Page 54 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

Zander leaped back, barely clearing the strike, his movement too fluid, too instinctive—almost as if he knew what Cade was going to do before he did it.

Cade smirked, his grip adjusting on the dagger, a challenge flashing in his eyes.

They circled, muscles coiled, each waiting for the other to make a mistake.

Then Zander lunged.

Cade dodged—but barely. Zander was too fast, and the sudden force of the attack threw Cade slightly off-balance.

Zander saw the opening and pounced.

He feinted right, but at the last second, dropped low and swept Cade’s legs out from under him. Cade hit the ground hard, a sharp exhale leaving his lips as Zander was on him in an instant.

Before Cade could roll away, Zander’s knee pressed into his chest, the tip of his dagger hovering dangerously close to Cade’s throat.

Silence.

Then Cade let out a breathless chuckle, staring up at the sky.

“Still as dramatic as ever,” he muttered, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Zander held the position a moment longer, just enough to assert dominance, then pulled back, sheathing his dagger and offering Cade a hand.

Cade hesitated, but finally took it, letting Zander pull him to his feet.

I finished the last of my biscuit, licking the crumbs off my fingers as I turned to Riven.

“Think I could take him?” I mused.

She snorted. “I think he’d enjoy taking you down a little too much.”

A shiver skated down my spine, but I just rolled my shoulders and grinned.

“Guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

The moment Zander and Cade stepped out of the ring, the energy shifted. The lingering tension from their brutal display of skill still crackled in the air, but the watching prospects—especially from the other squads—were eager to step in and prove themselves.

I barely had time to grab my water flask before a familiar, smug voice cut through the murmur of conversation.

“What do you say, Snowtop?”

I turned, already bracing for whatever nonsense was about to come out of Perin’s mouth. The Iron Fang prospect had a cocky smirk, his confidence oozing off him in waves. His golden hair was pulled into a tight knot at the back of his head, his arms crossed over his chest like he already expected me to say no.

I arched a brow. “To what, exactly?”

He tilted his head toward the ring. “A little sparring match. Let’s see what the Sentinel’s rider is made of.”

Jax didn’t even let me answer.

“I would love to play,” Jax said loudly, stepping between us with a grin far too wide to be friendly.

Then, in one smooth motion, he pulled his shirt off and tossed it onto the bench.

I normally wouldn’t look at Jax that way, but damn.

Jax was built like a boulder, his arms as thick as tree trunks, his chest broad and scarred from more than a few past battles.He was almost as defined as Zander—but he had more bulk, more raw power.

I wasn’t the only one to notice.