‘Because you are stronger than they know. They see only what they expect to see.’
I smiled, scratching under his chin the way he liked. “When did you get so wise and knowing?”
‘Always been. You never listen.’
I rolled my eyes and returned to my reading. Hours passed as I absorbed everything I could about my designation’s abilities. Some of it I already knew from Assembly training, but there were nuances here that Orion had never mentioned.
By the time I finally fell asleep, it was well past midnight, and my dreams were filled with stars and serpents and four pairs of eyes watching my every move.
SEVEN
Jupiter
The combat arenawas already half-full when I arrived at 7:45 the next morning. Word had spread even faster than I’d expected. Students lined the tiered seating that encircled the sunken fighting floor, their excited chatter creating a background hum that set my teeth on edge.
I spotted Tye and Lydia in the front row, along with Vega, Rick, and Hector. Tye gave me an encouraging thumbs-up as I entered.
The Nightfall Shield was already on the floor, dressed in combat gear. I walked to the center of the arena, dressed in my own—fitted black pants, a sleeveless top that left my tattooed arms exposed, and my most broken-in boots. I’d tied my hair back in a tight braid that wouldn’t get in my way.
“Nice of you to show up,” Percy said as I approached.
“So, what’s the plan? All four of you against little ole me? Seems fair.”
“We’ll start one-on-one,” he said. “Basic combat first, then we’ll incorporate magic.”
“And who’s my first dance partner?”
“Me,” said Eris, stepping forward. His copper hair was disheveled, and his rugged facial hair looked like it had been trimmed just this morning. “Hope you don’t mind starting with a warm-up, lass.”
The crowd’s murmurs grew louder. From what I’d gathered, Eris was the shield’s strategist, known for his ability to analyze and exploit weaknesses. If they were starting with him, it meant they wanted to study my fighting style before the others engaged.
“Not at all,” I said, rolling my shoulders. “Ready when you are.”
We took positions at opposite ends of the arena. Instructor Hadley appeared from somewhere, apparently designated as the official overseer of this impromptu match.
“Standard combat rules,” he announced. “No lethal force, no permanent damage. Match ends at surrender or my call. Begin when ready.”
Eris didn’t waste time. He moved toward me with surprising speed for someone his size, testing my defenses with a series of quick jabs that I blocked easily. I kept my movements minimal, giving away as little as possible while I assessed his style.
He was good. Very good. His Gemini designation gave him an uncanny ability to adapt mid-fight, shifting patterns just when I thought I’d pinned down his rhythm. We circled each other, trading blows that grew progressively more complex as we each gained understanding of the other’s capabilities.
I landed a solid blow to his ribs that made him grunt in surprise. His eyes narrowed, a flicker of respect appearing before he masked it. He responded with a sweeping kick that nearly took my legs out from under me, but I leapt over it, using his own momentum to grab his arm and twist.
We broke apart, both breathing harder now. The crowd had gone quiet, watching with rapt attention.
“Not bad for a newbie,” Eris said, circling me again.
“I’m just getting started.”
I attacked first, launching into a combination that had served me well against the bane—a feint to the left followed by a lightning-fast strike to the right before he could recover.
Eris blocked it, but barely. I pressed my advantage, moving inside his guard and landing three rapid hits before dancing away. The surprise on his face was worth every bruise I’d have tomorrow.
“Enough,” Percy called after five more minutes of increasingly intense exchanges. “Draco, you’re up.”
Eris stepped back, giving me a small nod. Draco stepped forward, rolling his shoulders as he approached.
“Let’s see what you’ve got,” he said, his hazel eyes glinting.
