My pulse takes off like Pegasus.
Griffin tenses beside me. “You can’t be serious.” He uses his calm, scary voice. “You have no idea how to fight.”
Her chin lifts. “I trained with Cat before you left. I trained with Cassandra every day until you got back.”
Oh no.This is one more thing I did. It explains the calluses on Jocasta’s fingers, and how close the two women seemed. “I’m sorry you lost your friend.”
Jocasta’s expression doesn’t change. If anything, it hardens. “Me too.”
Griffin’s eyes narrow, but not on me. “How long did you train with Cat?”
“A few days.”
He stares at his sister. “So overall, you’ve trained for a matter of weeks and have no combat experience. That’s like throwing a toddler into a race and expecting the child to keep up.”
“I can keep up,” Jocasta says.
A big, masculine mitt grabs her wrist and pulls her from the doorway. Griffin and I storm after her just as Jocasta twists out of Flynn’s hold with impressive efficiency. He’s changed his clothes. You’d never know he’d been severely burned just minutes ago.
Flynn’s face is a portrait of rage. “Jo…”
She turns her back on him and faces Griffin and me again. “I’m a grown woman. I make my own decisions.”
“Think about Mother and Father,” Griffin says.
Jocasta’s chin notches up again. “They raised us to think for ourselves.”
“They didn’t raise us to throw our lives away!” Griffin snaps.
“And I’m not planning to!” Jocasta’s sapphire eyes glint in the torchlight, determination off cut stone. “I’m from a family of action. Do you expect me not to act?”
“I expect you to act wisely,” Griffin responds.
“I don’t answer to our parents anymore. I have no husband or children to consider. I don’t answer to you, either, Griffin.”
Good Gods, I hope she doesn’t expectmeto decide.
“Jo—” Flynn tries again.
She swings on him, livid. “You”—she pokes him in the chest—“don’t get an opinion.”
“I bloody well do!” Flynn snarls.
He takes a step forward, towering over her, and Jocasta slaps him hard enough to stop him in his tracks.
Her voice lowers, almost masking the tremor in it. “You forfeited your right by ignoring me for the last six years.”
Flynn sucks in a sharp breath. So do I. Griffin looks floored. Carver looks miserable. Kato looks uncomfortable. Selena looks mildly interested, which means she’s paying attention to every word. And Jocasta looks downright dangerous.
“Do I get an opinion?” Carver is slumped against the wooden door, his arms crossed. There’s no lightness in his tone, and he looks bone-weary.
Jocasta nods.
“We should knock you out cold and make sure you don’t wake up again until after we’ve forfeited the Games.”
I snort. I doubthe’llget an opinion again.
Something close to violence flares in Jocasta’s eyes. “Try it, and you’ll see what I’ve learned.”
