“Did we say you could pack up?” Sebastian snarked. “We aren't done yet.”
Groans over having to exert more energy filled my ears.
“We don't usually start sparring practice until the third or fourth session, but given the circumstances, Seb and I think it would be a good idea to introduce you all to some basics of combat,” Sawyer announced, a single eye raking over me.
Circumstances?I hope he means the issue of Draemor and not the issue of me.
Sawyer patrolled around the mat, his hands crossed behind his back. “Any volunteers?”
To my surprise, a dozen hands shot up, eager to be the first to learn some techniques for battle. I kept my arms tightly against my sides.
Sawyer reviewed the candidates, shaking his head. “No. No. None of you.” He tapped his finger on his chin, pacing back and forth in front of us. “Willawood!” he bellowed, making a sharp turn of his body and marching to where I stood.
My heart knocked against my ribcage, but I didn't have time to protest. Before I could even truly acknowledge what was happening, Sawyer had my hand in his and was pulling me to the center of the mat.
I caught Sebastian's eyes as they widened. “Woah, Sawyer,wait?—”
“Relax, Hawthorne,” Sawyer drawled, releasing my hand. He backed up, putting himself a few feet from me. “She’s the strongest of all of us. Isn't she?” he said, and I didnotlike the sarcasm in his tone.
“Actually, I don’t think I’m the best fit for?—”
“I'm going to show you all some basic offensive and defensive moves that you will eventually utilize in real life combat,” Sawyer cut me off as he addressed my classmates.
My mouth filled with saliva.Shouldn't he have been doing this demonstration with Sebastian?
“Take your stance,” he ordered me, his eyebrows sinking into his skull.
I honestly had no idea what to do, but clenching my hands into fists and raising them defensively seemed like a good place to start.
“Willawood here, will show you all her best attempt at defense,” Sawyer sneered. As soon as the words slipped from his lips, he was behind me, kicking the sole of his boot into the back of my right knee. My legs swung out from under me, and I landed face down on the mat.
“Hey! What the—” I rolled to my back and tried to sit up, but before I could, Sawyer straddled me, pinning my arms to the mat beneath me.
“Woah, woah, woah! Hey, Sawyer, come on. That's not what we talked about,” Sebastian yelled from the edge of the ring.
Sawyer ignored him, tightening his grip on my wrists so hard I swear he could have cracked them.
“Ow.” I struggled underneath him.
“Now would be a good time to utilize any weapons you have on you, or your magic.” He flashed me a devious smile. “If you have any.”
Dick.
His comment struck a match of rage inside of me. I rolled my shoulder over fast, managing to break one arm free fromhis grip. I used it to grab the back of his neck and fisted his hair, pulling down as hard as I could. I slammed his forehead into the mat beside me, then rolled out from underneath him and jumped to my feet.
Pia was the only one who cheered from the crowd. The others watched us in dead silence.
Sawyer rose, his teeth barred.
I smirked back tauntingly. I'm sure he wasn't expecting me to embarrass him like that.
He growled as he lunged for me, grabbing me by the shoulders and whipping me around so my back was pinned against his chest. He held me there and tightened his grip, squeezing my stomach so hard that if I had just eaten, I would no doubt be throwing it up.
“In this move—” He squeezed me tighter as he spoke to the class. “If you have a dagger on your hip, you may just be able to reach it and stab your opponent between the ribs.”
I gasped as his hands locked around me, compressing my body so tight that I could barely draw a decent breath.
“Sawyer, that’s enough.”
