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“Labinsky, Gibbs and Baxter, you’re all back as first and second year apprentices, so I expect your best performances. James, Stirling and Jennings, since you’re not yet apprentices, I expect even more from you to prove yourselves worthy of me keeping you on over the next few years. Understood?”

The six of them nodded dutifully, and Karter continued. “Since we’ve already wasted enough time, we’ll get straight into it. Pair up and find a clear space. The rest of the lesson will be spent revising unarmed fighting techniques.”

As Karter walked away from them, Alex felt her heart begin to race—again. Despite the demonstration she’d just been through with her instructor, she was more nervous now. Better the enemy she knew than the one she didn’t.

“I call dibs on Alex,” Declan said loudly, much to her surprise.

“No way, man,” Brendan argued. “I’m the oldest.”

“And the ugliest,” Nick said with snigger.

Before the conversation could escalate, Kaiden jumped in. It was the first time Alex had heard him speak since seeing himin Tryllin and she struggled not to lose herself in the memory of seeing him—and dancing with him—that night.

“Why don’t we let Alex decide?” he suggested.

Oh, awesome. Just what she needed: to pick favourites. That was one way to guarantee getting her butt kicked by them on a regular basis.Thanks a bunch, Kaiden.

They were all waiting for her answer, so she said, “Uh, well, fair’s fair. Declan was the first to say he wants me.”

She groaned inwardly at her wording.

“I mean, he was the first to say he wants to fight me,” she quickly corrected. “As an opponent.”

She had officially gone beyond digging a hole to the point where she was actually burying herself alive.

Kill me now.

When her classmates had finished laughing—and it took a while—she followed Declan over to the far side of the Arena. Admittedly, she was glad that he was her opponent for the day, since she’d already fought him unarmed twice before. Neither time had worked out wonderfully for Alex, but in her defence, hewasbuilt like an armoured vehicle.

“And we meet again,” Declan said with a grin, no doubt remembering their previous rounds.

“This time it’ll be you who ends up unconscious,” Alex threatened, trying—and failing—to sound menacing.

In the end, no one ended up unconscious. Declan came out much less bruised and battered than Alex, but that was hardly surprising. She was pleased that she’d managed to defend against most of his attacks—and she’d even gotten in a few of her own.

“You’ve improved heaps,” Declan said as they walked back over to their classmates. “I didn’t have to hold back this time.”

“That’s what happens when you have… what did Karter call it? Remedial Combat lessons,” Alex said. “You either improve,or you end up six feet under. And I wasn’t a huge fan of the latter.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re still in the land of the living,” Declan said. “You sure put on a good show for the rest of us.”

Alex sent him a dry look. “My life is complete.”

They arrived where their classmates were waiting and stood around for zero-point-two seconds before Karter gave his standard, abrupt dismissal.

Alex followed the boys out of the Arena, overwhelmingly shocked that she’d made it through the day.

“That was awesome!” Sebastian said as they all walked back up the hill.

Alex looked up to find everyone staring at her and nodding in agreement.

“Huh?” she asked, guessing she must have missed something.

“Seriously, Queenie! I can’t believe you took on Karter!” Sebastian raved.

Alex frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Sebastian held his hands out in front of him and karate-chopped the air. “You were like,wham wham, and he was like,bam bam, and then—”