Chapter 43
Briar was tall for a girl, with a narrow build and a pointed chin. Her eyes drew attention immediately, wide and bright, dark like the night sky with stars glimmering in their depths.
If one could ignore the sharpness of her tongue, she looked almost fragile standing i
there, like a waif lost under the sun. It was the kind of sight that stirred reluctant sympathy.
Cyrus’s par focused on her, but he said nothing-
“Cyrus?” Enzo prompted.
“She had formal training.” Cyrus said abruptly.
Enzo stared at him. “Wait–what?”
Cyrus lowered his gaze and explained mildly. “Her posture looks relaxed, but her finger never left the trigger”
Enzo Harrowed his eyes and took a closer look. “You might be right.”
In firearm training, the trigger finger must remain engaged from start to finish. But with sandbags weighing down the barrel, most students had Jecretly eased their grip to support the weapon more comfortably.
However, Cyrus had noticed that Briar never did. Her posture was tense, like a fuse waiting for the match–a kind of stillness bor not from nerves but from experience.
„I didn’t catch that before, Enzo muttered. “You think she’s seen combat!”
He wasn’t talking about a few scrapes. He meant blood and death.
Cyrus answered flatly. “After her adoptive parents died she probably ended up in a child soldier camp in Escoriam:
“Daman.” Enzo’s eyes widened. “She was supposed to be some pampered heiress, and instead she gets trafficked, raised by monsters, and still survives. And she’s–what, cheerfull That’s insane”
‘Cheerful‘ Cyrus thought, glancing at Briar standing alone in the sun. There was something strange and unreadable in his eyes.
She kept glancing his way, too. However, he couldn’t tell what was on her mind.
It was another thirty minutes before Briar finally dropped her rifle and the sandbags. By then, the rest had already left for the cafeteria.
Mae waved from her seat as Bear walked in. “Over here”
She’d already gonen Briar a tray of food. The food was standard military fare, and everyone else was grumbling about it
Briar pulled off her hat, grinning. “Did I guess right?”
“Right on the money! Mae slapped her thigh. “Do you read fortunes or something! You’re freakishly accurate.”
Briar’s arms were so sore, even the fork felt like it weighed a ton.
“I’m betting we’ll be crawling through mud this afternoon,” she said with a wink
“Don’t say that,” Mae groaned. “No way..”
“What do you think the high–pressure hoses were for! Want a bet!” Itriar said
“No, I believe you,
‚ but I still don’t want to crawl through mud, Mar whined.
As Marlamented her fate, Briar dug into her food without a care.
After a moment, Mae leaned in. “Hey, did you all see those two guys earlier? Especially the one in the wheelchair? He might actually be hotter than Joy ide
“Yeah,” Jolene agreed. “Too bad he’s in a wheelchair. If he weren’t, half the girls here would be obsessed.”
Briar thought, at a loss for words, Did he just hear what I said earlier
“Maybe he’s not handicapped, Briar said dryly. “Maybe he’s just injured.”
“Then why the wheelchair? His legs looked totally fine,” Mae said with a shrug.
Briar blinked as memories of Cyrus’s injury came rushing back. If he hadn’t been wearing a bulletproof vest when she fired that shot back then, be
Chapter 43
would have dird
He survived the ordeal, and he had been acting so normal and unaffected that it slipped her mind that he might be injured, badly enough to end up in a wheelchair
“Cyrus Morrow, she thought quicly ‘Gould his injury really have left him disabled
“Briar, Earth to Briar?” Rhra’s voice sounded in her ears.
Briar snapped back to reality. “What?”
Rhea gave her a look. “What’s on your mind! I called your name, like, three times.”
“Nothing,” Briar said lightly,
Rhea didn’t press further but continued talking about the women. “Anyway, those two must be from Okwell City. They were watching you during training.”
Briar paused, chopsticks in midair, then smiled lazily. “Probably because Tim adorable”
Rhea gave her a look clearly exasperated, and looked like she was about to roll her eyes
Just then, the entire cafeteria went silent.
Mar elbowed her urgently. “Briar, look behind you.”“”
I cared and saw Enzo and Cyrus making their way toward her.
Enzo waved cheerfully. “Ms. Shepherd.”
Briar thought, at a loss for words, ‘Did he just hear what I said earlier!
Cyrus approached in a sleek, electric wheelchair that was likely packed with advanced technology. He rolled forward, and both of them stopped acrou from her
Enzo flashed a grin. “Hey there! We’re Briar’s Friends.”
All eyes swiveled to Briar, seemingly surprised at the information.
“We barely know each other, Briar muttered
“Hey, come on,” Enzo said. “Cyrus even bought you a meal previously. Don’t be so cold.”
Briar sorted. “Still doesn’t make us friendsTM
As soon as they sat down, someone brought meals for both of them, the same me as everyone else’s
Cyrus didn’t say much, but his eyes never left Briar, which was starting to creep her out.
“What are w
are you staring at Briar snapped, already imagining gouging his eyes out.
“Because you’re adorable,” Cyrus said calmly.
Briar thought, at a loss for words, Did he just hear what I said earlier!
Cyrus continued, “Your rifle stance is very precise
Briar forced a stiff smile. “It was okay, I guess.
“It’s exactly what a modern tactical unit would expect,” Cyrus said.
“Ti that so?” she replied vaguely. Tve had some training.”
Cyrus’s expression stayed neutral, but a slight smirk lugged at the corner of his mouth. That’s special ops technique. Pretty niche training you’ve hadk
“Hey, I never asked,” Briar quickly changed the subject. “How did you end up in a wheelchair! Don’t sell me you got hit by a car.”
“You’ve asked me that same question before,” Cyrus replied without missing a beat. “Ive been involved in too many shady dealings, so I got beaten up pretty badly,”
Briar let out a dry laugh, trying to break the awkwardness. “Can’t you just forget I said that?”
What a petty man, she thought. I only said it once as a joke, and he still remember!
Chapter 43