“It matters to me. She was brought here as an asset to be used in the tournament.”
“She is still an asset,” Ziv counters, but it’s the mention of a tournament that sends up red flags, and did she saymateearlier? Why does my head feel like it’s filled with cotton?
With a hand on my shoulder, Ziv keeps me in place, then moves to stand next to me, angling his body in a way that almost seems like he’s the one in front of me now. I can barely see the headmistress around him, but I hear her harrumph of disapproval. I know better than to ask questions now, but I want to.
“Her ability will need to be tested,” she insists, as if she’s expecting an argument.
“I will test and train her myself,” Ziv counters, but then he takes a measured step forward. The shift in his body language should be a warning to anyone smart enough to notice. “But she will not beused, Syrinx. Not by anyone, including you.”
The headmistress lets out a laugh, and it makes me cringe. Something about it is so wrong, all the hair on my body stands on end. “How very sweet it must be to be so special.” There’s still some mirth in her tone, but the cackling has died off. “All of us are used, Ziv. You’d think someone as ancient as you would understand that, but I’ll leave you with your delusions. Just make sure this doesn’t become a problem.”
The door shuts quietly, the only indication I receive that she’s gone, but I don’t feel a sense of relief with her absence.
“What tournament?” I question, because I can’t wrap my head around the mate comment yet. I’m sure I heard that wrong or there’s some other explanation for her bringing it up.
Ziv peers over his shoulder, his brows lowered in suspicion. “The Undertaking.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
He turns to face me fully, still squinting. “You don’t know of it?”
“No, but I’m getting the feeling I should.”
“If I didn’t know it was impossible, I would think you were lying to me.”
“Why would I lie about not knowing? I don’t enjoy feeling like a rube.” In fact, I hate feeling like I’m in the dark. I have a much better chance at living if I know all the factors stacked against me.
“The Undertaking is a tournament that happens between all the academies in the realm. It’s a deadly game that happens every five years.”
“Oh.” I relax a little, since I’ll probably be dead before that happens.
Ziv lowers his chin and levels me with a glare as if he knows exactly what I’m thinking. “The next competition is in fourteen months. That’s why I’m training you.”
BRIAR
Iuse both hands to rub my temples. My head feels like it’s about to explode. I have so much information swirling around in there that I can’t manage to keep it all straight. “You expect me to fight in a deadly battle between training schools?”
“I’m preparing you in the event it comes to that. I’m not permitted to compete myself or aid the contestants, so you have to be able to defend yourself.”
“Don’t I have a choice? That’s a stupid question,” I mutter, answering myself before he can.
“The school decides who participates.” Ziv crosses his arms over his chest, and my eyes travel the long length of his form.Too bad I didn’t bite his neck.That thought hits me like a runaway carriage, and I have to avert my eyes or chance him seeing the thought on my face.
“Can’t you just tell them I’m not strong enough or something?”
“No. If I’d found you before Syrinx did, maybe, but she will argue that her claim on you came before mine.” His lips are curled up in a sneer the entire time he speaks, making it clear he doesn’t like the answer any more than I do. Ziv strikes me as the kind of person who doesn’t like anyone else calling the shots.
“Doesn’t she want to win, or am I just the sacrifice?” I toss my hands up in the air, ignoring the comment about his claim over me, but I have a feeling I’m not going to keep it up for long.
“Of course she wants to win. Ivy has won every contest for the past forty years. This will be her first year as headmistress during the games. She has a lot to live up to, which is why she is willing to sacrifice you to ensure she holds onto the institute’s honor.”
“Then her best bet is to pick someone else. I’m no warrior.”Or anyone’s mate, right?
“She’ll have an entire team of warriors, little flower, but you are her secret weapon. Magic can’t affect you. She’s betting that will give you a distinct advantage on the field.”
“Not being affected by magic won’t help me much if I can’t survive simple combat.”
“Which is why I’m going to train you.” He drops his chin by an inch or two, and it alters the planes of his face. Ziv always looks intimidating, but like this, he looks downright menacing. I’m not sure I’ll survive his training, but then again, I don’t really have a choice either.
