvious. The Sentinels have started taking turns escorting you because whoever stands closest to you while he's in the room is in danger."
"What?!"
Kael sighed at the sky like this was divine punishment.
"My lady… Soren is in love with you."
Elena's brain bluescreened.
"NO HE IS NOT!"
Kael blinked. "Are you sure? Because we all took a vote."
"What—WHO voted?!"
"All eight Sentinels."
She sputtered. "On WHAT BASIS?!"
Kael began counting on his fingers:
"He stares at you when you're not looking."
"He stares at you when you are looking."
"He threatened to kill Vekar for asking if you were single."
"He moved your room across from his."
"He hasn't slept since you were taken."
"He would rather die than say it aloud."
Elena covered her face. "Oh gods."
Kael cleared his throat awkwardly.
"And… the way he just pinned you against the wall—"
"STOP TALKING."
Kael snapped his mouth shut.
But after a pause, he added gently:
"He won't hurt you, Elena."
She looked away. Her heart ached.
"I know," she whispered. "That's the problem."