'What the hell's her problem now?' Charles thought, sitting up slightly on the bed.

The tension with his step-sister was so thick it felt like a weight pressing on his chest.

Lira didn't waste a second.

"Why the hell did you let those medics draw your blood?" she snapped, her tone a mix of fury and exasperation. "Did it not cross your mind that it could be dangerous? You're unbelievable, Rian!"

Charles frowned, confused.

"What are you talking about?" he shot back, irritation lacing his voice. "They took my blood because it's part of the treatment. They said they needed to check something about the burns. What's the big deal? You never told me not to let them!"

He sat up a bit more, throwing in a grimace to keep up the act of being injured.

Truth was, he hadn't thought twice when the short-haired blonde medic pricked his arm with a small needle.

He'd assumed it was standard procedure after a fight that intense.

But now, with Lira glaring at him like he'd committed a crime, he was starting to second-guess himself.

"I didn't tell you because I thought you were smart enough not to let just anyone poke around with you!" Lira retorted, stepping closer.

Her voice was low, but every word dripped with reproach.

Charles clenched his teeth, anger flaring in his chest.

'Is she seriously picking a fight over this?' he thought, a hint of disbelief creeping in. 'This is ridiculous.'

He remembered the argument they'd had days ago in his room, and how, just hours earlier, she'd drugged him with a cake to keep him out of the fight.

That betrayal still stung, and now she had the nerve to chew him out over something she hadn't even warned him about.

"You know what, Lira?" he said, raising his voice. "If you're so worried about my safety, why didn't you warn me beforehand? Oh, wait, I forgot! You were too busy spiking my cake to keep me from fighting. Real nice way to protect me!"

Lira's eyes widened, clearly caught off guard by the jab.

For a second, it looked like she'd fire back with equal venom, but before she could, the door opened with a soft click.

Kaira strolled in, her tunic still damp from the rain, a bright grin on her face.

"Rian, arena hero!" she exclaimed, raising a hand in an enthusiastic wave. "What a way to cap off the night! How're you holding up after that insanity?"

Charles blinked, thrown off by the interruption.

'What kind of greeting is that?' he thought.

Kaira's energy was like a breath of fresh air amidst Lira's storm.

"Uh, I'm okay, I guess," he replied, forcing a smile. "Thanks for the hype."

Kaira's grin faded as she noticed Lira's expression, who stood with arms crossed and a glare that could bore through walls.

Kaira tilted her head, frowning.

"Hold up, hold up," she said, glancing between Charles and Lira. "What's going on here? Are you two fighting?"

Lira forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"It's nothing, Kaira," she said, her tone trying for casual but coming off strained. "Just trying to get Rian to use his brain for once."

Then, turning to her friend with a hint of sarcasm, she added, "By the way, didn't I tell you to head back to training when we said goodbye earlier? What are you doing here?"

Kaira raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the jab.

"Oh, come on, Lira," she said, crossing her arms with a mischievous grin. "I wanted to give Rian a proper send-off before I go. Plus, there's a couple things I want to talk to him about."

She paused, eyeing Charles with a spark in her eyes.

"Right, Rian? Don't tell me you're too busy for your number-one fan."

Charles felt a knot in his stomach.

'What's she getting at?' he thought, caught off guard by her comment.

"Uh, sure," he said, trying to sound relaxed. "We can talk, I guess."

But before he could say more, Lira stepped forward, planting herself between Kaira and the bed.

"Sorry, Kaira," she said, her tone anything but apologetic. "You'll have to have that chat another time. Rian and I have something important to discuss right now."

Her eyes locked onto Charles, daring him to argue.

Charles felt a surge of irritation. He was sick of Lira acting like she had a right to control him.

"No, Lira," he said, his voice louder than he intended. "I'm not talking to you right now. I just got out of a fight where I nearly burned to a crisp, and the last thing I need is you chewing me out over stuff you didn't even bother explaining. So, please, get out of my room."

The silence that followed was so heavy Charles could feel it pressing on his chest.

Lira stared at him, eyes wide, clearly shocked by his tone.

Kaira let out a low whistle, glancing at Lira with a mix of amusement and surprise.

"Wow…" Kaira said under her breath. "That was… straight to the point."

Lira pressed her lips together, and for a moment, Charles thought she might explode.

Her hands clenched into fists, her eyes flashing with a fury that made him brace for the worst.

'Shit, is she gonna jump me right here?' he thought, a nervous tingle running through him.

His energy was at 4%, according to the system, and he had no chance against Lira in this state.

But then, to his surprise, Lira let out a long sigh and relaxed her shoulders.

"Fine, Rian," she said, her tone more tired than angry. "If you want to act like an idiot, that's on you. You know where to find me when you're in a more reasonable headspace."

Without waiting for a reply, Lira turned and headed for the door.

Before leaving, she shot Kaira a final look.

"Don't let him do anything else reckless," she said, then shut the door with a firm thud.

Charles let out a sigh of relief, sinking back onto the bed.

The room settled into silence, broken only by the soft hum of the healing machine and the distant patter of rain.

Kaira stepped closer, sitting in one of the cushioned chairs with a curious expression.

"Well, that was intense," she said, resting her elbows on her knees. "Did I just cause a fight? Because if I did, my bad. I didn't mean to step into… whatever's going on between you two."

Charles clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

"Don't sweat it," he said, his voice weary. "Lira's unhinged. She's always looking for some dumb reason to rip into me. First she drugs me with a cake, then she blames me for stuff she never warned me about. It's like she gets a kick out of making my life hell."

Kaira let out a soft laugh, leaning forward.

"Yeah, Lira can be a bit… extra," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "But, hey, I don't blame you for wanting a breather. What you pulled off in the arena was nuts. A lightning bolt, Rian! How do you do it? Seriously, I need the details."

Charles's stomach tightened.

Kaira didn't know about his element, and though her tone was light, he couldn't shake the feeling she was fishing for something more.

"Just luck," he said, shrugging. "The storm was right overhead, and the bolt hit at the perfect time. Not much else to it."

Kaira tilted her head, studying him with those red eyes that seemed to see too much.

"Luck… sure," she said, her smile sharper than he'd like. "You're one lucky guy, Rian Cole. But, real talk, I didn't just come to congratulate you, though you totally deserve it."

Charles frowned, sitting up a bit straighter.

"What're you talking about?" he asked, his tone cautious.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.