Chapter 7 A Test Of Strength

ARIA’S POV I needed to confront Kael, to make it clear that his mistress, or whatever she was, couldn't get away with threatening me. I stormed out of my room, determined to find him even though I didn’t know exactly where his room was. I wandered through the maze of hallways, trying to remember the layout of the mansion. Ronan kind of did a summary the other day but I had a lot of things on my mind to give absolute attention to his talk, I wish I did. It was huge, and I was still getting used to it. Finally, I found a door that seemed likely to be his room, at least the door seemed different from others. I didn't bother knocking. I just pushed it open and barged in. Kael was standing by the window, his back to me. He turned around, and I froze. He was wearing a towel, barely hanging loosely around his waist, revealing a sculpted chest and defined abs. His hot body glistened as beads of water clung to his skin, and I found myself scanning every inch of him. Why was a man like him this hot? It had to a crime. Maera, which I’d been trying to ignore, suddenly went into a frenzy, losing any ounce of control she had, and my cinflicting feelings didn’t help the matter. “How dare you barge into my room?” his voice cut through the air, sharp and icy. I snapped out of it, remembering whose body I was oogling over. A scowl replaced the heat in my cheeks. I stormed towards him, close enough for him to see the note. "This is about your crazy mistress" I shoved the note deeper in his face, earning a growl from him as he yanked the note out of my hand. I watched as he read the note, his brows furrowed in annoyance. "Oh, and this isn't even half of it.” He raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" "She tucked a severed deer head in my bed while I slept," I snapped, “I’m surprised it didn’t stir me because I’m not a light sleeper. She probably drugged me too.” His eyes widened slightly, surprised by my sudden allegation. "Vanessa wouldn't—" "Oh, please," I cut him off. "Don't pretend like you don’t know the woman you sleep with. Keep her on a leash, or I'll do it myself.” I walked closer and poked a finger into his hard chest, as I drawled out. “And trust me, she won't like my methods." His surprised expression melted off, and hint of anger flashed in his eyes. He grabbed my arm, and undeniable heat rushed through me. "That's enough. I'll handle it. But now that you are here, I have something to show you." "Show me what?" I asked, but he walked to his drawer and put on some clothes. He walked out of the room, and signaled for him to follow him. My curiousity got the best of me and I followed. "Where are we going?" I asked, but he didn't answer. He just kept walking, his expression unreadable. Why was I even following him like a dog in the first place, I didn’t know. We walked through the mansion, out the back door, and across a large courtyard. We headed toward a wide, open field, where a crowd of people had gathered. They were standing around the perimeter, their eyes fixed on the center of the field. "What's going on?" I asked. It was late at night, and this much people were gathered together. It made an unsettling feeling crawl down my spine. but Kael still didn't respond. We reached the edge of the field, and Kael stopped. He turned to me, his blue eyes intense. "You're here for a test," he finally answered, and before I could respond, he pushed me into the center of the field. I stumbled on the ground trying to regain my balance. I looked around, confused. The crowd was silent, their eyes watching me intently. Then, a figure stepped into the field. He was tall and muscular, with a hard, determined expression. He looked like he could snap me in two in a second. He lunged at me, his foot aimed at my head. I ducked just in time, the force of his kick whistling past my ear. I rolled to my feet, my heart pounding. "What the hell is going on?" I yelled, looking at Kael. He stood at the edge of the field, his arms crossed, his expression cold. "What test? And why at an hour like this?" I demanded, but he didn't answer. The muscular man charged again, throwing a punch. I dodged and tried to counter, but he was too fast. He landed a blow to my ribs, and I gasped, the wind knocked out of me. I stumbled back, trying to catch my breath. "This is ridiculous!" I yelled, but Kael just watched, his expression unchanged. Who in their right mind would drag someone into a fight like this without prior notice? The man attacked again, and I was forced to focus on the fight. He was strong, but I was fast too. I dodged and weaved, trying to find an opportunity. I landed a few blows, but they seemed to have little effect on him. How was I going to beat this brute? He grabbed me, his grip like iron and threw me to the ground. I hit the dirt hard, my breath leaving me in a whoosh. He stood over me, his eyes filled with a cold intent to kill me. "Get up," he growled. I struggled to my feet, my body aching. Realization dawned on me. This wasn't just some random fight. This was a trial, a test of my strength, my resilience. They wanted to see if I was worthy of being Luna. They wanted to see if I could survive. How barbaric. I looked back at the muscular man, my eyes filled with a new found defiance. I squared my shoulders and faced my opponent, ready for whatever came next. The crowd watched, silent, their eyes filled with anticipation especially that of Keal. If it was a fight they wanted, that’s exactly what they’d get.