gave her a quick kiss before he left.
Her heart heavy, Felicia watched him go. âWill he be okay?â
âYeah. Heâs a tough little bastard.â
That description really didnât make her feel better.
She fingered the bloody mask Talyn had left behind before she handed it to Erix so that he could clean it. âHow long have you known him?â
âAlmost six years.â
That was an impressive length from what she understood about fighters and trainers. âYouâve been training him that long?â
Erix nodded as he washed the mask off in a small sink. âIronically, Iâd never heard of him before that. Iâm a Vested trainer so I never paid attention to the Open leaguers. I considered them rabid mongrels, not worth my time.â
Because only those with prestigious lineages were allowed to fight in the Vested league, they, alone, could afford a coachâs fees. Open was reserved for orphans, slaves, and bastards. Unlike Vested fighters, they had no equipment, protections, or reps. It was an all-out bare-fist-on-flesh brawl.
âSo what made you take on Talyn?â
He sterilized the mask. âA good friend of mine had seen him fight and thought I should take a look at him. Talyn was going up against a much older, larger, and tougher opponent for the Mean Weight title. I thought it was a complete waste of time since I knew an Open leaguer couldnât afford me, but it was free ale and dinner with a friend so I agreed. Kid was only thirteen at the time. He came out alone and looked like a toy in comparison to his opponent. I figured he wouldnât last five minutes ⦠three hours later, no breaks whatsoever, he was champion. In thirty-five years of coaching fighters, Iâd never seen anything like it. He was fearless and determined. Skilled beyond his years. That giant bastard beat him half to death and still he stood strong and fierceâas if he was daring the gods themselves to try and break him. By the end, Talyn couldnât even open his eyes and yet there he stood. The youngest Mean Weight title champion in Andarion history. It took me two days to wrap my head around what Iâd seen and to convince myself itâd been real. And then ten days to talk the kid into letting me train him.â He dried off the mask.
âReally?â
He nodded as he picked up towels and placed them in a duffel. âKid didnât want to spend the money on a trainer when they donât use us in the Open league. Plus, he was trying to save up to help his mom buy her rank commission.â
Her jaw fell slack. âHe paid for his motherâs commission?â
âYeah. Heâs always felt responsible for her. Told you, heâs a good kid.â
âAnd yet she never comes to his matches?â
Shrugging, he put the mask and Talynâs wrap-tape and covers in a smaller bag. âShe canât stand them. He was already a title contender before she found out he was even a fighter.â
Felicia gaped even more at what he was telling her. âHow could she not know?â
âYouâve seen how the military treats its soldiers. She wasnât home much, and whenever she saw the bruises, she assumed they were from school fights. Talyn didnât tell her no different and she didnât ask.â
Felicia shook her head as she had an image of Talyn as a bruised little boy, tending his injuries with no help. Never had she hated Andarion customs more.
But at least heâd found Erix to watch over him. âSo how did you talk him into accepting you as his coach?â
âTold him if heâd give me five years, I could get him into the Vested league. I did it in three.â
âImpressive.â She helped him gather the rest of the damp towels and Talynâs shorts.
âNot on my part. While I never admit it to the media, I know the truth. I couldnât have done it for anyone else. Itâs a testament to his