His boot moved in my direction, but Jace pushed past him, rushing toward me.
“Rubi?” he shouted. “Holy Guan Yu—are you all right?”
“I’m okay,” I said. “I swear, it was just—”
“Morningtail,” Malissa spat, eyes flaming as she stood and darted away from the others. “Get your tygress away from Venom.Now.”
I took Jace’s hand, allowing him to help me up. The Azures had finished their training by now, slowly pouring into this side of the arena, which usually was my signal that it was time for dinner.
“Malissa.” Blake’s face was white with anger. “You were completely out of line. You could have—”
“It’s all right. I can handle this.” I smirked, turning the bloody blade toward myself and handing it to her. “Seems you misplaced something.”
“Rubi,” she snapped. “Venom.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t bloody me and Flame won’t attack. We’re on the same team,Princess.”
For a moment, I wondered if she might hit me. She looked ready to—but her eyes drifted nervously to the furious Ambush Master. He was clearly angry with her now, but if push came to shove, would he protect his princess and possible future fiancée? Or—
Stop it.Flame rumbled and looked back at me, ears twitching.Oh, you cannot be serious. You like him?
Let Venom go, I said back, shaking my head to clear the dangerous thoughts of the Twin Blade just feet away.
Kingsolver and Flame backed off. Venom sprang free, snarling, before Flame padded to my side.
She could’ve ended you.Flame’s glowing eyes locked on Malissa, who edged back.
But she didn’t. And she never misses, I thought dryly.It’s shallow.
Flame dipped her head and gave the wound a slow, deliberate lick. By the grace of Kuan Yin, relief. I sighed. Gasps rippled through the crowd as the skin closed clean.
“So that’s how you survived the Arena,” Jace murmured.
Malissa tensed. Blake grabbed her shoulder and gave a sharp shake of his head. She stilled.
“Training is over,” Blake ordered.
Calla and Quinn took that as their sign to join the ring, running over to check on me. They peppered me with questions and inspected the now-healed wound, but I barely heard a word, too busy watching the icy gaze of someone I definitelyshouldn’tbe upset over.
Snap out of it, I commanded myself.
Blake took one last look at me, eyes lingering on the blood on my shoulder, before he turned and followed Malissa out of the ring, Kingsolver reluctantly following behind.
—
I was upset by thefight with Malissa. I was upset by my feelings for the Ambush Master. And I was confused.
When I turned the corner toward the halls by my rooms, an arm reached out and gently caught my shoulder.
“Where are you going?”
Blake.The gods hate me, truly.
“I told you—meals are in the dining hall.”
“I’m not breaking the rules by not going,” I said, surly. “I don’t intend to eat at all.”
I tried to scoot around him, but he sidestepped me, keeping me cornered.
