Chapter 18
Idash up and out of the room, down to the end of each balcony of classrooms. The burning in my lungs feeding a crackling beneath my skin, craving something I can’t quite yet understand.
We had been briefed that there are to be no weapons in the Combat Arena, which only serves to assess our hand-to-hand combat skills. Magic and weapons practice are typically reserved for the Warded Hollow.
The far too beautiful distraction of shadows that have ceased to leave me alone comes to mind, remembering a tiny icepick dagger I have in my room.
It’s one of the more advanced blades Sully taught me in order to hone the delicate touch needed for woven metal runes.
This combines both elemental and manipulation magic to thread extremely thin pieces of hot metal with excellent control into intricate patterns.
This isn’t as strong as imbuing a blade with an ingredient from a magical creature; however, these ingredients are rare and harder to come by.
The unique dagger Sully had me make was an introduction to delicate metalwork.
The blade is only two millimeters, thinner than a writing quill, and fifteen centimeters long, about the length of a toothbrush.
The design is meant for only one purpose: a precise stab between the fifth intercostal space, right between the left ribs, where the lungs expose a vulnerable area of the heart.
A sinister plan brews in my mind. I can use this blade to eliminate my strongest threat, the shadowy male strumming my heart to life. I’m not going to let him weaken me, make me vulnerable and distracted, just so he can dice me up later and serve me to the enemy.
No one will hold me back from my only goal in life, the only thing holding me together right now.
With Sully gone, becoming an Ellian Knight is all I have; it’s what he trained me to be, even if there was always a part of him that didn’t want this life for me.
I have nothing else left but this mission.
I also have Pip, but a shapeshifting dragon has no need for me, other than all the free snacks he gets from sticking around.
After getting to the ground floor of the rotunda, I take the northeast wing towards my room, weaving my way through the crowds of class change.
My long legs burn, but I make quick work of the journey.
I grab the deep steel-blue icepick dagger from its hidden compartment, carved into one of my books.
I know they’ll likely pat me down before entering the combat arena room.
Sneakily, I use my magic to sheathe it on the inside of the bracer Pip is disguised as.
Pip seems to wriggle at my magically hidden blade against his skin.
I pull my arm closer, offering a bribe. “I promise I’ll bring back extra bacon tomorrow morning for you. Next time, you can choose how we hide the weapon.” The guarantee of food is always a sure way to get him excited. His magic stops rebelling against mine, and the weapon is hidden.
I sprint back to the rotunda. The room that houses the Combat Area is directly underneath the Grand Conservatory.
I descend the white marble stairs, curving down to reveal the dark underbelly of endless halls jetting out from a circular room, lined with eerie green flames.
The naturally dark-hued stone is at odds with the glamour of white and gold embellishments above.
Across the room, the stone is carved out for two arched doors hewn from slabs of carnelian. Their bright red color engraved with the battle of two Elarians, one on each door. Without wasting another second, I barge through them.
On the other side, I find a room cut deep into the ground.
The top floor of the square room has different weights equipped to strengthen various muscles; layered below are rows of seats, giving you a view of a large, square arena filled with crimson padded mats.
A strategic color to hide all the blood.
I spy my Zenith Wing at the center mat next to Nadir Wing, which includes Chet, Lorgan, and Winx among others. I enter the Combat Area floor to meet a towering figure of pure muscle blocking my entrance, long silver hair braiding down the center of his head.
“No weapons in this area. Raise your arms for inspection,” he says curtly.
I roll my eyes, raising my arms as he pats me down. I think I’m home free, but then he grabs my wrist, inspecting my bracer. Shit.
He looks it over, turning my wrist around in the light of orange flames that illuminate the room.
Then he grabs the bracer with his hand, his palm right over where the blade is glamoured.
It takes all of my strength not to punch him for touching Pip so roughly, but I’m thankful the little dragon doesn’t budge.
“You're free to go,” he says gruffly, shooing me away with a dismissive wave of his hand. I hurry along impatiently. Things to punch. A handsome distraction to kill.
