“That over there,” I waved at the fighting, “that’s not me. I don’t want to fight. Give me a book. I’ll plan strategies to kill vampires, I just don’t want to do the actual killing.” Or dying.
Morrow’s fist crashed into a boy’s nose and blood spurted out.Oh, holy mother, no, no, no.
Taewyn looked just as nervous watching them as I did. “My father isn’t here and even if he was, unless you know details about our history and vampires, mathematics and more, you won’t pass that test even if you can read. I studied for months, and I don’t think I even did that well. All of us from Nighthaven took it months ago. The scholars have already gone through the tests and have seen our studies for years. They know who they want. Still, everyone has to go through the physical trial in case an assassin or warrior wants the initiate as well, then the initiate gets to choose. That almost never happens.”
My head snapped back in his direction. I knew some things about the history of Nighthaven and vampires from Grandma Thora. The wall was finished—a hundred years ago, or was it more? The Sorting Rite started soon after the wall was fully finished. She told me stories of the ducai being gifted from the gods to fight the vampires. There was mention of a powerful vampire queen that sent them to attack us. The memories of her tales were hard for me to remember. I’d forgotten so much of my life from before the day she died. My stomach slowly began to sink.
“Aren’t there exceptions for us from outside? I’m a bonecarver, not some backroom brawler at the tavern. I can learn quickly.” Taewyn chuckled, then grimaced as Morrow hit another initiate, a woman this time, and sent her flying straight to the grass. My jaw dropped open. “He justpunchedher.”
“Damn, and hard too. Both the warriors and assassins look interested.” He turned back to me, not at all shocked like I was. Men did not punch women where I was from. I saw Baker Alisontake a frying pan to her husband once after he’d slapped her. Everyone laughed and then Chieftain Eric knocked him around for it, too. I don’t think he ever hit her again.
“Oh, and mages are the only exception. If you have magic, you are a mage. Period. They don’t have to fight.”
My stomach twisted, and I felt like I was going to vomit. Why couldn’t I have magic?
“Can you and I go in there, and promise me you won’t hit me too hard?”
He smiled. “Sure, we can spar. I won’t hurt you too bad. But I have to at least show my skills. I’ll just use takedown moves, no closed-fist punches, promise.”
The blonde girl I’d seen earlier with the twists in her hair and black war paint on her face ducked under the rope and walked over to Morrow.
“She isn’t going to fight him, is she?”
“Nah, they’re... lovers with issues, I guess you could say.”
Morrow leaned down and said something to her, then smacked her ass. She shoved him and threw up a middle finger while trudging out of the square. That proved Taewyn’s point perfectly.
Then she headed our way. I braced myself for whatever angry thing she was about to say, but she smiled. “Hi, I’m Celine.” She stared at my eyes for a moment. I waited for the question or the taunting to start, but it never came.
“Um, hi.” It came out sounding like a question.
“Hey, Tae. Glad you made it through.” She punched his shoulder lightly. “Is Morrow harassing you again?”
“Always,” he answered and crossed his arms. I glanced between them, confused by the comradery. She was the one who’d told us to shut up after all and said I wasn’t much competition. And if she was Morrow’s lover, I’d expected her to be... different.
We watched as more people picked up weapons or wrapped their knuckles with thin strips of black fabric. A handful moved over to the stuffed straw dummies with bows and arrows. I started to wish I’d taken a few more hunting trips with my father. If I had skill with a bow, I could at least be an archer and stay on the wall like Taewyn suggested.
“So, new girl,” Celine started. “My ex-boyfriend was checking you out earlier.”
Before I could even think of a response, Taewyn butted in, “He was being a jerk to her, Celine, no need to get jealous.”
“I’m not jealous. I saidex-boyfriend. I was just going to warn her he’s a”—she raised her voice—“big asshole!” She turned back to me. “We were together for a year, then he said he wanted to be free to explore other women during our training year.” She rolled her eyes. “I told him not to expect to come back to me after he ‘explores’.”
“He’s a fool,” Taewyn said.
“I know,” Celine agreed.
“How do you all know each other?” There were only about five others from outside the wall, and they’d all gathered together in the corner by a weapons rack. Part of me wanted to join them for the familiarity, but instinct told me to stick with the people who knew this place and its rules. It would be the blind leading the blind if I made friends with the other outsiders.
“We went to Nighthaven Academy-West,” Taewyn answered. “There are four major academies in Nighthaven.”
“And you are all taught not only to be scholars but to fight before this?”
Celine giggled like it was a stupid question. “Obviously. We’re training to defeat an army of rabid vampires that want to enslave us all or eat us.”
“Enslave?”
Celine furrowed her brow. “Didn’t you know they take people as blood slaves back to Nocturnus?”
