What are you hiding?

_Zephyr’s POV_

My eyes fluttered open and I groaned.

Pains exploded all over my body, but I bit back the wince at the tip of my tongue.

The healer in the room checked me once again and thankfully, he didn't touch my chest or remove my clothes since the injuries I sustained were merely on my arm and legs.

After his instructions, I left the infirmary and returned to my room for a warm bath.

Kael had really tried to kill me. Goddess.

After a while of staying still in my room, I stood up to my feet and walked out.

I shouldn’t have stepped out and come out here.

The pain in my ribs was still very real, even after the healer at the infirmary had done his best. But the pain in my chest was worse. I couldn’t sleep, not with the sting of humiliation still clinging to my skin like a second layer. I could still hear their gasps, still feel the thud of Kael’s sword against my body.

I needed to move. To remind myself why I spent years training. Why I endured pain and silence and hid who I was.

The academy’s training ground was lit by torches on the walls. It was wide, probably built to fit at least fifty warriors at once. Tonight, it was silent and peaceful. Exactly what I needed. And different from the same place I saw Kael.

I tightened the bandage around my chest and rotated my shoulders, wincing a little. My breath hitched, but I took my stance. Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and eyes focused.

“Again,” I whispered to myself and charged at the dummy in the room.

One. Two. Three strikes.

I lost myself in the rhythm. The pain faded with each swing, and the sound of my wooden sword slicing through the air helped block out the voice in my head that kept telling me I didn’t belong here no matter how much mother told me I did. That I wasn’t enough.

But after a while, I heard footsteps.

I stopped at once and froze in place.

Laughter echoed from the other side of the courtyard.

“Wow, what do we have here?”

I turned, eyes narrowing as four older boys strolled into the training ground. Their uniforms had the name tag of final-year students. One of them leaned lazily on a wooden staff, grinning like he’d found a plaything.

“Looks like the pretty boy couldn’t get enough of getting his ass kicked,” one of them sneered.

I didn’t answer, I just turned back to the dummy, lifting my sword again.

“Oi! He’s ignoring us.”

A heavy thud sounded and someone kicked the dummy down.

I staggered back as the wooden figure nearly collapsed on top of me.

“I don’t like being ignored, Pretty Prince,” the tallest of them said. “Didn’t anyone teach you manners?”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. They weren’t worth it. I stood up straight and started to walk away.

But that was a wrong move.

A hand grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. Before I could react, a slap landed hard across my face.

“You’ve got balls, talking back to Kael like that earlier. Also walking away when your seniors are speaking to you. But maybe your balls aren't big enough, huh? Let’s find out.”

My heart raced as they grabbed me.“Get your hands off me!”

“Or what? You’ll cry to your father?”

The second one stepped forward. “Bet he’s got a body like a girl. Maybe that’s why he looks so damn pretty.”

They shoved me back. My foot caught on the dummy, and I fell hard.

Pain exploded through my side, and I gasped.

Rough hands grabbed my tunic in an instant.

“No!” I yelled, kicking at them and fighting with every ounce of strength in me. Mother's words about protecting my identity echoing in my head again.

“You little—!”

Fabric tore, and my shirt gave way slightly, enough to show the white of the tightly wrapped bandage beneath.

Panic rushed through me like a river of ice.

Not here please. Not now. No one can find out.

They laughed at my expression and one of them opened his mouth. “What the hell—?”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

But a voice interrupted them in an instant.

A familiar terrifying calm voice.

Every head snapped to the entrance and we saw him.

Kael.

He stood there, barely seen because he stood behind the torchlight. His expression was unreadable as always, his posture relaxed, but somehow, it was even more dangerous than when he held a sword.

I could barely breathe.

I thought he left.

When I left the infirmary and headed back to my room earlier, Elias told me he’d gone home with his father for the visiting day.

But here he was.

And for the first time in my life, I felt relief like never before.

Kael’s eyes moved over the scene, me on the ground, my tunic torn, the boys frozen in place, and something sharp flickered in his gaze.

“Step away from him,” he said, calm but lethal.

The tallest boy stuttered, “K-Kael… we were just joking…

“I said move.”

Immediately, they all scrambled back like rats fleeing fire.

I clutched my shirt tightly, covering what little I could, chest rising and falling as I stared up at him.

He walked toward me slowly, his steps calm, and composed, also dangerous.

I scrambled to my feet, quickly holding my torn shirt together and tighter than ever, turning away to hide the chest bandage now slightly exposed.

He stopped just a step in behind me, then silence followed.

Then, his voice again, low and curious.

“Why did you cover up so fast?”

I froze.

“You and I… we’re both boys, aren’t we?” he asked calmly, but I knew he wasn't calm.

My heart thundered in my chest.

“Zephyr, what are you hiding?"