Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
Pain erupts in my forearm, and a second later, she lifts the dagger as fresh blood races down its honed edge.
My blood. Looks like I get to fight after all.
With such wan coloring in the vegetation, it comes as no surprise that it requires four times the amount of indigo to dye even the simplest garment. I can’t help but wonder if the colors of our Continent are the exception, or if the isles are.
—Unnbriel: Isle of Dunne by Second Lieutenant Asher Daxton
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Blood trickles down the top of my left forearm to drip from my fingertips. I’ll have a scar to match the one Tynan gave me during Threshing. I grit my teeth through the burn of pain and look up.
“She faces Marlis!” the priestess shouts, and the soldiers behind us cheer.
Xaden whips in my direction, his eyes flaring with something that looks a little too close to terror to be comforting before he returns to whatever weaponry they’re negotiating.
Marlis moves into the plaza, unfolding her muscled arms. Blood spills from her hand, splattering the stones. She moves like she’s used to the weight of heavier armor, and she tucks the short strands of her flaxen hair behind her ears, coloring the strands red.
Three combatants. This had always been their plan.
“Unfair!” Golden anger courses down the bond and into my veins, heating my skin.
“Your ire will not aid her. Control yourself,” Tairn demands.
“No!” Aaric reaches for me, and I shove Dain’s and Xaden’s uniform tops into his hands.
“Yes.” I quickly take off my own to free my arms and add it to Aaric’s pile, leaving me in my armor and undershirt. It’s almost a relief in the cloying heat. “Don’t let him move,” I say to Cat. She grimaces but nods. The scattered raindrops cool my skin as I walk toward the center of the plaza and whatever is about to be my path.
But Andarna’s anger doesn’t dissipate. It blends with mine, growing with every step I take. I am not weak.
Marlis sizes me up as I approach, then huffs a laugh as she rolls her shoulders.
“I’ve taken down bigger,” I tell her as I step between Dain and Xaden.
She lifts an eyebrow, and I wonder if she speaks the common language.
Dain’s mouth twitches, but he doesn’t translate.
“It must be the same for all three,” the silver-uniformed commander says to Xaden, eyeing me with pity.
“Then it’s daggers,” Xaden says.
My head whips at Xaden. “Your swords are your best—”
“Daggers,” Xaden tells the commander, earning a smile from our trio of opponents.
“Agreed,” Dain chimes in.
I could overrule them. This is my mission. But while choosing daggers gives me an advantage, it’s not like they’re not both lethal with the same form of weaponry. “Agreed.”
“So it is.” The commander nods, and the other three begin to disarm, handing their weapons to the temple attendants who scurry in our direction. “Best of three.”
Xaden and Dain hand their swords off to an attendant.
I scan the blue robes quickly, but there’s no sign of the girl with hair like mine. Movement catches my attention to the right, and when I look at the statue of Dunne, I would almost swear her eyes flash golden and glance my way for a second.
Just once it would be nice if Andarna would stay where I ask her to.
“Use your speed,” Xaden instructs me as he removes all weapons but the four daggers he carries sheathed at his sides. “Aim—”
“Stop.” I put my hand on his chest, and my brow puckers at how fast his heart races. A raindrop splashes on my forearm. “This is just a challenge without a mat. Dain wins his match. You win yours. I’ll win mine.”
Xaden’s jaw flexes.
“Whatever you do, don’t watch me. You can’t afford the distraction.” I tap his chest. “And don’t die.” Retreating three steps, just out of his reach, I unsheathe two of my daggers.
Then I face Marlis. My estimate was about right—she has at least ten inches and a good fifty pounds of muscle on me. Reach and strength are hers, too, so agility and speed will have to be mine.
Dain and Xaden turn toward their own opponents, putting enough distance on either side of me to give ample space to maneuver.
“Begin,” the commander orders as all others step off the plaza.
My focus narrows to Marlis and the smug tilt of her wide mouth as she palms only one of her two daggers and starts to circle me.
This is just a challenge. Xaden and Dain are on the other mats.
Let’s go.
I flip my left dagger to pinch the tip and rotate the other so the blade runs parallel with my arm as Marlis fake lunges twice, trying to throw me off-balance.
If I were a little more scared and a little less angry, that might have worked. Instead of falling for it and slipping on the wet stone, I flick my left wrist, throwing my dagger at her shoulder.