Chapter 26 

~Valeria ~ After turning my back on the royal men, I make my way across the training grounds. Warriors clash all around—men and women locked in combat. It’s overwhelming. “You took me up on it.” Stephan jogs toward me, closing the distance with quick strides. He’s shirtless and sweaty. Not a bad look for him, and somehow I begin to see him in a different light. “I’m just looking,” I tell him. “That’s the first start.” He smiles. “Come, let me show you around.” I settle next to him. “What do you do here anyway?” “I’m one of the training sergeants.” “So, you get to scream in people’s faces?” He laughs. “I don’t scream unless they deserve it.” We stop before a small makeshift arena, its boundaries marked by rough wooden planks. To my surprise, a small woman is locked in combat with a towering man. A crowd gathers around, watching, cheering. She’s thrown hard to the ground, but she springs back up without hesitation. Rushing him, she leaps before reaching his stance—so high her knee slams