The twins' voices filled the hallway, playful and persistent, as they barged into my room, practically dragging me .
As we made our way down the hall, I mentally mapped out the mansion's layout. I needed to know every inch of this place. The twins' chatter was a constant background noise, but my mind was elsewhere, focused on the task ahead: gathering information and finding a way out.
The training grounds were enormous, stretching out in front of us like a battlefield. Weapons were scattered across the area—swords, spears, and practice dummies, all waiting for a fight. The brothers' excitement was palpable, their energy contagious.
"You'll love it here," John said, his voice cheerful. "It's where we come to blow off steam. You might even pick up a few moves."
I raised an eyebrow. "You think I need training?"
John snickered. "Yes, you do. Look at how petite you are what can you do?."
Before I could respond, Jace stepped forward. "Come on, let's start with a spar. Just a friendly one. I promise not to hurt you." His grin was wicked, and I knew he was eager to see me lose.
I didn't have much of a choice, so I stepped forward, putting on a show of reluctance. Jace was right I couldn't fight but I also couldn't let them think I was weak. If anything, I had to outsmart them, prove that I wasn't just some helpless captive.
As we squared off, I kept my movements slow at first. I didn't want to give anything away. Jace lunged at me, but I sidestepped with ease, using his momentum to throw him off balance. The move was clean, almost effortless, surprisingly.
The twins paused, watching me with wide eyes. "Not bad," Jace muttered, brushing himself off. He was clearly trying to hide his surprise, but the twitch of his lips betrayed his amusement.
"Lucky shot," I said with a teasing smile, though deep down I was shocked at my new found fighting skill. "I've had a lot of practice dodging clumsy idiots."
John snorted. "Careful, you're making us look bad."
I shrugged, trying to act as nonchalant as possible. "What can I say? I'm good at dodging."
Jace charged again, faster this time, but I was ready. I ducked low and swept his legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground with a thud. The twins both froze for a moment, eyes wide.
"Okay, now that was impressive," John admitted, his voice tinged with something close to respect. "Maybe you're not as helpless as we thought."
I smiled, but inside, my heart was racing. Where did all this skills come from. But I tried to hide my expression, The last thing I needed was for them to realize I was just some frightened girl they could control.
I turned to Jace, who was still getting up. "You're slow," I teased, crossing my arms. "Maybe I should give you some pointers."
He grinned at me, a mix of frustration and admiration in his eyes. "You're definitely not what I expected, Syria."
I gave him a playful smile, but my mind was elsewhere. I'd learned a lot just by watching them—Jace was fast and confident, but he wasn't as calculated as I needed him to be. John, on the other hand, was more disciplined, his movements sharp and precise. I'd have to be careful around him. They were both skilled, but I could see cracks in their defenses.
A shadow fell over the training grounds, and I glanced up to see Jake standing at the edge of the field, watching us. His posture was casual, but his eyes were anything but. They were sharp, studying me, analyzing every move I made. My heart skipped a beat. I had been trying to avoid his gaze ever since that day he caught me transforming into a wolf, but here he was, once again, observing me.
I tried to keep my expression neutral, but it was impossible to ignore the unease that settled in my chest. He knew. He had seen me. The thought gnawed at me, and I forced myself to focus on the twins, not wanting them to see how rattled I was.
"Jake's here," Jace said, as if reading my mind. "Looks like he's taking a break from his own training."
"Great," I muttered, not wanting to seem too eager to acknowledge his presence. "Just what I need."
Jake's eyes met mine from across the field, and for a moment, it felt like the entire world went still. His gaze was steady, almost knowing, as if he could see straight through me. It was unnerving, and I hated how much it affected me. But I couldn't let him see that.
I glanced away, focusing on John, who was now offering me a practice sword. "Want to try something more advanced?" he asked, his eyes alight with excitement.
I took the sword from him with a nod, but my mind was still on Jake. He was watching me too closely, like a hawk. I had to be careful. If he suspected anything, it could be the end of everything.
I swung the sword a few times, testing the weight of it. It felt strange in my hands, but not entirely unfamiliar. I had trained in my past life—self-defense classes and martial arts—but this was different. This was real.
John stepped in, showing me a few basic moves. I mimicked him, trying to appear focused, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Jake. He hadn't moved. He was still watching me.
"Not bad, Syria," John said, breaking my concentration. "You've got potential."
I nodded, offering a weak smile. "I'm just getting warmed up."
Jace, always eager for more, challenged me again, this time with a bit more force behind his attacks. We sparred for a few more minutes, but I was aware of Jake's presence the entire time. I could feel his eyes on me, like a weight pressing down on my shoulders.
Finally, the sparring came to an end, and the twins seemed satisfied with my performance. "You've got a lot of skill," Jace said, his grin returning. "Maybe we should train together more often."
I forced a smile, though my mind was elsewhere. "We'll see."
As we gathered our things to leave, I felt Jake's eyes on me again. This time, his expression was unreadable, and I couldn't tell if he was impressed or suspious. I didn't want to find out.
The twins led me back toward the mansion, still chattering about the day's events. But my mind was spinning. I had to find a way to outsmart Jake, to keep him from digging too deep into my secrets.
One thing was clear: this game was just beginning, and I needed to stay one step ahead.