Luna Forsaken (Arya and James) novel Chapter 145

145 He Came for the Fury

Arya’s POV

My nails dug into my palms.

Ria snarled low inside me, feeling the direction of my thoughts.

Don’t go soft.

“I’m not,” I whispered.

Maxwell’s brows drew together. “What?”

I blinked and realized I’d spoken aloud.

“Nothing.”

He looked unconvinced, but before he could press, a knock came at the door. Two short taps. A pause. Then one more.

Maxwell’s expression shifted.

Not surprised.

Expectant.

“Come in,” he called.

The door opened, and Lev stepped inside like the room had been waiting for him.

My breath caught. Just once.

He filled the doorway in dark clothes and controlled power, his hair 5 disordered like he had

Manji

come straight from the yard or straight from a ride, jaw shadowed, eyes already on me before the door fully closed. Not Maxwell. Me.

Always too direct.

Always too much.

His gaze moved over my face, my posture, my hands, reading more than I wanted read. Something cold and dangerous flickered in his eyes when he saw the dried blood on my wrist.

He did

ask whose blood.

Maxwell looked between us once, old and perceptive and probably far too pleased with himself

145 He Came for the Fury

beneath the sternness.

“She needs the yard,” he said.

Lev’s eyes never left mine. “I know.”

My temper flared instantly. “I’m right here.”

Lev took two steps into the room. “Good.”

That one word, deep and even, slid over my skin like a hand.

I hated how my body still noticed him even like this. Even with rage clawing my throat. Even with grief turning my chest into a grave.

Especially like this, maybe.

some

Because Lev never came at me with pity. He came at me like I was something dangerous worth meeting head-on.

Maxwell looked at me. “Go.”

I whipped my head toward him. “You’re dismissing me?”

“I’m saving my furniture.”

I stared.

He stared back.

For a second I wanted to argue just to burn off heat. Then I almost laughed because he was right. If I stayed in this room another five minutes, I would either break something or break down, and I hated both options.

Lev stepped aside from the doorway, giving me space to pass.

I stood still.

He waited.

That was the thing about him. No fidgeting. No pushing before the moment was ripe. Just that unnerving certainty that if he stayed exactly where he was, I would move.

And I did.

I brushed past him hard enough for my shoulder to hit his chest.

145 He Came for the Fury

He didn’t move an inch.

The impact jolted up my arm. Heat rushed under my skin at the contact, immediate and humiliating.

His voice came low behind me as I reached the corridor. “Boots.”

I stopped and turned slowly.

“What.”

His gaze dropped to my feet, then back to my face. “Training boots. Not house slippers.”

I looked down.

I was, in fact, still wearing soft house slippers.

I hated him.

Maxwell made a sound behind us that suspiciously resembled a muffled laugh.

I bared my teeth at both of them and stalked off to change.

The east training yard was empty when I reached it.

The late afternoon light had gone gold at the edges, turning the high stone walls warmer than they felt. The earth underfoot was packed and dark. Weapons racks lined one side. Training posts stood in neat

rows like silent witnesses.

Niked it here and resented that I liked it.

This was where Lev unmade me and steadied me in the same hour.

Where he touched me like instruction and temptation were the same language.

Where my anger came out in sweat and bruises instead of poisoning me from the inside.

I tied my hair back tighter than necessary and flexed my fingers. My knuckles still ached. Good. Let

them.

When Lev entered the yard, he said nothing.

No teasing remark. No command. No false gentleness because he had heard what happened.

He stripped off his jacket and set it aside, then stepped into the ring and looked at me.

Waiting.

I went in like I wanted to kill him.

145 He Came for the Fury

The first strike came fast, straight to his throat. He blocked, turned, redirected.

Second, low sweep toward his ribs. He absorbed it on his forearm.

Third, elbow, knee, backfist, all fury and no patience.

He moved through it like dark water.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify