Chapter 27. The Consequence

The gym lights were too bright, too clean.

Every sound was amplified—rope creaking, gloves thudding, Cassian’s shoes scraping against the mat. Lia’s right hand was wrapped twice over with tape and stubbornness.

“Again,” Cassian said.

Her arm throbbed. “It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine until I say it’s fine.”

“Then it never will be.”

She jabbed anyway—left, left, right—the third punch slower, weaker. The pain lit up her arm like a flare.

Cassian caught her wrist mid-swing. His fingers tightened just enough to stop her.

“Stop fighting the pain,” he said. “You’re feeding it.”

“I’m not feeding anything. I’m working.”

“Working and breaking aren’t the same.”

“Feels similar from where I’m standing.”

He released her hand and stepped back. “You want to destroy yourself, do it on your own time. My job’s to make sure you can still lift your hands when the bell rings.”

She glared at him. “I’m not your job.”

For a hear