The air in the training grounds was thick with tension and the lingering heat of Maya's fireballs. She stood in the center, her hands trembling and her chest heaving as sweat poured down her face. Across from her, Tay stood calm and unyielding, his orange eyes focused, his stance unrelenting. He was every inch the Prince of Darkness, commanding, ruthless, and demanding.
“Again,” Tay barked, his voice sharp and unforgiving.
Maya clenched her fists, frustration and exhaustion coiling in her chest like a spring ready to snap. “I can’t, Tay,” she shouted back, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions. “I just can’t! I’m exhausted!”
Tay’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward, his presence imposing. “Maya, you’re not focused,” he said in a harsh tone. “What if you’re with Anya somew
