The clamor of the arena had faded, but the whispers had only just begun.
Tyren's one-man demolition of the competition echoed across every corridor. But what followed next wasn't just tactical discussion—it was speculation, obsession, and whispers dripping with curiosity.
---
Siren Squad Quarters
Ziya lay across her bunk, her arms folded under her chin, her eyes glassy and distant.
Her thoughts? Lost in every second of that fight.
Tyren's movements were burned into her memory. The way he dodged, countered, ended the match without so much as a pant. To everyone else, he was terrifying. But to Ziya…
> "He looked like someone who'd protect… no, destroy for the ones he cared about."
Her lips curled unconsciously.
In her mind, he turned toward her after the victory, sweat glistening, eyes intense.
> "Did you see that, Ziya?"
And she'd nod—helpless, starstruck.
Just then, a finger jabbed her ribs.
Ziya yelped. "H-Hey!"
"Dreaming again?" Rynn stood above her, smirking like a cat that caught its prey.
> "I wasn't—!"
"You totally were," Rynn chuckled, flopping on the bed next to hers. "If your brain were a broadcast, we'd need to censor it."
Ziya flushed deep red, pulling the blanket over her head. "Stop it!"
Rynn leaned back, arms behind her head. "It's cute. Just don't forget Tyren's not exactly... chatty."
> "He's mysterious," Ziya mumbled.
"More like emotionally constipated."
Ziya peeked from the blanket, giggling softly.
Then Rynn's tone shifted, a little quieter, a little more serious. "But seriously. Maybe you should tell him. Before someone else does."
Ziya's smile faded into a nervous hush.
---
Command Deck – Ryssa's Private Quarters
Meanwhile, Ryssa paced.
Her sharp boots clicked across the floor, but the usual command in her posture was gone. Instead, she looked… unsettled.
The moment Kael left the room earlier still lingered in her mind. He'd looked at her—not like a soldier looks at a superior—but like a man seeing a wall he refuses to climb.
And yet… he hadn't stopped her from getting close either.
> "Why him?" she whispered to her reflection in the mirror. "Why can't I get him out of my head?"
The more she tried to be a commander, the more he pulled her into chaos.
Suddenly, her comm buzzed. A low-ranking officer's voice spoke.
> "Ma'am… just a heads-up. There's a rumor spreading through corridors that you and Kael were… uh… locked in a room together. Alone."
Ryssa stiffened.
> "What?"
"Apparently someone saw him leaving your quarters late after training…"
The comm went silent.
Her eyes narrowed, pulse quickened. But oddly, her lips twitched into a smirk.
> "Let them talk."
---
Mess Hall – That Evening
Every table in the mess hall buzzed.
"Did you hear?"
"Kael and Commander Ryssa?!"
"They said she winked at him after the match…"
"Apparently, they were together for hours after the last training run."
Ziya sat quietly with Rynn and Misha, eyes darting around.
Misha sipped her drink. "You okay?"
Ziya forced a smile. "Yeah… just tired."
But her heart was anything but quiet.
Kael… and Ryssa?
Rynn raised an eyebrow but didn't speak.
---
Tyren's Quarters
Tyren sat polishing his gauntlet, his expression unreadable. But his mind was far from weapons.
> "What's going on with Kael and Ryssa?"
He wasn't jealous—he just knew Kael. The man didn't do affection. So why wasn't he pushing Ryssa away?
And… did Kael know how Ziya looked at him now?
Tyren huffed, throwing the gauntlet down.
> "Idiot."
---
Command Deck – Later That Night
Ryssa stared out at the void of space, arms crossed, the faint glow of the console highlighting her profile.
> "Tomorrow… I'm not a commander."
She whispered to herself.
> "Just a woman. And I'm
going to tell Kael exactly what I feel."
She didn't know if he'd listen.
But if she had to fight battles to be near him—she was willing to start a war.