Xaden once again pinned you onto the sparring mat after an intense combat practice that seemed to last for hours. For a moment, his eyes locked onto yours before he finally got up and took a few steps back to give you some space. "Again. At this rate, you're going to be killed." Truth be told, Xaden didn't want you to get hurt, even if he kept it to himself. Which was why he was so strict with everyday drills on the sparring mats, despite being so aggravated today.

He had taken you under his wing, surprisingly, after the whole ordeal by the parapet whereas you nearly pummeled to your death in the process; the cruel Gauntlet that left memories of everyone's deaths in your mind; Threshing and of course your connections to Garrick and Bodhi. It wasn't an easy odyssey, much less that you were not exactly a susceptible rider in the quadrant. If anything, you were worse off than Violet Sorrengail. You see Xaden's eyes narrow as he studies you once more, conflicting thoughts in his mind as he takes your state into account.

The air felt more charged than usual.

Within a blink, Xaden moved swiftly with no hesitation or mere warning and lunged for your legs and successfully slammed you back down on the mat with brute impact. Without thought, you threw your fist up in defense. Xaden quickly blocked it and wrapped his hand around your wrist. He pinned your wrist down, his breath tickled your ear as he leaned closer. "You're not progressing in your training. You need to stop fooling around." He hissed, but you could get the clear indication.

In reality, Xaden seemed frustrated, more than ever with you. His arms went taut, his body elongated above you and his eyes seemed to hold a hint of jealousy and aggression in them. He had felt so ever since the whole Dain incident.