“You fucked him, didn’t you?”
Instead of answering, I sink onto the ground to start stretching.
“Serena.”
I roll my eyes at the sternness of his tone. As if I owe him any sort of explanation.
“Wasn’t this what you wanted? For me to explore my relationship with Zadyn?”
Jace drops to a crouch before me, his voice low. “What I wanted, witch, was for you to get it out of your system.”
“Why, so I could run back to you?” I glower at him. “Maybe it’s you I need to get out of my system. Not him.”
A nasty sneer covers his mouth. “Sounds like you’re just looking for an excuse to fuck me.”
“I don’t plan to ever touch you again after what you did.”
“Readjust your plans because we’re about to get up close and personal.” He pushes to stand and gestures to the empty training ring.
“You know exactly what I mean.”
“I also know you don’t mean what you say.”
“Stop acting like you know me better than I know myself.”
“Stop acting like you’re a saint. Like you’ve never done anything questionable to protect the people you care about.” His words are pointed. And I know exactlywhat he’s referring to.
“You’re never going to let it go, are you?” I shake my head.
“Let what go?”
“Kylian.”
He doesn’t say anything. He just stares down at me with the same bitterness that reminds me of the ruthless version of him I first met in Derek’s throne room.
“It bothers you to no end.” He scoffs, turning toward the center of the ring. I shove to my feet, stalking after him. “It’s the root of everything that’s spoiled between us. You stood there and told me to fuck Zadyn, butKylian?—”
He whirls to face me. “The thought ofanyoneelse touching you bothers me. It makes me want to do terrible, horrific things even your worst nightmares couldn’t contrive. It makes me want to burn this whole fucking world to the ground. But you and him? Together? No, witch, that doesn’t bother me. It fuckingeats mealive,” he says. “It burns me that aftereverything, after all he and his family have taken from me?—“
“So this is about you. You and your vendetta against Vod.”
“No, it’s about the fact thathe, of all people, got to have you when?—”
“When what? When you never will?” I take a step closer, knowing full well the cruelty behind my words. His golden eyes flash, his chest heaving.
I know what the Trioris cost him—his parents, Derek. But I’m more than a piece of collateral in this mess. I’m a person, not a possession to be lost or gained or taken. By anyone.
“I hope that pride of yours keeps you warm at night.” I knock his shoulder, brushing past him.
“That’s right,” he spits. “Push me away. It’s what you do best.”
“Youare the one pushing me away, Jace.” I turn back to him. “What happened to you? When did you go from being on my side to judging my choices to survive? When are you going to stop damning me for doing what I had to do? You were born a male and raised a fighter. You’ve never been powerless. Not really. So you don’t know what it’s like to have all of your power just erased in the blink of an eye. Andthe only one you have left is your power as a woman. Your body. And so you have to make the choice between your dignity and surviving. You don’t know what it’s like to bargain with your own flesh. To know that really, despite the blood in my veins, despite the absurd power I’ve found myself with, I am easily reduced to just a girl. Just a helpless, weak little girl. You have no fucking clue.”
When he doesn’t say anything, I know I’ve won. Too bad it doesn’t feel like a victory worth celebrating.
It isn’t hard to spar with him for the next two hours. Every punch I throw is packed with conviction. Every blast of my power has meaning, has weight.
Once again, Jace has given me a brick wall to shove against. He has pushed me, made me one second faster, one degree stronger.
