Page 15

I woke up to muffled voices outside my door, punctuated by Silas’s loud, exaggerated groan. Pulling the pillow over my head, I rolled over, but it did nothing to block out the noise.

“It’s been an hour!” Silas’s voice echoed down the hall, his tone bordering on whining. “An hour , man!”

I sat up, ran a hand through my hair and debated whether it was worth getting involved.

Something told me I shouldn’t, but it was too late as I swung my legs off the bed and dragged myself to the door.

As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I saw Silas pacing in front of the bathroom while Brandon stood nearby, leaning against the wall with an amused grin.

“She’s not coming out,” Silas continued and paused by the door to the bathroom. “Come on, Grace! I need to piss badly!”

“What’s going on?” I asked, my voice still rough with sleep.

Silas turned to me. “She’s been in there for an hour, Cain! I haven’t even had a chance to shower, and I’m five seconds from pissing in one of my drawers if she doesn’t come out.”

Brandon chuckled from his spot against the wall. “Not like you haven’t done so before.”

Silas glared at him. “I’ll piss on you in a second—”

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck and strode toward the bathroom door. “Grace,” I called, knocking on the door. I was too tired for this bullshit. “You’re not the only one who lives here. Get out, or I’m knocking the door down, with or without your permission.”

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, slowly, the door unlocked, and Grace stood there, hair freshly done up and her Warrior uniform already on.

“All yours,” she said. her voice sounded innocent, but those Bambi eyes lit up with mischief. “You’re out of hot water, by the way.”

Silas gasped dramatically from behind. “You used up all the hot water?”

Grace shrugged, completely unapologetic, and Brandon let out a low laugh. I just stared at her; my expression blank. I didn’t know whether to be mad or amused.

I stepped forward, towering over her, but she didn’t flinch.

There was a glimmer of challenge in her eyes as if she wanted to see how I would react.

This was her side that I unwillingly admired, and right now, she was making the competitive part of me light up.

“You really want to start off the day like this?”

She gave me one of her bright smiles, which infuriated me.

“You should probably get a new toothbrush. I stepped on bird poop yesterday and yours was the closest thing nearby to clean it with.” Her smile never faltered as she brushed past me, the scent of strawberries infiltrating my nose.

I watched her walk down the hall, and my jaw clenched.

“She’s used up all the hot water, Cain,” Silas kept saying even as my stare lingered from where she had just disappeared off to. “All the hot water! Do you know what this means?”

“That you’ll have to take a cold shower?” Brandon snickered.

“I don’t know what you’re laughing about. You’re the one who’s obsessed with having bubble baths.”

Brandon lifted his palms in self-defense. “Hey, I’m not the one that put Jerry on her bed.”

“Cain told me to do that!”

I tuned out both of them, my attention fixed on the hallway, hoping—no, definitely dreading—that Grace would reappear. She was a whirlwind of chaos wrapped up in an infuriatingly irresistible package. And the worst part? I hated how much it thrilled me.

“You look happy,” Lucas said, gesturing to the wide grin I couldn’t hide as I wrapped my knuckles in white tape. The sun was still low, casting long shadows across the field, and best of all, Hunter was nowhere in sight.

“I am,” I replied, tying the tape off with a satisfied tug.

“Care to share why?”

I shrugged, trying to play it off. “No reason.”

I loosened my ponytail before gathering it into a plait, and leaving a few loose strands to frame my face. I didn’t expect much to do today—probably just work on technique with Lucas, which would inevitably end in me failing and coming out bruised over nothing.

My eyes soon caught movement, and I couldn’t help but let my smile stretch a little wider.

Hunter, Silas and Brandon had finally made it onto the grounds, and from the looks of it, they weren’t exactly in peak condition.

Silas, in particular, looked like he’d been dragged through five rounds of combat already, with his long hair a disheveled mess and hardly placed combat boots on.

Hunter, of course, wore his usual scowl, while Brandon appeared equally worn out, though more amused by it all. When he spotted me, he winked, and I chuckled.

Lucas followed my gaze, and the corner of his mouth quirked up. “Now that smile makes sense.”

Yes, it did.

“Care to explain why the three of you are late?” Azrael’s voice was frighteningly calm as he stood at the center.

Silas kicked at the mud as he passed him and muttered something under his breath while Brandon kept up his pace behind him.

Hunter, however, stopped. His nonchalant stance differed from the cold stare he gave me over his shoulder.

I could hear Matias laughing with some of his friends on the other side of the field, enjoying this a little more than he should.

“No excuse, sir. Won’t happen again,” Hunter said, and Azrael kept silent, which was damning enough.

His eyes narrowed on Hunter and my stomach churned at the disapproval.

before he brushed past Hunter, undoing his cufflinks as he scanned the gathered students.

“Pair off. We have visitors today.” The group shifted as people began searching for a partner, but Hunter’s voice cut through the conversation before I could turn to Lucas.

“I have a suggestion, sir.”

Azrael turned. “And that is?”

