Chapter 14
Sunlight shone through the sheer fabric of the makeshift curtain that hung from the window in my hut.
I peeled my eyes open slowly, adjusting to the light.
My head felt heavy with the words from last night’s studying swirling inside it.
Then I realized, and so did my stomach. Erebos’ book was still perched on top of me.
I hadn’t been able to shake the idea of water manipulation, and I’d stayed up late into the night reading about it.
According to Erebos, this magic was the most powerful moon magic and also utterly difficult to master. My thoughts of creating whips of water had been washed away. Still, it was a magic worth learning, if not to be able to travel faster.
The thought of never having to cross that wretched desert was all I needed to muster up the courage to get out of bed and get ready for the close combat training with Felix, Jax… and Daegal. I had to ask Jax today.
With a groan, I placed the book back under my pillow and got up.
It was too early for breakfast, and the churning in my stomach did nothing to pique my appetite. Instead, I walked directly to the area that Felix had pointed out when he told me about close combat training. It wasn’t far away from the armory.
In the distance, I saw a few figures huddled around two people already dodging each other’s jabs and kicks.
I squinted to make out the figures, but it wasn’t until I almost reached the group that I realized it was Felix and Daegal in the ring.
I joined the small group of people watching. There was no one there I recognized except for Jax, who greeted me with a nod of his head while barely taking his eyes off the match.
A short shelf filled with wooden practice knives stood near the ring, but they didn’t seem to be in use at the moment.
Felicity joined us, squeezing me from the side. “Morning,” she chirped. “Ready for your first fight?”
I shook my head, giving her an exasperated look that only made her laugh.
Daegal and Felix were both shirtless and dripping with sweat despite the chilly morning air. Felix was bigger in stature, but Daegal was faster, landing more jabs than he took.
It was infuriating to watch him dart around like that, not getting punched in the face.
However, Felix was the trainer for a reason. He sidestepped a punch from Daegal that would have likely broken his nose before spinning around and catching him in the stomach.
Daegal let out a loud groan and fell to his knees, clutching his abs with both arms.
Everyone clapped, I clapped the loudest, and Felix took a bow.
When he noticed me, his grin grew wider, and he winked at me as if to say for you.
I gave him a quick thumbs up, trying and failing not to laugh out in glee.
Daegal, still kneeling, looked up quickly at the sound of my laugh. Locks of dark hair clung to his eyebrow as he narrowed his eyes at me.
“Prue!” Felix exclaimed excitedly, wiping himself down with a piece of cloth before engulfing me in a hug. His body was still warm and damp, but I leaned into his hug, perhaps to soak in some of his courage. I’d need it for my first fight.
“Who would you like to fight?” Felix asked, and as he pulled away, I saw Daegal getting to his feet. Then he pointed to himself with both of his thumbs and said, “Surely you’re not ready to tackle this just yet?”
I laughed nervously. “You think I’m ready for a fight already?”
“Best way to learn, in my experience,” Felix answered, then gestured to the people around us for me to pick one.
I searched the small group for an opponent I could possibly beat, or at least match. No such opponent seemed to be present.
The only other woman present was Felicity, who looked like she’d worked out most of her life. As she watched me study her, she laughed, shaking her head before pointing to the guy next to her. “You’d probably have a better chance fighting Cannon over here.”
Cannon rolled his eyes but shrugged in agreement.
As he fixed his gaze on me, I noticed the almost unnatural color of green in them.
He wore a loose-fitted shirt and had glasses perched on top of his raven hair.
His eyebrow hairs seemed to curl like they’d recently been on fire.
He wasn’t as bulky as the other men, but his tall frame seemed to continue into the sky.
I shrugged, almost accepting when Daegal spoke up. “I’ll fight her.”
Arms crossed over his chest, he leaned against one of the tables near the fighting ring that held small mugs of water for the participants.
His fingers were spread out to keep him steady, but his gaze remained on me, unflinching. He still looked winded from his previous fight, every breath an effort that made his abdominal muscles flex. I could count every muscle of his stomach if I wanted to. Which I didn’t.
“Fat chance,” I scowled, looking at Felix for backup.
He lifted his brows as if to tell me it was my decision. “You sure you’re ready to fight again so quickly?” he asked Daegal, with a satisfied smirk on his lips.
