Dual swords drip black gore as he stands there, watching the decapitated head before raising his helm to stare directly at me. I can’t see anything behind the obsidian visor, but I know without a doubt, regardless of the battle ensuing all around us, his entire focus is now on me.
“Nori… Nori, get up,” a delicate voice says, gently shaking my shoulders. “C’mon… that can’t be comfortable.”
I slowly peel my heavy eyelids open and use the back of my hand to wipe the drool that’s pooled in the corner of my mouth. Mallory is watching me with a concerned expression in her wide eyes. Her pale-blue hair is spiked in various directions. “I know you have a full class load, but this is a bit much,” she whispers, looking around at all the history books surrounding me.
I stretch both arms above my head, my lips parting in a long yawn. “What time is it?” I ask.
“Half past ten.”
“In the morning?” I croak.
She nods like it’s obvious. “Yeah.”
Fuuuck.
I stand so fast the chair falls over, earning me a few glares from nearby students. “She’s going to kill me,” I panic-whisper as I bend down to pick it up.
“Who’s going to kill you?” Mallory’s eyebrows knit together, creating a furrow between her eyes.
I want to give her more of my time, but at the moment, I don’t have any. “I gotta go, but I’ll catch up with you later,” I toss over my shoulder, exiting the library as if my ass is on fire.
Pebbles fly up from under my boots as I run with everything in me toward the practice field. The gate leading out to it swings on its hinges, smacking the small stone wall as I run through, my steps faltering as I rush down the stairs slick with ice.
I tumble into the field with absolutely no grace.
A few isolated groups are practicing their craft, but I don’t see Corinne right away. I scan the area looking for her, afraid I won’t find her, but also dreading the fact that I might. Stepping forward, I’m careful to give the wielders a wide berth. A third-year Veil with a braided crown and a look of fierce concentration on her face is encased in an electrical sphere, with bursts of currents spidering out around her.
Quickly moving past, I pass by a handful of Noctryns attacking each other with swords in lethal combinations, their shadows withering around them, seeking out any weaknesses in their opponent. Farther down, another Veil is shifting, and an unimpressed fourth-year Noctryn is leaning against a large boulder, his nose scrunched, and eyes filled with disgust as he watches.
My steps become faster and my shoulders tense as each scan comes up empty. I’m about to give up and accept the fact that Iblew it when I finally see them. Corrine stands behind Makon, a large dagger pressed to his throat, whispering something in his ear with a smug look on her face.
His answering grin is pure menace.
He grips her forearms and presses his throat into the blade, causing droplets of blood to drip down his neck. Her brows sink, and she goes to pull back, but the next moment, he has her flipped over his shoulder. She lands soundly on her back with his knee pinning her chest down and his Damascus dagger at her throat.
I can see her lips from here, pulling into a snarl and cursing him.
His face breaks out in a deep, rich laugh. Standing, he offers her his hand, which she smacks away. Her fighting leathers look damp and uncomfortable, leading me to wonder just how many times Makon has landed her in the snow.
I take a deep breath and reluctantly step toward them.
I fear my leathers are about to be even more uncomfortable. I awkwardly clear my throat. “Sorry, I’m late.”
Makon’s head swivels toward me. “Well, hello, little Caderyn, how nice of you to join us.” A cruel smile creeps over his face.
“You’re late,” Corrine huffs, tucking her dagger back in its sheath.
“I know,” I admit, “I got caught up in the library. I’m sorry.”
“Come on now, Quinn, cut her some slack.She was in the library,” Makon says, adding air quotations around the word library.
“I was—” I start.
“I don’t care if you were protecting the general himself—”
“In the library, you can check for yourself.”
“When I tell you to be here at ten sharp, you’re here ten minutes before,” Corinne snaps, her high black ponytail swishing as she walks toward me.
