He strutted over, taking his time.
Auntie was there, speaking more than she had in weeks. Pride and vanity—those are weaknesses you can exploit. You’ll need to be quicker and smarter because he’s going to hammer you with strength. Just remember, darling, you have fae blood now. Not as much as him, but the instincts are there. Let them guide you.
Jace took his position opposite. Wilder shouted for us to take our stances. I angled one foot in front of the other and prayed that my training would get me through this.
“Same rules as before. Prepare your weapons!” Hilda bellowed.
I drew my Utem?. The steel hummed as it came loose; something about the sound comforted me.
I waited for it.
“Begin!”
Auntie had been right; Jace attacked with full force.
I flitted out of reach. Thank the stars he hadn’t chosen a longsword. He was charging again, pursuing the most aggressive line of combat. I planted my feet and moved. Fighting, dancing, running away—I couldn’t tell.
I heard rumblings in the crowd. Laughter. Maybe it was because of me, but it didn’t matter. I had a plan. Sort of.
He threw his weight behind each attack. With each swing, savage and heavy, he left himself open to a nimble counterattack. He was too eager for the win. Too sure of himself. He swung again.
I dodged and twirled away from a blow that could’ve easily broken my neck.
“Jace!” Wilder bellowed. “You’re trying to make contact, not kill!”
My opponent didn’t hesitate, didn’t slow. Instead, he brought his sword out in a torso-level sweeping strike. I stood my ground this time.
Duck. Thrust. Straight to his ribs.
One hit for me. Wilder called it.
Then Jace crashed into me; his hand was on my neck, his weight pushing me onto my back, flattening me. I felt steel at my throat. Wilder confirmed the blow, but Jace stayed crouched over me, exposing his fangs.
I’d released my sword on impact, but the hilt stayed within reach. I scratched at the sand with my fingertips; Jace pressed his blade deeper. A warning not to move. The cold steel bit, but no part had been left sharp, thank the gods.
Cursing inwardly, I waited. He would not move, and no one ordered him to back down. My temper cracked. That fire—that glittering rage—built and crested like a wave. This time it crashed, and it appeared, brushing my thoughts, tickling my skin: my magic.
It wouldn’t answer my will, not yet. But I knew … I just knew that one day soon it would. That thought made me bare my teeth in a feral smile.
Mocking amusement answered back in Jace’s eyes.
That was before I snaked my leg up and rammed it into his groin.
A heartbeat—that’s all I had to act as he groaned and his sword lifted from my throat by an inch.
My forearm jerked up, connecting with his wrist, knocking his blade hand wide. I locked him into an arm hold. He’d be out in a second, but I used that precious moment to snatch my right hand out for what I needed.
His chest was exposed; my Utem? went there. Another tap.
Jace tried breaking my grip by pulling away, so I let his momentum carry me up and I released him. He quickly backed away, snarling like an injured wolf, a wrathful intent in his eyes. And that’s exactly what I wanted. I smiled, goading him.
He ran at me, roaring, swinging his sword down from overhead. I waited, then dodged. His body turned with me, but not fast enough to stop my hand striking, seizing his unprotected wing joint and squeezing viciously. Frazer had shown me the right spot.
Jace howled, his side collapsing, his knees buckling. And I pressed that wicked steel to his neck. It seemed to gleam and sing, I’m light and quick just like you. If they blunt my fire, I’ll burn with ice instead.
Jace hissed as the blade touched his skin. As if the sword truly did burn.
“Jace. You’re out,” Wilder shouted.
I freed Jace’s wing and stepped away. He stood and turned slowly. I hadn’t sheathed my Utem?, just in case. Our eyes met, and the hatred emanating from him sent a shudder rushing up my spine and creeping over my skin. I refused to show fear or break our staring match.
He bared his pointed teeth. I gripped my hilt a little harder.
Then, Jace stalked off. The tension drained from my body, and my locked, taut muscles eased a tad.
A bad instinct, but an instinct nonetheless, overrode my good sense. My eyes found Wilder, and for once he was staring at me openly in public.
There was a glimmer of something. Wilder looked triumphant.
The strings around my heart—the ones he controlled—twanged. I wanted to go to him then, but that wasn’t an option. So, I sheathed my blade and looked up and out. A sea of interested faces stared back, some outright stunned. My cheeks heated, but the Utem? sang its warrior song to me again. That’s right. The fae aren’t so superior after all.
My gaze traveled to the recruits by the barrier. Frazer and Adrianna waited. I closed the distance, but about halfway, the fog of adrenaline cleared. Cai and Liora weren’t among rest of the recruits.
I stopped and spun, searching for them among the fighting couples. They were there, but something was off. I did a head count. Four groups remained—I’d been the first to beat my opponent. Blinking in shock, I whirled back around and joined Frazer and Adrianna by the barrier.
“That was incredible.” What was more incredible was that Adrianna had praised me for something
I mumbled, “Thanks.”
A strangled noise erupted from Frazer. I met his blistering blue eyes. He looked damn near tormented. I’m still here.
Frazer blinked, once, twice. Yes, you are.
“Just don’t let this go to your head,” Adrianna said to my left.
I was about to snap, but stopped upon seeing the humor and real relief marking her face. “Next time, your opponent won’t underestimate you.”
A low, rough laughter rumbled out of Frazer. “No, they won’t.”
“Moso Yumi. You’re out.”
My gaze returned to the playing field. Cai was victorious and already walking over to us, his toothy grin on display. The only time it faltered was when he saw his sister still fighting for her place. Since watching Liora dodge Reese’s thrusts tied my gut in nasty knots, I could only imagine what it was doing to him.
Cai settled in between Adrianna and me. We didn’t greet each other; an unspoken agreement. There’d be no celebrating until we’d all come through this. I knew it was close. Liora and Reese had landed two blows apiece.
Two more names got called out. Then, they were the only pair left standing. Liora was on the defensive. I wanted to close my eyes, block out the image. Instead, the nerves made me reach for Frazer’s hand and as an afterthought, Cai’s. He looked painfully neutral. Although even he couldn’t stop his hand trembling as Liora winded Reese with a kick to the chest.
Liora advanced as if sensing weakness; she twisted underneath an overhead strike, taking out Reese’s knees with a well-timed blow, then raising her sword to her throat. Hilda called it.
Cai whooped as Liora jogged over to us.
Somehow, we’d all made it. We caught her in a hug.
Hilda and Wilder muttered words to the losing recruits before dismissing them and moving over toward our group. I couldn’t believe it. Tysion, Cole: gone.
Hilda boomed for the audience’s benefit, “Congratulations to our surviving ten.”
A brief scattering of applause filled the stands.
Hilda continued. “However, despite the new restrictions, we’re able to extend a second chance to one lucky recruit later on in the trials. So, if you’ve just seen your favorite lose, there is hope.” With a slightly forced smile, she dipped her head and lowered her voice for our sakes. “Return the weapons to the armory. Then, you are to proceed to your barracks. Your instructor will meet you there to discuss the nature of the next trial. Dismissed.”