Megan tilted toward me, and questioned, “What else were you going to ask?”
I snorted. “The obvious. I wanted to know what was for dinner. I’m starving after that horrid run today.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
My ass was numb by the time my name was called.
The time had afforded me what I needed, though.
I knew how they fought and which ones I didn’t want to fight against. The two main people being Godric and Finn. Every time they had randomly been picked, the recruit was sent home. And they were holding back in each fight, the evidence clear in the tight coil of their muscles with each blow or pivot.
The view had been spectacular, though.
Both fought as if it were a fluid dance.
And Godric was hot as hell to look at too.
I stood and walked to the wall to pick my weapon.
This was the tricky part. None of the instructors or Godric or Finn had fought with the same weapon more than twice. They waited for the candidate to pick, and then they chose their own weapon.
I nibbled on my bottom lip.
The short sword seemed the easiest choice.
The whip the worst.
But I decided on the smallest blade available.
A pocketknife. No one had picked that yet.
I lifted it from the floor where it sat like a pebble amidst boulders. I opened it, and the silver gleamed—nice and sharp. I turned to Major Wilcox and held it up. “I choose the pocketknife.”
All of my would-be opponents were much larger than I was, with longer arms and legs. They could easily reach me with a sword before I could reach them. That meant I would have to get in close and take away their main strength over me.
Major Wilcox stared. “You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
I strolled to the middle of the room and waited, the recruits still inside sitting against the walls, leaving plenty of room to fight in the middle. Now they just needed to pick who I was fighting against. I stretched my back while I watched them talk amongst themselves.
Major Wilcox wasn’t pleased with the outcome.
Her brow furrowed and her cheeks flushed.
I saw why soon enough.
It was Finn. And herself.
She obviously thought Finn would let me win.
And he had better not.
If I lost, I wanted it to be an honest fight.
I watched the weapons they chose.
The major picked a short sword.
Finn decided on a smaller blade.
Her choice wasn’t smart. His was.
I now knew where the real battle would be. It looked like I was getting that honest fight from him. I sat the pocketknife down and walked to the side of the room, removing Godric’s baggy sweater and my slippers. Both would hinder my movements.
I yanked my hair up into a ponytail as I walked back to the center of the room. They were just arriving there. I jumped in place a few times before bending to pick up the pocketknife.
I closed it, the blade hidden from view.
Major Wilcox yanked her eyes from the savage bite on my shoulder to stare at the weapon I held. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to take you down first. I don’t need the blade for that.” An evil grin lifted the corners of my lips as I let her see just how pissed I was for her actions today. “That sandwich was really good that you threw away and wasted.”
The major shook her head in exasperation, not affected by my anger. “Just get ready, Ms. Carvene. It’s time to begin.”
I stood in place with my hands down at my sides.
The major stood on my right, and Finn took a position on my left. I didn’t move, relaxed in my normal stance. They both judged my posture with a cynical eye.
The major growled, “I said get ready, recruit.”
“I am. Start the damn fight already.”
From the sideline, a male instructor barked, “Begin.”
They charged at the same time.
I waited in place until they were closer.
Then I raced right at the major.
She pivoted and brought her sword down.
But I was already in her face, too close. I slammed the end of the closed pocketknife right against her nose. Blood instantly splattered with a sickening crack of bone. Still in motion, I flipped the blade out as I slid behind her right when Finn arrived, his blade flashing.
It was actually very simple. And I don’t think he did it on purpose either. He hadn’t expected me to use the major as a shield. Nor did he expect me to shove my foot against her back to send her colliding against him.
I stood still as he grunted and caught her.
And his arms were right there in front of me, stretching around the waist of the major. I merely flicked my wrist toward his left forearm, my blade connecting while I stood at ease. Blood slashed his skin in a red line.
Finn froze instantly with her still in his arms, his eyes wide in complete shock. The shock that was utterly real as he stared at me over her shoulder, not moving an inch.
The room was silent, no one speaking.
That was the fastest fight of the night.
I cleared my throat and walked back to the side of the room where the weapons rested. I sat the pocketknife on the table where it would be cleaned before put back to use again.
Godric was resting his shoulders back against the wall with his arms crossed over his massive, bare chest. The man was completely peaceful where he stood. He stared at me, his eyes quiet with no form of emotion showing on his face. Like I was no one to him.
He was the perfect visiting instructor.
My shoulders relaxed. I mentally cheered.
He wasn’t here to influence in any way.
I spun to the instructor who had ignored me earlier, and I asked into the hushed room, “So what’s for dinner?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
My heart hammered in my chest as I jolted awake in the middle of the night. I instantly raced to the door and turned on my light, screams of dismay echoing in the hallways. I threw open my door to see multiple CA soldiers hauling candidates down the hall with their hands in cuffs behind their backs.
I stopped in my tracks, and my eyes widened.