Easily, she pinned me again and I yielded. Jace clapped, coming to help me up. His mouth opened to speak before Blake snapped, “Again.”
“Blake—”
“Not with Malissa,” Blake said, cutting off Jace’s placating tone. “With me.”
My stomach sank.
—
Across the circle, Blake Axefirefaced me with stillness in his gaze. A warrior, the only remaining Twin Blade, the strongest metal mage they’d seen in centuries, and I had to fight him.
It didn’t help that I could tell he was angry—it was easy tosee in the furrow of his brow and the pacing of his feet as he watched me.
I noticed a lot about Blake Axefire now, no matter how much I didn’t want to.
The way corded muscle flexed beneath glistening skin, his arms taut as he wielded his weapons with precision. He, too, was down to his sleeveless tunic now, sweat-slicked and molded to his body. His forearms, dusted with bronze-gold hair, were carved with definition, veins standing out as he gripped the hilt of his sword. His broad shoulders rolled with power as he shifted, his stance perfectly balanced. And his back rippled with muscles each time he moved. He’d spent his life in training, and his body was a weapon, a beautiful one.
Then there were his hands. Large, calloused, battle-worn yet nimble. Long, strong, perfect fingers. Distracting.
Focus, Flame chided in my head, and my cheeks flushed.He will attack when you’re not paying attention.
How do you know how he fights?
He and Kingsolver are one and the same, Flame responded.Strong. Intense. Deadly. Don’t be distracted—
Without warning, Blake lunged for me. I sideswiped him and leapt toward the other side of the circle, turning when I felt him growing closer. I tried to shove him away with both arms, my movements awkward and out of rhythm, as if my muscles were unconnected. It took three more times escaping him before I realized he was toying with me.
His eyes flared, and suddenly, my arm was yanked sideways in a wrist lock.
He struck again then, taking me down, pinning my wrists easily against the ground. I yelped, twisting under him, but he was immovable, every inch of him solid and unyielding.
I felt every hard line of muscle pressed against me, and no matter how hard I pushed or kicked, he didn’t flinch. His body caged mine completely, his face far too close, those intense blue eyes watching me without a flicker of emotion. To my shame, I felt a flutter between my legs.
“I know you have magic. Use it,” he said. “Sing me off.”
I blinked up at him. “What?”
He gave me a flat look. “Sing. Immobilize me. Stop being so afraid and try it.”
“I’m not afraid,” I snapped, squirming under him. It didn’t help. It only made me more aware of every place our bodies touched. Heat crawled up my neck.
“Sing,” he said again, dead serious. “Or we’re going to be here a long time.”
I opened my mouth, then closed it. I felt absurd and a little embarrassed, pinned under the Twin Blade of the Silver Dominion, being ordered to sing at him like some deranged bird.
“You’re insane,” I said.
He gave a slight, mocking smile. Astonishingly, a dimple appeared, making my heart do something very stupid. It was the first time I’d seen him smile, I realized.
“And you’re wasting time,” he said before dipping his head. “Unless you enjoy being underneath me.”
My face flamed. “You’re dreaming,” I snarled.
“And you’re a weak, scared Azure who won’t use her magic,” he snapped back. “Sing.”
Face burning with fury and something else, I drew in a breath, lifted my chin, and sang the highest, clearest note I could manage.
He didn’t so much as twitch. He waited, but when I pressed my lips into a firm line, he pushed up and off me, stalking away with barely concealed frustration. I felt wrung out and embarrassed, irritated because as much as I’d argued with him, therewas a part of me that had hoped it would work. Had thought it actually might.
