We were, like, ten minutes early for the combat class because of Yelena’s insistence. She was the nervous type and hated being late and getting singled out.
I took a deep breath to calm my heartbeat as the trio of us jogged toward the building.
The last time I’d attended the class, Paxton had had Jack beat me half to death in the ring. I’d escaped in the end and met my Héctor.
Jack was forever out of the picture since I’d tossed him into the ceiling at the last minute.
Paxton hadn’t laid a hand on me ever since. Instead, he’d now posed himself as the “protector” of my secret. He’d even killed a first-year for that.
He’d also battled a god to defend me and suffered injuries. I didn’t know how to deal with this new Paxton, so I tried my best to avoid him. But wherever I went, he was always there like a big wolf that wouldn’t give up his hunt... or his treat.
I hoped he would absent himself today, but I had a bad feeling that he’d be there. It was getting harder to ignore him, especially when his presence constantly reminded me of my dark origin and that I was living on borrowed time.
I had to admit that now and then some murderous thoughts still leaked through my psyche. But as soon as I wished him harm, pain would blossom in my chest.
Even though I’d once marked him as my sworn enemy, a deep part of me denied my every thought of killing off the Demigod of Sea.
We entered the pathway lined with Angel Oaks. Muted, golden sunlight sifted through their pale green leaves and dropped on their twisted branches.
Peering at the classroom structure at the end of the path, I gathered my courage.
“Let’s see what shit those bitches are going to throw at us in the combat class today,” I said. “I hope they’ve let out One-eighth already. I plan to beat the crap out of her for dragging you by the hair.”
Demetra had torn a patch of Yelena’s hair out of her scalp as she yanked my friend to the ground by her hair last time. Yelena had had to cut her hair short because of that.
“Her ass is mine,” Yelena hissed. She was a gentle soul, but the Academy was turning her into steel.
Nat chuckled. “I like this new badass version of you, Lena.”
A chill unlike any other suddenly slithered up my spine—not from my anxiety over facing Paxton and being pushed into the ring to fight again, but from something worse.
It was the same déjà vu feeling from when I’d walked into Loki’s trap.
All the tiny hairs on my neck prickled, and my mouth went dry right away.
I couldn’t let them take my friends. I needed to get them away.
I shoved both Nat and Yelena ahead. “Run!”
“What’s wrong?” Yelena asked, and an alarming question appeared in Nat’s brown eyes.
“Run!” I hissed and pulled out a pair of wicked daggers from my boots.
These were the old daggers that I cherished. Axel had made sure all of the weapons that he and Marie had stripped off from me had been returned to their rightful owner.
Shadows moved out of the tree lines, and my friends broke into a dead sprint.
I twirled the daggers in my hands, ready to feed them my foes’ blood. I’d sensed a dozen life forms surrounding me, and one was extremely foul.
I would fight a way out as soon as my friends were out of range and safe.
I grinned viciously as the shadows took shapes and closed in on me. I planted my legs apart and wheeled about slowly, a dagger in each grip.
“Marigold!” My friends suddenly stopped running. “Why aren’t you running?”
“Run and get help!” I yelled at them.
“We’re not leaving you!” They ran back toward me.