[ Forest, Star City Outskirts ]
Thea thought about it carefully. She had nothing to lose anyway. It was always smart to learn more, especially from someone like her. And honestly? Having a female teacher was just more convenient. While people in the martial arts world didn't usually care about formalities, it was still awkward practicing some close-contact techniques with her father. With a proud nod, she replied, "Yes, ma'am. I'm willing to learn from you."
"Very good. Come find me at this address tomorrow morning," Lady Shiva said, handing her a small slip of paper. "And take this. It will reduce the swelling quickly."
There was something strange about the way Shiva looked at her as she passed over the bottle of ointment. Then she vanished with a quiet whoosh.
Thea blinked. The only thing bouncing around her mind was that line: "It will reduce the swelling quickly..." Wait. Swelling? Her face was swollen? She gingerly touched her cheek. "Ouch!" Yep. Swollen. And painful. And definitely not pretty. Her image was ruined. That heroic tone she'd just used? Totally undermined by her current face. So much for cool exits.
She sighed. She couldn't go home like this. If Moira Queen saw her, she'd panic. So, she found a secluded spot, took out the ointment, and gently applied it to her swollen face, hoping the pain and puffiness would subside. After ten minutes of waiting, it became clear she had been overly optimistic. If miracle creams existed, this one certainly wasn't it—her face still throbbed with pain.
It seemed her only option was to spend the night at Felicity's place. At least there, she might avoid a lecture.
...Or maybe not.
...
[ Felicity's Apartment, Star City ]
"Wow...Thea, what happened to you? Did you get mugged? Do you need painkillers? Are you—are you pregnant?" Felicity babbled as soon as she opened the door, eyes wide with horror.
Thea almost felt touched by the concern. Almost. But then her brain caught up with Felicity's words.
"What?!" she groaned, swatting Felicity lightly. "What kind of wild imagination do you have? I fell during martial arts practice, that's all."
Thea and Felicity had already talked about her training. They trusted each other with secrets—Felicity knew about the martial arts, and Thea knew about her elite hacking. That kind of mutual knowledge created an easy rhythm between them.
Felicity narrowed her eyes. "You fell?"
Although Thea's tone carried sincerity and her expression was convincingly heartfelt, someone with a master's degree from MIT wasn't going to be deceived so easily.
She tapped away on her tablet for a second and pulled up a series of injury photos. "This, this, and this—those are falling injuries. Yours? You got hit."
Caught red-handed, Thea sighed. "Fine. I lost control during a sparring match. Just a minor injury. My teacher got stabbed by me too, so... even, I guess."
Felicity gasped. "That's not a minor injury!"
Thea rolled her eyes internally. She remembered how Yao Fei had trained Oliver on Purgatory Island—an arrow straight through him on day one. And when Oliver trained Roy or Barry? No warm-ups. Just arrows. Compared to that, Malcolm's methods were almost... fatherly.
The two had once talked about defensive tactics in case of sudden threats. For someone like Thea Queen, heiress to Queen Consolidated, self-defense was essential. Carrying high-tech weapons was flashy, but making herself the weapon? That was smart. In the world of DC, women were often seen as weak and defenseless, making them prime targets for thieves, zealots, criminals, and all manner of villains.
And those anime girls with pistols strapped to their thighs while wearing an evening dress? Not realistic. A short skirt wouldn't hide it. A long one made it impossible to draw. What would you think if you saw a beautiful woman rummaging around in her dress mid-event?
Watching Felicity care for her with the tenderness of an older sister, Thea hadn't expected her to have any experience in handling external injuries. Felicity gently applied ointment to each swollen spot on her face with practiced ease. Compared to the clumsy job Thea had done in the woods, Felicity's touch was far more effective. Thea couldn't help but sigh inwardly, feeling fortunate to have ended up here.
Watching Felicity dab ointment gently on her swollen cheek, Thea felt grateful. She hadn't expected Felicity to be this skilled at treating injuries. Definitely better than what she managed in the woods.
"Tell me the truth, you really weren't fucked?" As soon as the words left Felicity's mouth, the image of the gentle, sisterly caretaker shattered completely. In her place stood the familiar, shameless woman once more, her irreverent grin firmly in place.
"You idiot!" Thea snapped. "I'm super tough! I could fight off a hundred of you!"
"Uh huh. Then let me check!"
"Ouch! Don't touch!"
...
[ Merlyn Mansion, Star City ]
Malcolm stumbled into his home, clutching his side. The wound still burned. He reached for the jar of medicine Ra's al Ghul had once gifted him—a compound perfected over centuries. The Demon's Head wasn't just a master of martial arts but of medicine, science, and every other discipline worth knowing. His teachings were practically a PhD buffet.
In the original timeline, it was said that Yao Fei's herbs had the power to cure all kinds of poisons and diseases. He had obtained the ancient recipe from a Ra's al Ghul indirectly through Talia. The medicine Malcolm had given himself at this moment was prepared based on that same ancient recipe.
He cleaned the wound, applied the ancient concoction, and re-bandaged himself. It wasn't pleasant, but he'd live.
As he sat back, chuckling softly to himself, he thought about how tonight had spiraled. All he wanted was to push Thea to her limits, maybe get her motivated. Instead, they both ended up half-broken. Still, her aggression... it was very Queen-like. He didn't know Thea had seriously contemplated stabbing him, which made his proud little moment all the more ironic.
His gaze landed on the table.
There was a note.
I agree to your request. Remember to transfer the money as agreed.
No signature.
Malcolm sneered and tore it up. That woman was obsessed with money, despite her unbelievable martial skill. A slave to wealth. Pathetic, in a way.
Still, to sneak up on him so silently? That was strength beyond measure. Thea would benefit greatly.
Her future was secured. With her talent, drive, and training, few could touch her. Malcolm finally let himself think about his son.
Tommy still didn't know about Thea. Malcolm sighed. What would Tommy think, learning about the affair? He'd despise him even more. The bond between father and son would shatter. No... he couldn't say anything.
During training, Malcolm had sensed Thea's motivations. She wasn't trying to become a killer. She wanted to survive. Although he controlled the underground forces in Star City, he had never enforced strict military discipline. And idiots were in no short supply—especially this year. What if, one day, he slipped up and some desperate fools decided to take a gamble for money and targeted his family?
His young and beautiful daughter was undoubtedly the first likely target, but that didn't mean his son was entirely safe either. The irony would be unbearable if the son of a crime lord ended up kidnapped by clueless thugs unaware of his identity. Glancing at the black bow and arrow mounted on the wall, Malcolm began to wonder—perhaps it was time to give his son a chance as well?
He checked the surveillance camera feed and discovered, to his mild amusement, that his luck seemed to have taken a turn for the better ever since his daughter had injured him.
Tommy had just walked in the front door, groggy and oblivious.
"Get him here," Malcolm told the butler.
Moments later, Tommy entered. "Old man, what's going on? Are you finally restoring my credit card?"
Malcolm didn't bother hiding his annoyance. "As my only heir, do you think it's safe for you to be lurking around the slums with Laurel every day?"
Tommy was equally frustrated upon hearing this. "I'm in danger? I'm just a broke guy who takes the bus every day. Who would be foolish enough to kidnap someone like me?" he muttered, clearly annoyed.
Malcolm paused. That... actually made some sense. Still, he wasn't giving up that easily.
"Your expenses resume tomorrow," he said with a sigh. "Now sit down. And listen."
To Be Continued...
---xxx---
[Drop a review or power stone if you're enjoying Thea's rise! <3]