AVA’S POV
The shower had been running for long enough that the bathroom mirror was completely fogged over, but I still hadn't moved.
I stood beneath the scalding spray, forehead pressed to the slick, misted tile, letting the water pour over my hair, trail down my neck, and soothe shoulders still humming with the ache of exertion.
Usually, a hot shower after sparring was one of my favorite activities. It was where tension drained from my muscles as I replayed everything, figuring out where I'd made mistakes and how I could improve next time.
My time with Alois had taught me that I was a quick learner. I had progressed faster than he had expected when I first returned to the New Moon Institute three years ago, absorbing techniques and theories with an ease that had surprised even me.
Each lesson unlocked a new door, and behind every door waited another challenge, another skill to master, another piece of the world to understand.
