Page 37 of When Storms Ruin

“I can use a dagger just as well,” he replied, sheathing his sword at his back.

He moved to the center of the mat, wiping the blood from his face once more. Puck tossed him a dagger that he caught by the hilt, twisting it around in his hand skillfully.

“What are you so nervous about, firecracker? I’ll go easy on you. Promise.” He met my gaze with a wicked grin, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

I wanted nothing more than to wipe that smirk right off his smug face, but I had no hope against him in a sparring match. Even if hedidgo easy on me.

“I don’t think so,” I replied with a shake of my head.

At the same time, Tess pushed me from behind and I unintentionally stepped forwards onto the mat.

“We have a taker!” Puck announced, clapping his hands together.

I shot him a glare that silenced him immediately. Puck was—without a doubt—scared of me.

All eyes were on me as I reluctantly stepped to the center of the mat across from Nik, rolling my shoulders to loosen them.

“Do you remember what I taught you?” Nik asked with a wink.

“Mother above,” Tess muttered under her breath, running a hand down her face.

I needed to put this jackass in his place.

My anger fueled me, and when Nik made the first move I was ready. Nik was fast, but so was I. Hehadn’t been coming to most of my training sessions with Warrick, and he didn’t know my fighting style yet. It made it difficult for him to anticipate my next move.

I ducked his blade several times as he moved forwards, swinging his dagger downward and pushing me back. I rushed him, deftly slipping to my knees and turning, my dagger slicing him in the thigh as I moved past under his arcing blade.

“Well, shit,” he muttered, surprised.

He cracked his neck and re-set his stance across from me. He came at me again, but I had been expecting him to make the first move. I ducked his blade and brought my own forth, almost knocking his out of his hands, but his grip was tight on the hilt.

I spun, but he anticipated it this time and kicked out with his leg, hitting me square in the hip. I winced and jumped back. I was smaller than him, and I needed to use that to my advantage. When I made my next move, I ducked and kicked, throwing him off balance as one of his feet left the ground. I pushed the advantage, knocking him off his feet. He hit the mat on his back and rolled, taking me with him. He was stronger than I was, and he had my arms pinned above my head.

A shock of heat ran through me as his hips pressed against mine, his hands around my wrists, a wicked smile on his lips.

“You know what to do!” Warrick called out from the side of the mat, grabbing my attention.

Warrick and I had gone over how to get out of this hold many times. With a grunt I bucked, my hips coming up andfreeing my knee to hit him in the groin. I rolled him over as the breath left him, quickly regaining my footing.

“Maybe I shouldn’t be going easy on you…” Nik coughed, breathless.

He moved forwards again, but he hadn’t regained his composure. I easily knocked his arm away, my blade quickly moving to his throat. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, raising his hands as if in defeat, the dagger still in his grip.

“I have to say, I’m impressed, firecracker.” He pressed closer, encroaching on my space, the blade still pressed against his throat.

“Yield,” I told him through gritted teeth.

He inched closer as he raised an eyebrow at me.

“Or what?” he asked, leaning into the blade.

“Any closer and you’ll get burned,” I warned, my magic readily moving from my core and up my arms, towards my fingers that gripped Stormslayer.

“I’ve always liked to play with fire.” His eyes were molten despite my blade at his throat, a sinful smirk across his lips.

“You are seriously disturbed,” I replied, my jaw set.

I pressed the blade harder, ever so slightly. If anything, his gaze darkened further as a trickle of blood crept down his neck.

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