28. Matilda
28
MATILDA
After blindly agreeing with Night on whatever he advised me to do, I hurry from Advanced Dark Magick, my hands still trembling as I hurry away from the classroom. The pendant is cold against my chest. Vex follows close behind, his presence comforting and irritating. I know he’s disappointed I put it back on, but he didn’t see the terror in everyone’s faces. He didn’t feel how close I came to losing complete control.
“You’re going the wrong way,” he says quietly. “Combat training is in the East Wing.”
“Go away,” I mutter. “You shouldn’t be anywhere near me.”
“Tough shit. I’m in the next class with you.”
I glare at him in disgust. “ Beginner’s Combat training? I fucking doubt it.”
He snickers. “Okay, you caught me out. I’m at Master level, but you need someone on your side right now, and that’s me. I’ve got a free class.”
“And they will just let you join in?”
“Why not? MistHallow is all about learning. Strictly speaking, I can go anywhere and learn anything.”
“So how come I can’t ditch Advanced Dark Magick then?”
“You aren’t me.” There is smugness, and I want to punch him in the face.
The pendant pulses against my skin, and I touch it reflexively. Even with it on, I can still feel echoes of that strange power I touched, still sense that ancient thing beneath the Academy. The crystal sparks, and I let it go. How powerful is this fucking thing if it cages the type of magick that just burst out of me? It carries on sparking electricity, burning my skin, and I growl. It’s pissing me off. Everything around me is pissing me off.
“It’s failing,” Vex comments as the combat training room doors loom ahead.
“What is?”
“The pendant.”
He pushes the doors open, revealing a space that looks more like a medieval torture chamber than a classroom. Weapons line the walls, training dummies stand in corners, and thick mats cover the floor.
Professor Kane, a tall woman with close-cropped silver hair, raises an eyebrow as we enter. “Mr Blackwell. Are you sure you are meant to be here?”
I glare at him. “Blackwell?” I hiss. He told me he didn’t use his last name, and Blackwell? Black well. Fucking hell, man. Could he be from two more powerful families?
He shrugs and smiles. “I’ve started picking up bad habits,” he says smoothly. “Never hurts to get back to basics.”
“Indeed,” Professor Kane drawls and claps her hands. My outfit impressively changes to training gear, and I drop my backpack in the corner. “Very well. Pair up. Today, we’re working on defensive stances. No magick allowed. This is about your physical capabilities.”
Before anyone can move, Vex steps beside me. Kane raises an eyebrow but doesn’t object.
“First position!” She demonstrates a basic defensive stance. “Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. This is about staying grounded.”
I mirror her stance, feeling awkward and exposed. Vex faces me, his stance perfect because, of course, it fucking is.
“Now,” Kane continues, “your partner will attempt to break your stance. Remember, this isn’t about strength. It’s about balance and leverage.”
Vex’s blue eyes gleam. “Ready?”
“No,” I growl, but he’s already moving.
His first push is gentle, testing. I wobble but stay upright. The second has more force, and I have to step back to catch myself. The pendant sparks angrily.
“Stop thinking so much,” he murmurs. “Your body knows what to do.”
“My body wants to punch you in the face.”
He grins. “Try it.”
Without thinking, I lash out. He blocks easily, but something clicks inside me. My next move is faster, more fluid. When he pushes again, I shift my weight, using his momentum against him. He stumbles slightly, looking surprised and pleased.
“Very good, Matilda! You’ve done this before?” Kane calls out.
“No!” I call back with an elated grin. Finally, something I’m good at! Kicking Vex’s arse. Fuck. Yeah.
“Natural instincts, very good. Now, everyone, take it up a notch. I want to see backs hitting the mat!”
“Wait? What?” I stammer and then duck under Vex’s sudden swing. My body is moving faster than my mind can process. Sweat drips down my back, my muscles burning, but there’s a wild sort of joy in this. No magick, no pendant sparking against my skin. Only pure physical response.
“Better,” he says, circling me. “But you’re still telegraphing your moves.”
“I’m what?”
He demonstrates this by mirroring my stance. “Here. See how your shoulder tenses before you strike? It’s giving you away.”
I try to hit him again, focusing on keeping my shoulders relaxed. He blocks easily.
“Much better.” His grin is infectious. “Now, try to take me down.”
“What, like actually knock you over?”
“If you can.”
I feint left, then sweep my leg towards his ankles. He jumps back, but I’ve already changed direction, using the momentum to drive my shoulder into his chest. For a split second, I think I’ve got him… but then the world spins, and I’m flat on my back with him on top of me, staring into wicked blue eyes.
“Fucking hell,” I wheeze.
Vex climbs off me with fluid grace as I stagger to my feet.
“That was a good instinct, using the feint to set up the tackle. You just need to?—”
He pulls me up, but I’m ready this time. I use his own momentum against him, just like he showed me earlier, and suddenly, he’s the one hitting the mat.
The look of genuine surprise on his face is better than any victory.
“Well done, Matilda!” Kane’s voice cuts through the general sounds of combat. “Did anyone see that? It’s exactly what I mean about using your opponent’s strength against them.”
All eyes swivel to us, and I feel my cheeks heat up.
“You’re a natural at this. Most people take weeks to learn what you picked up in one class,” Vex says.
“I have rage. Must be what’s driving it.”
“Rage?”
I shrug. I’m not going into it here. He knows about my family up to a point. He can guess, I’m sure.
As class ends and we file out, ready to head back to our rooms for a quick shower before lunch, the corridor is buzzing with different energy. Students huddle in groups, voices hushed but urgent.
“What is it?” I ask Vex as he leads me away from the clusters of students, a frown etching his face.
“I’m not sure.”
“Blake Sterling is missing,” a guy with small horns sticking out of his head says as Vex stops him.
“Missing?” Vex asks.
“Yeah. He hasn’t been seen since yesterday morning.”
“That doesn’t constitute as missing ,” Vex says. “He has to be somewhere on the grounds.”
“It constitutes as missing when all that was left of his bed was burned up sheets with a Blake-shaped scorch mark in the middle.”
My eyes go wide as Vex snaps his gaze to mine.
Deep underground, that thing that I fear I have woken up rumbles, but it seems like only I can hear it.