My plan is to challenge S?las to combat at the end of the session.
All I need is to pin him, slicing the discrete blade into his heart, using my elemental fire to heat the blade on the way out of his skin, cauterizing the flesh so the blood doesn’t squirt out, painting my guilt in crimson.
His skin should heal quickly enough not to leave a mark, since no poison is involved.
His heart will be beating fast enough from the battle that the blood loss will be quick.
As long as I break his ribs right before I pin him, the murder will be seamless. And no one the wiser.
I make my way over to the center mat. Kissa eyes me once over, as if waiting to find me covered in blood since I disappeared between classes. I shoot her a smile, which she returns, revealing feline canines.
Cinder’s bright orange hair looks even more brilliant in the lighting of the orange flames overhead. The various piercings that line his pointed ears are removed, preventing them from being an easy target for an opponent.
Juniper bounces in place, her deep forest-green hair wound in two braided buns on top of her head, decorated with lilac flowers. Her body is willowy, made of lean muscle; agility is her prowess. Just like Kissa.
Fenwick’s black-and-white cookie bob is tied back at the top. Her short, muscular frame means she needs to use her low center of gravity to her advantage. Gearin, Eko, Flint, and Atlas are stretching at the edge of the mat with Kivi, Orion, and Seraph.
My breath catches as I take in the sight of S?las standing there with his shirt off.
My body betraying me only serves to solidify my plan.
His wavy raven hair is cut in layers to frame his ice blue eyes, chiseled cheekbones, and strong jaw.
The light cascades down the large muscles of his chest, emphasizing the warmth of his umber-toned skin.
He turns his upper body, stretching the carved muscles of his back.
As I follow the swirling black ink that moves from his fingers, up his arm, and across his defined shoulder blades, my gaze snags on his low-hanging leather pants that expose the curved V leading beneath them.
I bit my bottom lip while taking in the muscles of his well-defined ass and thickly toned legs.
My eyes wander back up as his movement stills. His lips are twisted at one side into a wicked grin as one eyebrow kicks up at me, clearly catching my perusal.
Whoops.
I lift my top lip and snarl at him.
He just bites his bottom lip, slowly, in return. Heat courses through my veins, watching his thick lip roll beneath his seductively defined white canines. I flip him a middle finger as I walk towards Kissa’s side. Yep. He definitely needs to go.
The gruff male who inspected me clears his throat.
“My name is Zander Atreides. I will be overseeing your hand-to-hand combat instruction. This is your last form of defense against the Wuvon. If you’re on the ground with a Wuvon fighting hand to hand, they will be using the Blackwood against you.
In the rare likelihood you are fighting them outside the Blackwood, they will be using their enhanced Persuasive powers with every touch of your skin to wreck your mind.
” He pauses, silver eyes looking around pointedly.
“If you fail to keep your shields up, they will leave you a drooling, blubbering mess on the ground. Death is a mercy to anyone found like this, as they trap you in your mind with your greatest fears. Make every hit count because it may be your last. Today, you may challenge anyone. If there’s anything you need to work out with fists, this is the time to do so. ” He laughs dryly, but no one joins in.
“I will see how you fight, making note of your weaknesses for future sessions. If anyone uses magic in my arena, they will be facing me on the mat and finding themselves housed in the infirmary for the next few days, recovering from the beating they receive.”
His thick jaw clenches, matching the flexing biceps of his bare arms crossed in front of his chest. His arms are as big as my thighs put together; one punch could crush a skull.
I swallow, thinking of my plan. Hopefully, the small bit of elemental fire I’ll send down the tiny blade won’t get caught.
I tie my hair up in a tight bun behind my head as I join Juniper in the same motion, bouncing from foot to foot, warming my blood.
My body is more muscular than hers and Kissa’s.
However, my build is not as robust as Cinder’s wide frame.
I’m somewhere in between brute strength and agility.
A more feminine version of S?las, whose tall, carved build is a deadly combination of speed and force.
We may be equally matched on the mat, but I know I can use his irresistible urge to flirt to my advantage.