His Silent Luna (Verity and Felicity) novel Chapter 36

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

Verity’s Perspective

After Cassian had stormed out of the room, leaving me alone in his chambers, I found myself perched on the edge of the bed, my fingers nervously twisting the fabric of the sheets. The air still carried his scent—a mix of something sharp and familiar—and it unsettled me more than I expected. This place, these walls, didn’t feel like they belonged to me. At least, that’s how it seemed in that moment.

I sat there longer than I should have, lost in a swirl of confusion and doubt. Eventually, I decided a bath might help clear my head. The hot water enveloped me, soothing the tension knotted in my muscles and washing away the dark remnants of my restless dreams. For a fleeting moment, I felt lighter, almost… normal.

But when I stepped out of the bath, reality settled back in. I realized I had nothing suitable to wear. My own clothes were locked away in the chamber where I’d first been placed, and the thought of wandering the castle halls wrapped only in a damp towel was unbearable. So, reluctantly, I slipped into the only thing available—a robe far too large for me. It swallowed my frame completely; the sleeves draped past my hands, and the hem brushed the floor, making me appear even smaller and more vulnerable than I already felt.

I considered sneaking quietly back to my old room to retrieve my belongings, but before I could move, a gentle knock came from the door.

“Verity?” Caleb’s voice called softly from the other side.

Startled, I blinked and quickly padded across the floor to open it. There he stood, a warm smile on his face, his arms full of neatly folded clothes. I returned his smile, tentative but grateful, and his expression softened further.

“These are for you,” he said, extending the bundle toward me. My confusion must have been written all over my face because he chuckled lightly. “Training clothes. Cassian asked me to bring them.”

Training clothes?

I tilted my head, staring at the bundle as if it held some secret code. Caleb’s grin grew wider at my puzzled look.

“Put them on. I’ll wait for you in the hall,” he said simply. Before I could ask any questions—or protest—he was already turning away.

I watched him go, feeling a strange mix of curiosity and hesitation. Then, curiosity won. I closed the door behind me and unfolded the clothes. Black pants, a fitted tunic, sturdy boots—simple and practical. They weren’t nearly as soft as the robe, but somehow, putting them on made me feel more grounded, more ready. Like I was stepping into a role I could grow into.

When I emerged into the hallway, Caleb was leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed, waiting patiently. His eyes scanned me briefly, then he nodded with approval.

“Perfect,” he said, and together we walked down the quiet corridor.

The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt more like the calm before something new—something I wasn’t quite ready to name yet. Eventually, we arrived at a secluded training ground hidden away from the castle’s usual bustle. The space was wide and open, the earth beneath our feet packed dirt. Wooden dummies stood scattered along the edges, and racks of weapons glinted faintly in the afternoon sun.

“This,” Caleb said, stepping into the center of the clearing, “is where you’ll learn. Cassian wants you to train—not just with words, but with your body.”

My throat tightened, and I swallowed hard. The idea of training, of fighting, stirred a nervous flutter in my chest. But beneath that, there was something else—an unexpected spark of excitement.

I nodded, forcing myself to accept the challenge.

“Good.” Caleb’s smile was steady and reassuring. “We’ll start simple.”

Our first lesson was balance. Caleb instructed me to stand with my feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, arms poised. He adjusted my stance several times, tapping my ankle here, nudging my elbow there. Each correction made me bite my lip, determined to get it right.

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