“Come on, Prudence,” Daegal said in a sweet voice, ignoring Felix and drawing my attention back to him. His dark hair swayed as he cocked his head. “What’s wrong with a friendly fight?”
He stepped onto the sand and gestured for me to join him.
“You’re serious?” I asked in disbelief, crossing my arms. He could only be aiming to harm me, surely hoping he could kill me and blame it on a passionate fight between comrades.
A refusal was halfway past my lips when he interrupted me.
“Would you really miss the chance to punch me in the face?”
Despite the words coming from his mouth, they had my lips twitching upwards. He’d already figured out how to rile me up, at least enough to entertain whatever game it was he was playing. The opportunity was too good to miss.
“Compelling argument,” I snarled, stepping into the ring with him. “Fine, I’ll fight you.”
I’d likely end up getting my ass handed to me, but if I had even the slightest chance of wiping that ridiculous smirk off his face, I’d take it.
He cracked his neck with a swift tilt of his head and rolled his shoulders. His dark eyes didn’t leave mine even when Felix spoke.
“Go easy, both of you,” he said, sparing me the embarrassment of being pointed out as the weak one.
Daegal bent his knees slightly and raised his fists up to eye level. I mimicked him, feeling my legs wobbling unsteadily under my weight.
“Fight!” Felix yelled, clapping his hands together. I was starting to wonder why nobody had bothered to teach me some basic tricks before my very first round.
Daegal charged at me instantly, sweeping my feet from under me with a swift kick. Before I knew what was happening, I was on my back.
Stars danced in front of my eyes, and I closed them to make the sky stop spinning. When I opened them again, Daegal’s hand was stretched out in front of me. I ignored it and got slowly to my feet.
He shook his head but stepped back and regained his starting position.
“Prue, you don’t have to—“ Felix started, but I cut him off.
“I want to,” I said, reveling in the thought of landing just one punch in that stupid face of his.
“Try to come at me first,” Daegal said as we started circling each other.
“Why, so you can humiliate me again?” I whispered so only he could hear me.
The grunt of amusement that escaped him had me charge for him despite my better judgment. He sidestepped me, catching my wrist in the process.
I spun around with my other fist raised, ready to strike.
Before my hand connected with his jaw, he yanked at the firm grip he had on me, and I involuntarily spun around even further.
My arm twisted painfully behind me as he held my arm in an unnatural angle. The pain made me sure he was inches away from dislodging or breaking something.
I tried to kick behind me and got his shin. He hissed, increasing the pressure further before pushing me away.
I spun around to face him. Our eyes locked. His relaxed, superior stance drove me insane.
“It’s okay to admit defeat,” he said, twisting the large silver ring on his index with his thumb as he spoke.
The combined fury at him and disgust at my own weakness had my stomach clenching.
“I think that’s enough,” Felix said, stepping into the sandy ring.
“No,” I snarled, shooting him a look. “We’re not finished before my fist meets his jaw.”
Felix’ lips twitched upwards as he lifted his hands in defeat and stepped back.
“We’ll be here for hours,” I heard Jax muttering to Cannon, and they both snickered.
Trying to ignore them, I raised my hands again. Daegal cocked his eyebrow, but after a moment, he did the same.
As we circled each other, I studied his movements. He wasn’t tense like he’d been when he fought Felix. His footwork seemed lazier.
We’d circled around for at least half a minute before Daegal decided to end it.
He charged, sweeping my feet clean off the ground. The wind was knocked out of me, and I barely managed to take a breath before his forearm pressed down on my throat as he straddled me.
He leaned over me, and his dark hair fell forward, tickling my cheek. I clawed at his arm and chest, leaving angry red marks wherever my hands could reach his bare skin.
A bead of sweat dripped from his jaw, mingling with the moisture on my clammy neck.
He allowed me just the tiniest hint of air, teasing my lungs to keep fighting.
I tried shoving him off me, tried lifting my hips to unbalance him. He didn’t budge.
My pride shriveled as I finally tapped the ground twice. With a last squeeze on my neck with his forearm, Daegal got up and stepped back, not offering his hand this time.
“Good to see your combat skills are as good as your sun-wielding skills,” he smirked, retrieving his shirt from the ground. “At least you’re consistently bad.”
I vowed to myself right then that I’d get stronger, if not to defeat him, then at least to land a perfectly aimed swing at his straight nose.
Getting to my feet, I felt my face glow, and not only from the hot sun that crept steadily onto the lightening sky.