When The Sky Bleeds ✔️

Chapter 16

"Breathe. You're almost there." I thought to myself.

My feet rhythmically thudded against the rotating treadmill belt. A smile graced my face as I achieved the 7th mile in record time and abruptly halted the machine. Placing my feet on either side and bracing myself on the handrails, I paused to catch my breath. It had been three months since the first trial, and the second was just a night's slumber away. With rigorous morning sparring sessions with Desmond and diligent adherence to Garrick's workout regimen with Lily, I felt equipped for the impending trial. Leveraging my stature to my benefit, I dedicated myself to perfecting my swiftness, which had became one of my greatest strengths. Glancing over at my friend, I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.

Lily looked absolutely fierce with her sweat-drenched raven hair tied back and face reddened with exertion. Her biceps popped from under her compression shirt as she pummeled a punching bag with indomitable strength.

"Castiel was right," I huffed out, slapping my hand against the treadmill's console, "I did need to work harder than everyone else." I joked.

Lily let out a laugh before throwing another hard-hitting punch. "Don't inflate his ego," she shot back, her dark eyes flashing with humor. She paused her assault on the punching bag, shaking sweat from her brow and flashing a wide smile.

"Now you must conquer the punching bag," she said, remaining impressive even as she was wiping perspiration off her forehead with the back of her hand.

I let out a groan at the thought.

Garrick approached, his furrowed brow revealing his concern. "Are you prepared for the trial tomorrow?" he inquired, his tone laced with apprehension. I nodded, my body aching from the rigorous training session on the treadmill. "They had better be," Meradyth interjected from behind us as she pedaled ferociously on an exercise bike. Her red hair was damp with sweat. With a loud clang, she hopped off the bike and joined our conversation. As we turned our heads to the right, raucous laughter drifted over from a group of Hunters lifting weights. Among them were Desmond and his female companion, Bree Harlowe. Meradyth couldn't resist imitating Bree's distinct cackle with a mocking laugh of her own. The Hunter's laughter seemed to ring out louder than the others in the room. She had been part of a team of Hunters stranded on a treacherous mission in Colorado. Tragically, several members had been brutally killed - an event witnessed by Desmond during the heroic rescue mission he was a part of just a couple of weeks ago. According to Meradyth's accounts, Bree was notorious for her barbed tongue and hostile demeanor. Rumors swirled about her and Desmond having a brief fling the year before, leading Meradyth to quip that it was a match made in hell.

Thomas strode into the gym, his steps purposeful and confident. With a smirk playing on his lips, he leaned against the arm of my treadmill. "You look completely drained," he drawled, his words dripping with condescension. His grin widened, mocking concern etched on his face. The irritation simmered within me, but I fought to maintain composure. However, the palpable tension between us festered like an impending storm. "I'm fine," I retorted, my voice strained as I struggled to keep the growing annoyance at bay. But my words hung heavy in the air, intensifying the animosity between us. Lily's face contorted with a flicker of disdain, and her tiger guard emitted a low growl from the shadows. Breaking through the heavy silence, Bree's high-pitched laugh pierced the room. She sauntered towards Desmond, attempting to flirt with him while garnering amused laughter from those around them. Desmond responded with a smirk before refocusing on the weights. "And it seems your Hunter has found another damsel in distress to occupy his thoughts," Thomas added smugly. Rolling my eyes derisively, I was about to deliver a caustic remark when Meradyth's voice cut through the tension like a whip crack. "She'll make it through just fine," she declared defiantly, her eyes flashing with determination as she locked gazes with Thomas. Garrick's hazel gaze burned with an unyielding intensity, and I recognized the familiar hostility emanating from him. Juno, perched on the arm of the exercise bike, observed the standoff between Thomas and me with mischievous eyes.