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His eyes were hollow like he hadn’t slept, and a shadow of stubble ran down his jaw. He looked horrible. Still unearthly beautiful, but gut-wrenchingly anguished.
My heartstrings pulled taut as I longed for him. To be his distraction. To show him how much I truly cared for him.
His lips pulled into a weak smile. “Don’t hesitate, firefly,” he whispered. “When that bell rings, kill me. Get out of here, don’t look back.”
I shook my head, tears welling in my eyes as every fiber in my body rejected the idea. “No,” I choked. “No. There has to be another way.”
The bell sounded, and I flinched, the sword almost slipping from my damp fingers. Talon didn't move, nor did I—my feet stuck in place.
“You need to make a move. Come on, just like we’ve practiced.” He raised his brows expectantly as he slashed his blade through the air, our swords connecting as I blocked.
“You’re going to have to do more than that, firefly,” he pressed, coming at me again.
I took a step back and swung my blade down, blocking his attack once more.
“I won’t kill you,” I said as we continued our usual sparing method. “I refuse to.”
Talon upped his pace, taking me by surprise, and I struggled to correct my footing. “I’m dead either way, Elowyn. If you think the king will spare me, you’ve learned nothing.”
He pierced his sword toward my stomach, and I leaped back. “What was that for?” I demanded, thrusting mine toward his side as he spun out of the way.
“For that”—he lifted his chin toward me—“to get under your skin.” He came at me again, and again, each time more forceful than the last. My blood pumped hard through my veins with each new attempt he made at forcing my hand.
“That’s not fair.” I ducked his blade. “I don’t want to do this! You can’t force me to do this!”
He laughed, twisting around to kick my feet out from under me. I rolled out of the way as his blade came pummeling down, lodging into the grass below.
“I don’t care what you want right now. You’re leaving here, and that’s final.”
“I think I should have a say in this,” I demanded, scrambling to my feet, blocking his sword as it swung toward my thigh. “What about your sister?”
“As if your mother doesn’t matter?” The tip of Talon’s blade nicked my ankle, sending me crashing to the ground.
I yelled out in pain, clutching my leg as crimson liquid stained my skin. “What the fuck!” I seethed. “That fucking hurt!”
“Get up!”
Baring my teeth, I silently challenged him before I stood, slashing my blade down toward him.
He leaped to the side easily.
“You’re a prick, you know that?”
Talon smiled. “That’s it, firefly, keep going. Tell me what else you can’t stand,” he said, nixing my ankle once again.
I yelled through gritted teeth, hopping backward as I held my knee. “Insufferable! A lowly fae brute!”
Talon laughed, but he didn’t let up, forcing me to keep blocking his every move—one slip-up. That’s all it would take. And his blade would cut into more flesh.
“You’re holding back on me. I didn’t take you for a coward,” he taunted. “Guess I was wrong.”
I shoved my blade toward him, tears leaking from my eyes as I clamped down on my anger. “Please stop.” I swatted at my wet face. “Please don’t make me do this, Talon. I won’t be able to live with myself!”
A familiar cruel smirk tugged at his mouth, one I hadn’t seen in weeks, and I shuddered. “Pathetic, worthless, human. What was any of this for then, hm?” he demanded, quickening his pace—quickly closing in on me. “Your wretched performance is shameful. You’re embarrassing me. My training.”
He nicked my hip, and I cried out, slumping over in agony. He kept moving faster. His swift, nimble movements were too difficult to match.
“Screw you,” I cried, holding my side as blood dripped through my fingers onto the ground.
