I chose a small dagger. Adonis chose a mirror.
Okay, kidding. He didn’t choose a mirror, but another shiny object he had a fascination with: a golden shield used by many of the angels. I’m guessing he thought it would protect him from my dagger — not with the way I used my weapons.
I’ve actually never fought Adonis before. I’ve never had to. We were on the same team, plus both of us needed different types of training. I went to Ares or Apollo for training. I now looked to both of them for help, but naturally they were taking bets with one another, while drinking the last of the coffee I was hoping to snatch.
And the day just kept getting better.
I turned back toward Adonis and glared. His face was fierce. Why had I never noticed this before?
“You know it was an accident,” I said, uncertainty lacing my voice.
“I know.” He smiled.
“So we don’t have to fight.”
“I’m also aware of that.”
I shifted my feet. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
And then he laughed, the most aggravating laugh in the world, so I lunged for his jugular. And really, it wasn’t my fault that it caught him by surprise. It’s not that he’d bleed out. I’d have to totally decapitate him for that to happen.
My dagger missed his neck by a mere inch. He reared back with a guttural growl and twisted to the side, hitting my back with the blunt of his shield.
I wanted to yell, but I’ve been trained to hide my pain and emotions as best I can. In return, I smiled and resumed my stance. My body invited him to attack. I mentally calculated the steps he took as he danced around me with his sword. His movements were light and fluid. I had a hard time keeping track of the way he’d been trained. I’ve never watched him fight. Like I said before, he enticed. He didn’t… battle.
He lunged again. This time his shield caught my forearm, sending my dagger sailing into the air.
I jumped to grab it but was caught mid-air by his hand. He threw his shield away and grabbed me by the shirt. I twisted out of his hold and kicked him with all the force I possessed. He sailed into the nearest wall, sending a ripple through the rest of the room.
People were scattering about, trying to follow the fight as it officially left the circle.
With a laugh, he pushed away from the wall and shrugged as if he’d been hit by a mere flea. It figured he’d be cocky in his fighting as well. Just who had been training him, anyway?
I ran at him and slid to my knees, ducking under his arm just as his fist was about to come into contact with my face. I moved away and swung toward his jaw again. He grabbed my fist and twisted me into his arms, officially trapping me. I closed my eyes, trying to focus, then used my head to deliver a blow to his nose. He backed up and shook his head.
Without giving him a chance to rest, I jumped into the air, twisting as fast as possible and landed in front of him. His silly grin was enough to make me want to cause more than physical harm. Apparently that trick didn’t dizzy the Seekers, only the Phantoms. Either that, or he’d seen me do it too many times.
That’s when I realized he knew my every move.
I tried another trick where I attempted to distract him with one hand while using my leg to break his kneecaps.
He grabbed my foot, pulled me into the air, and twisted me into his arms so I was facing him.
Despite the anger boiling in my chest, the world seemed to pause. He leaned down, and it’s then that I felt it.
The dagger I had once sent sailing into the air, was now in his possession, conveniently pointed at my jugular.
Everyone started to cheer, but I was frozen in place.
His eyes, the same eyes I’d known all my life, started to glow. But this glow was different than before. He almost looked like Michael, but that was blasphemy. A Seeker could never be an angel! Or even desire to be one! I tried to struggle out of his arms. But the minute I did, he leaned down like he was going to kiss me. I waited in anticipation. My eyes started to flutter closed, and then he whispered, “I think you lost, Thena.”
Honestly, I couldn’t think of anything intelligent to say. Not even “Yes.”
The knife dropped, and I wiped the sweat from my neck.
Apollo ran up to us, positively exhilarated. “Wow, Adonis, I never knew you could fight…”
“I did…” Aphrodite winked as she sauntered by. I told myself she couldn’t help but be that way, and I really did try to remember that she’s kind. I lunged for her anyway. To my utter shame Adonis held me back. He rolled his eyes, suggesting that I was one fight away from the loony bin. Probably the truth.
Apollo, youthful Apollo, had stars in his eyes as he rapidly fired questions about Adonis and his training. I’ll admit it wasn’t normal for an Enticer to know how to fight so well. Which begged the question…
Why?
And then I heard it, the Heavenly Horn. It shook the room. Everyone fell silent. The Horn sounded seven times.