Chapter 9 #2
I quickly exit the roll and position myself for her to turn around.
Bronwyn spins with wide eyes, knowing what’s coming, and yells when I already have my foot extended, kicking her directly in the chest. My foot connects with her sternum, and I feel the whoosh of air leave her lungs.
Her body soars backward, landing into the dust with a cloud of smoke.
I pause, catching my breath, and through the haze, I see her body flying toward me.
Oh, fuck.
For the first time in this fight, I’m caught off guard. Bronwyn’s body collides with mine, and we both go backward into the dirt. I land under her and feel a heavy exhale leave my lungs. I struggle for a good breath as she sits on top of me, pinning my arms down with her knees.
She slowly raises her fist, ready to deliver the final blow. Bronwyn doesn’t care what losing will do to me. All she cares about is winning and exacting the revenge she’s wanted for almost a year.
A gust of wind churns the dirt around us, sending dust into our eyes.
My vision blurs, but I seize the opportunity to drive my knee into her back, throwing her off balance.
I push with all my strength to roll her off me and take a deep breath as her body flies to the side of the ring with a thud. I stand in a flash.
It’s time to finish this. I’m fucking tired.
I close my eyes, steady my breathing, and unfold.
Wings burst from my back like a blazing light, and I soar into the air with less than a minute on the timer. I look below to see Bronwyn following me and quickly devise a plan. In the sky, I ascend at a speed I know she can barely match.
I use the fading sun to glide into the pockets of shadows around me and glance down to see she’s exactly where I want her to be—directly under me with anger radiating off her large wings.
Our eyes connect as I smile, take a breath, and stop moving my wings, sending me into a free fall straight for her body.
Bronwyn’s eyes widen as her body moves upward, aligning with mine as it descends. I grab onto her shoulders, sending us both crashing toward the ground. We collide in a tangled mess, and I hear her scream.
“What the fuck are you doing?” she shouts. “Let me go.”
I continue to hold onto her body, preventing either of us from flying.
The ground below grows larger by the second, and the angels that sit below are no longer small specks.
Their faces become clearer, and the hard ground awaits us.
A few in the bleachers stand, and gasps travel around the rooftop like a warm summer breeze.
The timer ticks by, and another scream leaves her lips. “You are crazy!”
At the last moment, I beat my wings forward as hard as possible, preventing us from crashing to our deaths. I flip over so that Bronwyn hits the ground first, and we crash into the dirt. A dark cloud of dust forms around us, and she gasps and coughs for air.
I ensured we landed softly enough that there would be no real damage, other than her pride and maybe a couple of bruises.
The timer sounds, and all the angels are on their feet before Lowell lifts his arm in the air, signaling for the commotion to quiet down.
The dust settles to reveal me sitting on top of Bronwyn.
I watch her face contort into one hundred emotions at once.
I outsmarted her, making me victorious in the hand-to-hand combat assessment with the most blows.
She thrashes under my hold, and I release her hands, rising from her body and moving to the side to allow her space to stand. I dust myself off and wipe the additional blood that still falls from my nose.
“You are a bitch, Mara.” Bronwyn pushes me. “Fuck you.”
I only stare at her—dirty, beaten, and already bruising—and feel sadness.
Once again, I did what was necessary to keep myself alive, despite the impact it might have on those I love.
The physical damage I caused will heal by tomorrow, if not sooner, but I fear the damage I caused within her will never heal.
I whisper, “I couldn’t lose, Bronwyn.”
She walks out of the circle, toward the exit, and glances over her shoulder. “You did exactly what was best for you and you alone. How’s that been going for you?”
I furrow my brows and gaze at the ground, refusing to let my thoughts grow like a disease. But she’s right again. I hurt those around me for my own plans. I pray that in the end it’s all going to be worth it.
Lowell stands, clapping with an intense look of pride on his face. “Well done, Mara.” He laughs. “You are astonishing.”
I continue to work on catching my breath, feeling the ache radiating through my system. It’s going to take a week for my muscles to recover from this assessment. I relax my back for a second, letting my wings disappear once more, needing a break from the weight.
“You proved yourself during that fight. I’m proud of you.” Lowell smiles, and it’s anything but comforting. “Amazing thinking, using your wings and speed to draw her into a trap. You always have the best ideas for tricking people.”
Another dig.
With the physical assessments behind me, I try to block out the pain and prepare for the mental torture I’m about to face.
People can hit me and tear me down, but one thing I don’t do is open up—even to those around me.
I know this mental evaluation is going to rip me open from the inside out.
I frantically search for my necklace, feeling a wave of dread wash over me.
It’s nowhere to be found, and I feel like a part of me is missing.
“No time for rest this evening, Mara. We shall conduct the mental assessment momentarily. I hope you are ready to open that beautiful mind of yours.”
Talon rises from his chair and walks across the vast space. I watch him approach, noticing a look of concern on his face. His hand wraps around my bicep, and I’m tempted to pull away. He gives me a look that says, "Just let it happen,” and I relax.
I turn and let him lead me through the door, but instead of stopping at the large metal room, he pushes me forward into the elevator. The doors squeak open, and we step inside the suffocating metal box. Nerves twist in my gut, and I look at his stern face.
“Where are we going?”
Talon slowly slides his gaze to meet mine. “Lowell wants this done in his office. Alone.”
“Talon.”
His lips form a thin line. “It’ll be alright.”
“What is going on?” I panic.
“The first two tests were easy,” Talon says, as the elevator doors open. “I pray this doesn’t break you.”