My stomach growled again. “Food.”
“She’s down to one worded comments,” Queen Cooper muttered, nudging King Collins. “You should probably feed her before she just starts gnawing on the closest arm.”
I growled a bit.
“Now, no words.” Another nudge. “Let’s get her some food before she goes savage.”
Munching down a protein bar someone had in their bag, I licked my fingers as I moved onto the mat, facing off with Elder Venclaire next. Again, I moved to the far end of the mat, eyeing him warily. He chuckled evilly, his eyes glowing a bit before he called loudly, “I’m going to taste that delicious blood of yours again, my friend.”
I flipped him off. After I licked my finger. Hunger barely subsided.
I had learned three things. One: with their power being stronger, I couldn’t just face off against them that way. Two: Surprise was really my only variable option since I didn’t have speed or strength on my side. Three: I really didn’t want to be bitten again.
So, when Queen Ruckler started her countdown, I waited patiently, just opening my Core.
It was over way too quickly, and suddenly Elder Venclaire blurred, disappearing entirely as he came at me. As soon as I felt his power start to touch me, I flew into the cosmos, feeling his hands grip me from behind, and called, “Temple, give me access.”
Suddenly, I was standing on the shoreline in front of the massive Temple, sunset glittering majestically on the white walls. The spot of true power for a spirit Elemental. I waved once at the Guardians, then threw my arms out wide, my head back, and opened myself to the heavens. Stars shone down onto me, crashing through my being like lightning strikes, such beauty with so much such force it took my breath away, making me shudder at the rightness of it, my Core expanding, filling to overfilling, my body utterly transfused with galaxies power. Then, I floated into the cosmos, whispering, “Back from whence I came.”
Suddenly, I was inside the training room, Elder Venclaire walking away from where I had been, shaking his head, muttering, “Where the hell did she—?”
He stilled.
I struck.
Glowing so brilliantly those on the stands eyes instantly glowed to protect their peepers as I threw my hands out, stars fire, directly from the source, exploding from my palms in booming fury. The ground and air shook, knocking Elder Venclaire off balance when he tried to blur. And, it was too late for him. He bellowed, his back arching as flames blew around him in a flurry, fiery pain I radiated through my will, not a killing blow, but enough to incapacitate him when he wasn’t looking. As he dropped to his knees, I moved forward, changing the flames to whips, one around his throat, the other around his ankles, gripping the fiery tethers tightly until his scream choked off as he went limp.
I went into my secret storage chest, deep within the cosmos, even as I gently laid him flat, then dissolving the whips as I pounced on his back, a diamond dagger materializing in my hand. I swiftly nicked his throat as he groaned under me. Yanking his head up, so he could see me from dazed eyes, I dabbed the end of the blade against my tongue, his blood in my mouth, murmuring, “Now, who tasted whom, my friend?”
He hissed, long fangs bared…right before I slammed my glowing fist against the side of his face, his eyes closing. “Nighty-night.” I put my knife back into my treasure trove, then pushed up off him, and stopped my glowing, peering to the silent onlookers. “I do believe that counts as a take-down this time, and not a tie, right?” When I got a few slow, wide-eyed nods, I nodded once curtly, and then pointed to a bag where I had gotten my previous goodie from. “Think there’s another protein bar in there?”
Chapter Twelve
As luck…or Hell…would have it, my last opponent of the morning was Elder Merrick.
I sighed, rubbing my forehead, more than drained now from the use of such powerful magic, not having used it regularly. It was taking a damn toll on my body, even after I ate three more protein bars I had managed to dig from within that lovely bag, which I had found out was Elder Farrar’s, his lips having twitched a bit, but saying no more. So far, the Prodigies had only managed to win two out of the eleven matches, Brann winning one, mine the other. And now, I was the last of the day, moving onto the mats, bouncing on my feet a bit to gain some energy, seriously wishing this would have happened earlier when I wasn’t so damn pathetically weak because I really wanted to kick his ass.
And he wanted the same thing, not even appearing cautious from the show I had put on with Elder Venclaire and King Zeller. Instead, he seemed damn invigorated by the thought of facing off against me. And, I couldn’t say the same. Not right now. Not when I was about to drop magically, and now physically, as my body compensated for the muscle, my Core, that needed the energy, sapping my body’s strength.
“You’re looking a little pale, Ms. Jules. I hope this isn’t too easy.” Elder Merrick’s lips curved cruelly, standing a few feet from me. “Too bad there’s no dirt to bury you in after I lay you out.”
I didn’t waste the energy it took to fake a smile or a laugh. “Fuck off.”
Black slashes of eyebrows rose as he inhaled heavily. “You really are exhausted.” He stretched his arms over his head, and I quickly averted my gaze when his shirt pulled up to show his lean waist, a rippling stomach muscle, his navel, and a thin line of black hair over olive skin sliding beneath his black gym shorts. “Wish you were feeling better to make this more of a challenge, but I’m still going to enjoy hurting you.”
I blinked slowly, sighing in aggravation, and glanced to Queen Ruckler. “Would you mind starting this?”
King Collins placed a hand on Queen Ruckler’s shoulder, stopping her, his blue brows together. “Actually, this may not be the best of ideas. It’s no secret you both despise each other. And I don’t want either one of you getting permanently hurt during this if your emotions override sensible judgment.”
Elder Merrick’s voice was snarling and incredulous. “Are you fucking shitting me?”
I waved a hand, a bit surprised by this myself. “If we planned to kill each other, we would have done so by now.” A roll of my finger. “Let’s just get this going.”
King Collins still appeared apprehensive, but stated, “Go ahead, Queen Ruckler.” Brown eyes flayed Elder Merrick. “Keep it clean.”
Well…that didn’t bode well…especially, when a tiny grin graced Elder Merrick’s pouty lips.
I instantly started moving across the mats as Queen Ruckler started counting down…only to have Elder Merrick follow unhurriedly. I paused, glaring over my shoulder, and saw his lips curve a bit more, eyes beginning to glow as he stalked me. I picked up my pace as he acted like the damn dog—wolf—he was, on a hunt. It freaked me a bit, but also fueled my anger to a nice simmering point, giving me energy I so desperately needed.
“Please…run,” Elder Merrick purred softly. “I love when prey does that.”
I didn’t fall for the trick. I kept moving at a fast pace, but altered, jumping to walk backward, glowering, facing him full on as the countdown ticked away. Onlookers watched with barely masked apprehension, and even a little excitement I could tell they were trying to hide, apparently, all of them enjoying a good blood shedding. I put as much distance as I could between us, barely formulating a plan as my Core opened, the countdown…finished.
Instantly, I jumped backward off the side of the mat, blasting its edge hard with a pulse wave violently enough to shake the floor as Elder Merrick threw his arm out, his wolf growling loudly, a furious blast of his power heating the air, coming right toward me. I knew I couldn’t disappear again to the Temple without finishing what I was doing, but it meant I was going to get hit hard. I grunted, throwing my arms up in a flurry, the mat’s edges flying up into the air, landing over him, twisting from the pulse I yanked back in my direction.