The joint drill hall was bigger than the rest. High ceiling. Echoing stone. Banners of past champions hanging limp in the still air. Today it was mixed. Shield Arrays paired with real mages. Real practice. Real pain. They called it "team synergy training." I called it another chance to be the punching bag.
We lined up in rows. I ended up near the front because the instructor pointed and said "You. There." No name. Just "you." My robe felt tighter today. Maybe from the heat. Maybe from the way my body kept remembering the closet yesterday. The way my fingers had moved. The way the notes burned against my skin.
Stellite was three spots down. Ice affinity glowing soft blue around her hands already. She caught my eye. Smirked. Whispered something to the girl next to her. They both looked at me and giggled.
Delan was opposite. Light affinity. He cracked his knuckles like he was warming up for a show. Kael stood behind him. Same lazy grin.
Instructor Voren walked the line. Tall man. Wind affinity level 5. Voice like cracking thunder. "Today we simulate goblin breach. Shields hold the front. Mages strike from behind. Fail the array and the 'goblins' win. Fail and you run laps until sundown."
He waved. Dummies rose from the floor. Wooden. Painted green. Mini-goblin shapes. Some with crude wings tacked on. Some bigger. Giant ones. They shuffled forward on hidden tracks.
"Begin!"
The first wave came fast. Minis. Swarming.
I raised my hands. Glyphs flared. Barrier thin but wide. Covered three people behind me. Sweat immediately rolled down my temples. Down my neck. Into the valley between my breasts. The robe darkened there.
A mini slammed into my shield. Then another. Then five. The impact rattled my arms. My feet slid back an inch. My ass jiggled with the force. Breasts bounced hard enough to hurt.
"Stronger!" Voren shouted.
I poured more mana in. The barrier flickered brighter. Held.
Then the flyers came. Dummies with wings. Darting high then diving.
One swooped low. Hit my shield dead center. Crack. Pain shot through my palms. The barrier splintered. A wing clipped my shoulder. Wood scraped skin. Blood welled.
I staggered.
Stellite laughed loud. "Shitcake's down already!"
She flicked her wrist. Ice shards flew. Pierced three flyers clean. Perfect. Effortless.
Delan sent light beams. Blinding. Took out a whole row.
Kael just watched me struggle. Smiled.
Another giant dummy lumbered forward. Slow. Heavy. The floor shook.
It raised a club. Swung.
I braced. Poured everything into the barrier. Blue light flared bright. Too bright. Mana burned in my veins.
The club hit.
The impact threw me backward. I crashed into the mage behind me. We both went down. My back hit his chest. My ass landed square on his lap for a second before I rolled off. He cursed. Pushed me away like I was dirt.
The barrier collapsed completely.
The giant dummy's club stopped an inch from my face. Voren had frozen it with a wind wall.
"Fail," he said. Flat. "Synthia. Out. Laps after."
Groans from the line.
Stellite stepped forward. "Instructor. Maybe she should sit this out. She's just slowing us down."
Voren looked at her. Then at me. "Synthia. Side wall. Observe."
I got up. Knees shaking. Shoulder bleeding. Robe torn at the sleeve. Sweat soaked through everywhere. My stomach folded as I stood. Thighs stuck together with dampness.
I walked to the wall. Leaned against it. Arms crossed over my chest to hide how hard my nipples were from the adrenaline. From the humiliation. From the anger boiling low.
They restarted the drill.
I watched.
Stellite danced through the dummies. Ice blooming like flowers. Killing clean. Beautiful.
Delan laughed as he blasted.
Kael glanced at me once. Smirked.
Then I saw movement. Near the back doors. A shadow. Quick. Someone slipped a small envelope under the edge of a banner. Right where my bag was sitting.
No one else noticed.
My heart jumped.
I waited until Voren called a water break. Everyone moved to the hydration station.
I walked slow. Casual. Picked up my bag. Felt inside.
The envelope was there. Cream. Familiar.
I opened it behind the banner. Hands shaking.
Same handwriting.
*They push you down because they feel small next to you.
Your body is a weapon they don't understand yet.
Imagine them on their knees. Imagine the taste they'll beg for.
Let the rage build. It's beautiful.
—Someone who dreams of your scent every night*
I pressed my thighs together so hard my knees almost buckled.
The words sank in. Deep. Hot.
Dreams of your scent.
Every night.
I looked up. Scanned the room.
Mel was there. Across the hall. Leaning against a pillar. Pretending to watch the drill. But his eyes flicked to me. Just once. Then away.
Fast. Guilty.
My breath caught.
I slipped the note into my bra. With the others. Felt them all pressed against my skin. Three now. Three promises.
The break ended.
They called me back for cleanup laps.
I ran. Slow. Heavy. Breasts bouncing. Ass jiggling. Sweat flying.
They laughed.
But inside.
Inside I wasn't running from them anymore.
I was running toward something.
Toward the day they would run from me.
Or crawl.
Or beg.
The thought made me smile. Small. Secret.
For the first time.