Page 28 of Blood Day

He’d told us to switch.

How many would he allow my partner to do? Would Master Cedric stop this prospect at four or wait until the man destroyed me?

He’d asked me last night if I remembered what happened if I disobeyed him.

You’ll fail me.

I’d thought he’d intended to punish me then.

But he hadn’t.

Maybe this was the real punishment, my true failure, mydeath.

My breath caught in my throat as I dodged another hit, then I rolled to escape his foot again. But he was coming faster now, his movements harsh and strong anddeadly.

Master Cedric said nothing.

The room was silent apart from my harsh inhales and exhales.

He wasn’t going to stop this.

And my partner seemed hell-bent on proving his mastery by using me as his punching bag.

I couldn’t run. I couldn’t hide. I had to fight.

But I was no match for his size and power. Even if I found a way to punch him, it wouldn’t do much. Without a weapon, I was fucked.

My wrist was on fire from whatever he’d done to it.

Tears threatened my vision, true fear strangling my throat.

Please call it,I thought, begging Master Cedric with my mind.Please don’t let me fail like this. Not after everything I’ve?—

Prospect Six Hundred and Forty-Two caught my wounded wrist and tugged me within reach, then twisted it sharply to snap the bones in my arm.

It happened so suddenly that I barely processed it, could hardly feel the agony until his knee slammed into my stomach and his elbow hit my head.

The world spun, my back hitting the mat with a whoosh of sound that expelled all my air.

He started to fall down on top of me, his face swimming in my vision. But a harsh command from Master Cedric paused the movement.

Or maybe that was a dream.

I couldn’t really see. Couldn’t truly process. Everything was blurry. Dark, then bright.

Ohh, this hurts,I thought, doing my best not to make a sound. But a tiny moan escaped me. All my training toenduresnapped into focus as I tried with all my might to rein in the agony, to persevere despite the weight holding me down.

Move, I commanded myself.Get. Up. And. Move.

My vision failed me as I tried to find my way off the mat. Half my body seemed incapable of moving.He brokemy arm. That hit to my head had knocked me off-kilter. My stomach felt twisted inside out.

I stole a shallow breath and closed my eyes.

Three. Two. Now.

I gritted my teeth and rolled, then forced my knees to tuck underneath me and used my good hand to push myself up off the mat. I still couldn’t really see or hear, but I sensed everyone watching my struggle.

This was my battle to fight. My battle towin.