Page 29 of Blood Day

Just as Six had survived his punishment, I would persevere through mine.

There was no alternative.

I wanted to live.

And I proved it by finding my footing and hobbling to the wall beside the beastly male.

“Prospect One Hundred and Thirty-Nine, you’re up,” Master Cedric said in a bored tone, calling my former sparring partner to the mat.

I tried to watch her fight, but my vision continued to blink in and out of focus. I wasn’t sure how many movements she executed, but I heard the distinctive crunch of bone when the male went next.

Her agonized shriek pierced the air, telling me he’d done severe damage.

But then she went quiet.

I wasn’t sure if that was a result of her training or if she’d fallen unconscious.

Another smack followed.

Another crunch.

“Next,” Master Cedric said, his tone dismissive. “And please deposit Prospect One Hundred and Thirty-Nine in the hallway.”

“Yes, Master Cedric,” the male replied without emotion.

She’s dead,I realized, still unable to see.Or she’s about to die.

That’d be the only reason to take her into the hall.

My insides churned at the realization that he’d let this happen, that he’d let that human kill her.

But of course he had.

That was how this entire program worked. Only the strongest survived. And he’d just given me the ultimate lesson.

Providing proof of what he’d been trying to tell me through each failure.

You don’t have what it takes to pass this course.

He hadn’t actually said that. However, he didn’t need to.

Because I understood why he kept failing me now.

I wasn’t strong enough to handle this.

Which meant I could never be a Vigil.

So what would become of me now? Would I even survive long enough to attend my Blood Day?

Not with Master Cedric’s course haunting my life.

I should never have enrolled in combat training.

But there wasn’t anything I could do about it now.

Just endure it.

And try to find a way to survive.