Hunter’s gaze slid over to me as he sunk his hands in the pocket of his combat jacket. “Grace and I should spar. She’s been practicing all week and mentioned it this morning, in fact.”

My heart dropped in my stomach.

I could feel the eyes of other Ascendants land on me, and whispers started to ripple through the group. My stomach twisted.

Azrael’s gaze flickered to me, and I straightened as if that would help me look any less weak. “Is that right, Martin?”

My eyes shifted toward Hunter at the spark of challenge in his expression. If I said no, would that mean I had lost whatever power play this all was?

I swallowed but my mouth was suddenly dry as I locked my gaze on Hunter. “Yes.”

“Grace,” Lucas scolded me before directing his attention to Azrael. “Sir, she can’t—”

“Oh, come on, James,” Hunter called out. “I’ll go easy on her.” He raised his palms. ‘No weapons or powers.”

Prick.

Azrael sighed in annoyance. “Martin, center. Now.”

Lucas grabbed my arm and shook his head at me, not to go. I yanked free from his hold and smiled as if that would ease his mind. I could barely calm mine down.

Hunter stepped forward, his eyes never leaving mine as we met at the center of the pit. Ascendants gathered around us, snickering while my focus was locked on Hunter until I saw Nadael and a group of other Celestials approaching from the corner of my eye.

“Bambi,” he acknowledged, his voice low and taunting.

I gritted my teeth as I raised my fists.

“Begin,” Azrael said, and Hunter wasted no time.

He lunged at me, his movements swift and precise, like how he fought against Matias.

I could barely keep up as I blocked one of his hits.

The force sent a shockwave up my arm, and I clenched my eyes shut, staggering back, as I tried to regain my balance.

When I peeled my eyes open, he stood there, unmoving, his fists lowered, and his lips pressed into a thin line. Laughter erupted around us, sharp and cutting.

“You’re not even trying,” he muttered, his voice low enough that only I could hear. “Prove me wrong, Grace. Show me you deserve to be here.”

I glared at him, and without a word, I swung at him.

I tried to land a hit, but he sidestepped easily, grabbing my wrist and twisting it behind me so that my back was against his front.

I gasped as pain shot through my arm. He tightened his grip before letting go and shoving me back with enough force to send me sprawling to the ground.

Everyone was watching, and my cheeks flamed. When I turned to look toward Azrael, embarrassment flooded me at the view of Nadael and the other Celestials beside her taking notes.

Nadael shook her head, giving me a rueful look as if she knew how right she was about me joining the Warriors. She didn’t want this. Joe didn’t want this. No one did.

“Looks as if you might need another shower, Grace,” Hunter taunted, circling me like a predator. “Pity you keep proving me right. Like I’ve said before, this place isn’t meant for a mortal.”

I glared at him, wiping the dirt from my trousers as the weight of everyone’s eyes landed on me. He was doing this on purpose, making a spectacle of me in front of others—especially in front of Nadael.

Rising to my feet, I felt rage crackling through my veins like thunder, readying to break through the clouds. “Would you have said that to your brother if he were here?”

The second the words left my mouth, I knew I’d hit a nerve.

Hunter’s expression fell, his eyes darkening in a way that I had never seen before.

I should have regretted it and swallowed the words back, but it was too late.

The look in Hunter’s eyes wasn’t just angry.

It was something else, something far more. .. punishing.

Before I could react, he moved. In a blur of motion, he swept my legs out from under me. I hit the ground hard—the breath knocked out of me as my head spun and my ears rang with the impact.

I struggled to push myself up, but he was already on top of me, pinning me down. My hands shot up to slap at him, but he grabbed my wrists, slamming them above my head with ease.

“What do you know about my brother?” he growled, his voice so low it barely sounded like him. “What the fuck do you know?”

I clenched my fists, but I couldn’t move. He had me completely trapped, and the worst part was that he wasn’t even trying.

“ Enough .”

Azrael’s voice sliced through the tension, and Hunter immediately pulled away and rose to his feet with barely controlled fury.

I sat up, my hands trembling, not from fear but from the overwhelming anger and humiliation I’d been subjected to.

Azrael placed a calming hand on Hunter’s shoulder, whispering something I couldn’t hear, but Hunter’s eyes never left mine.

His gaze burnt into me even as Lucas hurried over to help me up.

We were locked in that stare, Hunter’s anger still simmering beneath the surface and mine boiling over.

Lucas was saying something and brushing dirt off me, but I couldn’t hear anything.

The pounding in my head drowned out everything else.

“Grace?” Lucas shook me gently, and his voice finally broke through to me. “Are you okay? Do we need to go see Marnie?”

“I—” I stammered, my eyes flickering toward Hunter, who stormed past us without another glance. Silas and Brandon stood nearby, looking equally tense. “No.” I shook my head. “I’m—okay.”

“Grace,” Nadael said from where she stood with the other Celestials, her gaze sharpening with concern. “My office. Now .”

I swallowed hard at the firmness in her voice and followed her as she turned, strolling towards the academy.