Page 45 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

On the contrary, frost settled in her bones at the shadows deepening his eyes.

Something flickered across his features as he took her in, but then he tore his gaze from hers, and with a speed that should be unlawful, he threw himself to the side, out of the way of Raine’s second strike.

Lessia blinked as Merrick crouched low, taking out Raine’s legs with one of his own, so the latter fell to the sand with a loud thud.

After disarming him with one hand while the other held his ruby-decorated sword steady by his throat, Merrick said quietly, “I told you you’d lose.”

Raine only grunted, but he took the hand Merrick offered him, and after brushing some sand off his clothes, he pulled out another flask—the one she’d seen yesterday—and took a long sip.

“I forgot how much this shit hurts,” Raine muttered as he waved the flask Merrick’s way.

Ignoring him, Merrick’s eyes sliced to hers again, and she realized she was shaking when they flew over her body, his mouth tightening into a thin line.

As Merrick stalked up to her, she tried to lock down her uncooperative muscles.

But it was useless, and she was certain he noticed when his eyes flicked down for a second before he nodded toward the daggers dangling from her waistband as he reached her. “Your turn.”

Lessia reached for them with trembling hands, but she mustn’t have moved fast enough for him, as Merrick swiftly sheathed his sword and slipped them out of her belt.

Shoving them into her hands, he stated, “You’re scared of me.”

She thought of arguing, but she wasn’t sure if her voice would betray her, so instead, she pressed her lips together as she tried to muster up a glare.

She wasn’t actually scared of Merrick…

She was scared of having to fight those like him.

Anyone with even half his skill would take her out in mere seconds.

Merrick’s tongue flicked one of his canines as he nodded. “You should be.”

Without sparing Venko or Ardow a look, he gestured for her to follow him, and Lessia didn’t dare glance at them, either, as she staggered after him.

She might just run back to Raine’s cabin and hide if she also saw fear in their eyes.

ChapterTwelve

“What was it you drank?”

Lessia’s voice was still shakier than she’d like, but she tried to push the apprehension away as she trailed a step behind Merrick down toward the shoreline where he and Raine had fought.

“You’re not having any, so you don’t have to worry.” Merrick’s tone was his usual surly one, but she didn’t miss how he stiffened, perhaps still feeling the effects of the liquid.

A raspy voice broke in. “The little Faeling can’t handle some pain? How ever is she going to save the realm?”

Lessia barreled into Merrick when he halted, her nose filling with his wild, untamed scent as it pressed against his leather tunic.

Pushing off him, she glared at Raine. “I know Fae males can’t handle a blow to their pride, but can you please just shut your mouth?”

Raine threw his head back and cackled, and disgust pricked her skin at the drops of liquor running down his stubbled chin and the bloodshot eyes staring back at her when he lowered it again. “Training will be good for you. Put some of that anger to use. Even if you can’t do it like us real fighters.”

“Lessia,” Merrick warned when she snapped her teeth at Raine.

“No!” She switched her glower to Merrick. “He’s right! If I can’t handle what you just did, I won’t be able to handle whatever we’ll face when we leave this stupid island.”

Raine was right.

There must be a reason they trained like this.

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