Ivy #2
“Who told you that?” I mutter, my cheeks heating with a tinge of embarrassment, but there's a part of me that feels a sense of pride.
“Both,” he admits, and my eyes narrow.
“You're all a bunch of gossipers,” I grumble, and he shrugs.
“It's good we weren't previously,” he states, confusing me, just like usual.
“Previously?” I repeat, and when he turns his face fully my way, it stops my breath in my tracks.
“We watched you die, Ivy. That changes things.”
My mouth dries, and I run my tongue over my bottom lip. “Like what?” I dare to ask, and he shrugs.
“Like us pretending not to care,” he says, walking just as casually as I shake my head.
“That's not a good enough reason to gossip.” My statement earns me a pointed look.
“We're not gossiping, we're making sure we're all aware of the entire situation,” he clarifies, and I fold my arms over my chest.
“So, if I told you a secret,” I start, and he smirks.
“I’d take that shit to the grave,” he declares, and I snicker.
“You're a liar.”
“Try me,” he pushes, but I falter, thankfully distracted by the entrance to fencing class up ahead.
I take the out, hurrying toward the open doors, only to skid to an immediate stop as my eyes land on Odesa. My eyes narrow as she stands beside her mate, and he glares at me too.
In what world do you help your mate attack someone else's mate because you feel like you have some kind of claim over them?
It doesn't make any sense to me.
A moment later, my view is quickly blocked by Teddy as he snarls. “I said she couldn't fucking be here.”
Anger whips through the air, freezing the entire room as the professor holds his hands up in surrender.
My pulse rings in my ears as everybody stares in our direction.
Before anyone can speak, I plant my hand on Teddy's shoulder, to silence him or take strength from him, I'm not entirely sure.
“She can stay.”
My voice is far calmer and more collected than I anticipated.
“The fuck she can,” Teddy grunts as tension ripples across the room, but the professor stares directly at me.
“It’s your call, Ivy.”
I gulp, sucking in a sharp breath as I force a shrug.
“She's not a threat,” I state, staring at the girl in question, who scoffs, but I ignore her as I drag my hand down Teddy’s arm, silently lacing my fingers with his.
To my surprise, he takes the hint and walks me to the far corner, placing my bag down beside his before he presses a kiss on my forehead, turning me to face him.
“You're going to be the death of me, Princess,” he whispers, and I hum.
“We both know I’ll be the death of myself first,” I mutter.
Silence settles over the room as I make quick work of getting ready, dressing in my favorite whites. As I reach for my mask, the sound of someone clearing their throat draws my attention to my right and I find the professor beside me.
His face scrunches in a weird way as he tilts his head. “How are you feeling, Ivy?” he asks.
“Uh, I’m good,” I mumble, confused by the interaction altogether, and he nods.
“I’m glad you decided to return. Your brother and father were excellent fencers, and you're on track to be just as miraculous. It might be an option to bring you on as part of the team to partake in competitions against the other kingdoms.”
“My father?” I repeat, completely brushing over the invite to compete as the professor rocks back on his heels with a smile.
“Reginald attended the year after I started. He was impressive,” he declares.
“He was something,” I whisper, my chest tightening in a way that lingers at the mere mention of him.
All of a sudden, my favorite thing doesn't feel as fun as it used to. Now it's linked to the man I despise the most.
Before I can let it get the better of me, though, I decide to channel that energy into the sport itself. Offering the professor a tight smile, I turn to Teddy, who carries both of our masks over to the nearest piste before fixing one on my head, and we warm up.
I fall into a rhythm easily, basking in the familiarity of it all, including the sense of calmness and control that it offers me. Sweat trails down my spine, confirming an excellent warm up before the professor claps his hands and gains everyone's attention.
“Okay, I want everybody to pair up this time, and we're going to do it in rounds. So, I want you to start off with an unfamiliar opponent, then we’ll work our way down, and the winners will go until we've got the final two in the room. How does that sound?”
Excitement buzzes inside of me, knowing that we're going to have a longer session than last time.
I take my mask off, unable to control the smile on my face as I peer at Teddy, when a voice cuts through the air.
“I’ll start with Ivy.”
My spine stiffens as I peer over my shoulder and my gaze locks with Odesa.
“No threat, right?” She repeats my words from earlier, and I smile the same kind of smile that I would have worn the night of the sleepover, one that feels even more foreign on my lips now as I mask.
Maybe I'm not as different as I thought I was.
“Of course,” I breathe as Teddy reaches for my arm, holding me in place.
“Ivy,” he warns, yanking his mask off with his free hand, but I don't think, I just move, pressing my lips against his before I step out of his hold.
“Let's go,” I offer, moving to Odesa's mat.
The weight of my foil in my hand is undeniable as I fix my helmet back in place and take the correct stance. I can feel everyone staring at us, a familiar concept at this stage, but it’s Teddy’s eyes that burn beneath my skin the most.
“Go,” the command is given and we move immediately, both chasing the other as our swords clang.
Left.
Right.
Left.
Dip.
I block her first lunge toward me, rebounding quickly and relishing the sensation as the end of my sword pricks against her padded chest.
“Ivy, one.”
I watch her entire body tense as she looks down at the silver glistening against her suit, frustration trembling through her as she takes a step back. I make sure to loosen up my muscles as I try to keep my excitement at bay.
The tip of my blade is poised in position as we're called to go again.
We start off the same with familiar moves.
Left.
Right.
Left.
Dip.
We repeat the motion four times before she tries to come at me from a different direction. I deflect at the last moment, pressing the tip of my blade against her pads once more, and anger vibrates from her as she yanks her mask off.
I drop my foil, following courtesy, but seeing her anger fuels my own rage as heat blossoms through my veins. She steps closer toward me, blade in hand, as her nostrils flare.
“How does it feel having a broken mate? One who is going to want me forever?” she bites, making my heart thunder in my chest.
“I don't have a broken mate.”
Internally, I correct myself, insisting I don’t have mates at all. I hate them, that's why they're my hated mates, but my thoughts don't land as I want them to and she scoffs.
“Oh, he was already broken when I met him,” she leers, getting in my face, wanting a front row seat to how her words cut.
“His mind is fucked up, his body is scarred, and his heart is shattered into a million pieces.
He doesn't know how to love, how to connect, how to fuck, and God forbid, even kiss.
I'm going to be doing you a favor, constantly leaving you just as broken as he is.”
I spy a sliver of silver darting toward me from the corner of my eye and I react on instinct, blocking her move a second before the tip of her blade pierces my bare neck.
Anger bubbles through me, taking control as I knock her blade away, discarding my own with it as I channel Baron's moves from our combat practice session and drive my shoulder into her stomach.
We fall to the floor and my body takes over, my fists slamming into her face, my knuckles numb as I do it again and again and again. With every brutal connection, I’m painted in her blood, red consuming me, vision and all.
I can’t stop.
Not until my spine stiffens and my hands lift of their own accord, locking me in place.
I can't move.
The red mist coating my vision settles over Teddy as he crouches beside me. I tremble as he brushes his thumb across my cheek in an attempt to soothe me, but if anything, it makes me burn brighter.
“It's for your own good, Princess,” he promises, grabbing my waist and hiking me off the venomous bitch in question.
The world blurs around me, nausea churning in my gut as we move, and it’s only when we're outside, my back pressed against the wall, that he releases his hold on me.
My muscles sag as blood trickles down my face, delirium rooting me to the spot now, but when my eyes lock on Teddy’s, the reassurance he's hoping to give me doesn't land as I lower my voice and narrow my gaze.
“I understand your reason, but don't you ever use your magic on me like that again.”