“Will they just stop? We’re trying to save everyone from burning,” Raven grumbles. “Oof.”
A thick branch smacks her in the stomach and she doubles over wheezing.
“Can you stop, please?” I shout into the forest. “We need to work together to defeat our enemy and keep the academy from burning to the ground.”
“That includes the forest,” Raven wheezes.
The forest is silent and there aren’t any other incidents between Raven and the dryads thankfully. The clang of metal sounds the closer we get to the training grounds.
“Stop,” Sara screams, pulling a weapon.
“What in Hades is happening?” I groan, racing for her.
Jackson and Zeke, both sons of Ares and two I wouldn’t put against each other, are circling with swords raised. Sara’s expression is thunderous as she steps between them.
“You idiots, knock it off,” Sara shouts. “If you want to hit each other, step into the ring but don’t kill each other over something stupid.”
“Sara, what happened?” I ask.
“Zeke was correcting my stance, and I guess Jackson thought he got too close and started all this.” She sighs. “The problem is, I’m drawn to them both.”
“Fuck,” Raven spits.
She pulls her twin blades from the ether and steps between the idiots.
“Raven, what are you doing?” I reach for her, but she shrugs me off.
“Hey, dumbasses. If you want to fight someone, I’ll take you both on right here.” Raven points a sword at each of her brothers.
Jackson and Zeke’s expressions morph into horror as they step back, shaking their heads.
“You’re a psycho,” Zeke says. “I would be stupid to fight you. Even fighting with Jackson, we’re both more likely to get our asses beat than anything else.”
“Agreed.” Jackson lowers his weapon.
“Why the fuck are we fighting each other when we should be training in the first place?” I throw my hands up.
Jackson sighs. “I was a jealous dick. I had no right to be either.”
“What?” Zeke asks. “You two are together, right? I was honestly just trying to help her put more power behind her stance. That’s all.”
“You’re all a bunch of morons.” Raven’s weapons disappear from her hands. “But at least you understand I will destroy you if you do something so stupid again.”
“Yeah, but until Raven and Dax got here, you were big man. The best of us and I thought you were taking the one thing I had that you didn’t.” Jackson steps back and hangs his head.
“Seriously?” Sara bellows. “First off, no one can take me away from anyone because I don’t belong to anyone. Second, I will decide who I want to spend time with and not some idiotic death match between brothers. You can both go to Hades.”
“I need some popcorn for this,” Raven whispers to me, grinning.
“No, we need to get everyone back on track. If this is happening among the leadership we put in place while we’re away, then the academy is in worse danger than I previously thought.”
2
“Again,” I shout at Jackson, adjusting the grip on my sword.
“How many times are we going to spar? You’re just as bad as Raven.” Jackson readies himself in his fighting stance.
“We leave tomorrow to find the hammer. You idiots will be in charge, and if you’re fighting each other, the academy won’t survive what’s coming,” I say with a snarl. “Again.”
