Page 118 of A Court of Wings and Shadows

His knife went flying, flipping end over end before thudding into the dirt several feet away.

But before I could smile, his elbow rammed into my forearm, and my dagger spun from my hand, disappearing into the underbrush.

We stood there, breathing hard, blades lost, and he grinned like he had already won.

“I have no problem breaking your neck,” he sneered. “Hell, it may even look like an accident.”

I cracked my knuckles. “Stop blabbering and try me.”

He moved first, fast, brutish. His punches were controlled, meant to drive me back, and I gave ground as needed, but not without returning blows of my own. My knuckles connected with his jaw, and he growled low in his throat.

He caught me hard in the ribs, once, twice, again, and pain shot through me like fire. I staggered but stayed on my feet.

He grinned wider. “Not so indestructible now, are you?”

I didn’t answer. I waited for the next strike.

When it came, I ducked under his swing, caught his wrist mid-motion, and twisted.

There was a wet, audible pop followed by his scream.

He dropped to one knee, clutching his shattered arm, teeth bared in agony.

“Still think it’ll look like an accident?” I asked coldly, stepping closer, blood from my own wound trailing down my arm.

His breath came in ragged bursts.

And I wasn’t done yet.

I stood over him, my breath steadying even as my ribs ached with every inhale. The trees around us were still, as if the forest itself was waiting to see how this would end. Perin clutched his broken arm, eyes burning with hate, but the smug confidence from earlier had bled out of him, replaced with something more honest—fear.

I leaned down, just enough so he could see the fire in my eyes.

“There won’t be mercy next time,” I said, my voice low and sharp. “I was raised in a family of assassins, Perin. Did you really think I don’t know how to fight?”

He sneered up at me, sweat beading across his brow. “You think that makes you invincible?”

“No,” I said. “It makes me prepared. You should’ve remembered that before pulling a blade on me. There are rules when we fight in the ring. Like don’t kill your opponent. Those don’t apply anywhere else.”

He gave a weak laugh, though it cracked through clenched teeth. “You have more enemies than you can imagine, Ashlyn. Your days are numbered. Even if I’m not the one to kill you.”

I straightened, not flinching, not blinking.

“Get in line,” I said flatly.

Then I turned from him, blood trickling down my arm, pain blooming in my ribs?—

But my spine stayed straight.

Because I’d survived worse than Perin.

As I walked down the path, Perin called out to me.

“Sleep with one eye open, Ashlyn. The identity of the next attacker will surprise you.”

Chapter

Twenty-Seven