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I drove my knee up into his groin, and he sucked in a heavy breath. His hands released me for just long enough, and I slammed my fist into his throat. He rolled off me with a rasping cough, and I sprang to my feet, waiting for him to recover. Instead, he lay in the dust and dirt, throwing his hands out to either side of him - andlaughed.

I resisted the urge to jump on him and crack his fucking ribs. Instead, I crossed my arms over my chest and tapped my foot. “Are you just going to lie there and laugh all day or are wetraining?”

He put a hand behind his head, tilting so he could look directly at me. “Want some more, do you?”

I rolled my eyes. “Unless you’re already too tired -”

My sentence was cut off as he ducked into a sudden roll towards me, catching me by the legs and flinging me flat on my back into the dirt. I gasped as the air was knocked from my lungs, but managed to lift my legs before Rook could crawl over me again and wrapped my thighs around his neck. I squeezed with all my might, but he wrapped those enormous hands around my thighs, wrenching them apart and flipping me onto my stomach.

He threw himself down on top of me, twisting my arms behind my back. I flailed under him like a fish out of water.

“You’re quick, I’ll give you that.” He sniggered into my ear. “But being quick isn’t enough.”

“Get off me.” I hissed.

“Oh, but we’re training, remember? Now, how would you get out of this situation on the battlefield?” His grip on my arms tightened.

Gods, he was so fucking heavy.

“Get. Off. Me.” I bucked again, my cheek connecting with the ground, sending dust into my eyes. I blinked it away, sweat running down my temple.

“Is that what you would do on the battlefield, princess? Demand the attacking soldier get off you and expect him to obey?” His breath was hot on the side of my face, washing over the sensitive patch of skin my missing ear had left behind. It sent goosebumps cascading down my shoulders. “You know that right now, if this was a real battle, you’d be dead, right?”

I craned my neck to look at him over my shoulder, meeting those glowing blue eyes. “If this was a battle, I’d have ended you with my sword already.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Is that so?” He pushed against my back, his weight crushing me. “Too bad you don’t have that fucking sword then.”

“Get the fuck off me.”

He relented and unhanded me, rising to his feet and brushing his hands together as though to remove the feeling of my skin. He grinned cynically as I got up and met his gaze.

“You’re weak, princess. Weak and feeble.”

“I’m a warrior.”

“You’re a sacrifice,” he countered, his hands on his hips. “You were sent out to battle by your dim-witted father and left to the slaughter. Everyone knows he didn’t want you.”

The words stung, like a freshly slapped cheek. I swallowed hard. “At least my father didn’t abandon me to Theron at the end of the Uprising.”

Rook’s eyes widened and he rushed at me, towering over me. “You shut your mouth you fucking bitch or I’ll -”

“What?” I squared up to him, full of fury as I gazed up at him. “You’ll beat me? You’ll change into some horrid winged dragon and fly up to my window and rape me?”

Suddenly, he had me by the upper arms, and he’d hoisted me into the air so I was face to face with him. “You say that again, and next time I won’t let you up. I’ll make sure you fuckingstay down there.”

I spat in his face, and he jerked back, his eyes flickering shut for a moment. “Fuck you, Rook. Put me down.”

His blue eyes were lit with rage when he looked back at me. His lip curled back in a snarl, and then he simply let me go, letting me fall to the floor. I landed painfully, right on my ass, dust flying up around me. Rook gave me an exaggerated bow. “If you’re done for today,princess, I hope you’ll excuse me.”

“Had enough already?” I asked, coughing as dust crept down my throat.

“I’d say you’ve had more than enough.” He turned on his heel and stalked across the arena. “If you’re brave enough to come back to face me, don’t waste my fucking time again.”

I watched him leave, rage rolling through me.Fuck you, I thought to myself, rising to my feet.Next time I’ll show you exactly what I’m made of.

Chapter4

Rook