Royal Summons

Victor's POV

The late afternoon sun hung heavy over the training grounds, turning the dirt into a cracked wasteland under our boots. My shirt had been abandoned on the fence an hour ago, and now sweat carved rivers down my spine, soaking into the waistband of my shorts. The kids in front of me were flagging—shoulders heaving, punches gone sloppy—but they didn’t dare complain. Not with me watching.