Thornhill Academy. Chapter 114

**Allison**

If I hadn’t known before, I do now—Cage is definitely up to something. The entire sparring session felt like a performance. Sure, he smiled like it was all good fun, but there was a glint in his eye every time he got a hit in, every time he swept me off my feet and sent me sprawling into the mats. He enjoyed it way too much. The smug bastard. And maybe I shouldn’t admit it, but part of me enjoyed wiping that grin off his face just as much. Still, as I towel off after training, I can feel his gaze lingering on me from across the room—sharp, assessing, like he’s dissecting every move I make. It makes my skin itch. I don’t trust him. Not even a little. By the time I’ve changed out of my training gear, Kael and Evander are already waiting in the corridor, both looking like they’ve just barely resisted the urge to commit murder.

Kael crosses his arms the moment he sees me. “You let him hit you.”

I roll my eyes. “It’s called sparring, Kael.”

“He didn’t have to enjoy it,” he growls, jaw tightening.

Evander, ever the peacemaker, lays a hand on Kael’s shoulder. “He’s right about one thing, though. Cage didn't fight like he was training; he fought like he was testing something. It's like he was watching and measuring you.”

I nod, pulling my hair back into a ponytail. “Yeah, I noticed. There’s something behind that grin of his. He’s playing some kind of game, and I’m not sure what the rules are yet.”

Kael grumbles something under his breath about “breaking rules and ribs,” which earns him a look from Evander.

I laugh softly. “Relax, both of you. I’m not stupid enough to let him get close. If he wants to play, I’ll let him think he’s winning.”

Evander hums, not looking convinced. “Just be careful, pet. I don’t like the way he looks at you.”

“Neither do I,” Kael mutters.

“Good,” I say, slinging my bag over my shoulder. “Then we’re all on the same page.”

The three of us walk together toward the far wing of the academy, where the training rooms are quieter and more private. My stomach twists a little with nerves. I missed yesterday’s session with Professor Hill, and maybe that’s why he came to the dorm. Maybe. Or maybe he came for some other reason entirely, one I can’t quite make myself think about too hard. Either way, I’m not missing today. I need answers. I need to understand why he’s avoiding me, why the bond between us feels like it’s been tied in knots. The hallway grows quieter as we approach the door. Kael and Evander stop at the end of the corridor, giving me space like I asked them to.

“You sure you want to go alone?” Kael asks, still bristling.

“I’ll be fine,” I assure him. “It’s just training and maybe a little bit of interrogating.”

Evander gives a nod, but his eyes linger on me. “We’ll wait right here.”

I offer a small smile before pushing open the heavy wooden door. The training room is empty. No flicker of candlelight, no rustle of papers, no steady voice greeting me from behind a desk. Just silence and the faint smell of chalk and enchanted dust. I step inside, the echo of my boots sounding far too loud. The mats are still laid out from the last lesson, but everything else looks untouched. No sign that anyone’s been here in hours, but I put down my bag anyway and I wait. Ten minutes pass. Then twenty. The clock on the wall ticks in a slow, taunting rhythm.

Eventually, Kael pokes his head in. “He still not here?”

I shake my head, sighing. “No. Nothing.”

Evander joins him, expression tightening. “That’s not like him.”

“No,” I agree quietly, slinging my bag back over my shoulder. “It’s not.”

I give the room one last glance, the emptiness pressing against my chest. Whatever this is—whatever’s happening between us—it’s starting to feel deliberate, like he really doesn't want this bond between us... If that's the case, though, the least he could do is tell me.

“Come on,” I say finally, forcing a small smile that doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “Let’s go. Maybe he had something important come up.”

But even as we leave, I can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong and the hollow ache in the bond feels colder than ever.

Kael walks beside me in silence for a moment before he finally speaks. “You’re not just going to let this go, are you?”

“Would you?” I ask.

He grins faintly. “Nope. I’d kick down his door.”

Evander snorts. “Subtle as ever.”

Kael shrugs, then looks at me, all joking gone from his expression. “You should just go and confront him, trouble. Stop guessing. He’s probably in one of two places, his office or that cabin he keeps near the woods. If he’s avoiding you, you’ll see it in his face. And if he’s not…” He pauses, eyes softening. “Then he’ll have to tell you why.”

Evander nods in agreement. “He owes you that much, Ally. You deserve to know what’s going on with him.”

I chew the inside of my cheek, staring down the hallway toward the professor’s wing. The thought of confronting him makes my stomach twist, but so does doing nothing.

“Fine,” I say, straightening my shoulders. “I’ll find him.”

Kael’s grin turns proud, a touch of mischief glinting in his eyes. “That’s my girl.”

Evander rests a steady hand on my shoulder as we reach the end of the hall. “We’ll be close if you need us.”

“I know,” I whisper.

As I head off alone, my heart hammers. Every step echoes against the stone floors, loud and deliberate. Confronting a mate shouldn’t feel like marching into battle. But with Cassian Hill, it always does... but I’m done waiting in the dark. He can try to hide and avoid me all he wants, but I’m going to find out what’s keeping him away from me.

Because whatever it is…

I deserve to know.