For fuck’s sake, this woman was the absolute worst. His fingernails raked over the back of his head. “Can I have a different teacher?”
“No,” she said right before her fist landed on his jaw.
He really should have blocked it. He could have, probably, but what was the point? Perhaps dealing this pain was catharsis for all the shitty memories she had to suffer courtesy of his ancestor.
He rubbed the pain away and swallowed the coppery tinge on his tongue. “You always this bloodthirsty?”
She pushed his chest, and the Luster boost not only knocked him off his feet but opened the skin beneath his tunic so that blood stained the white fabric. He fell to his back and stayed there, staring up at the blue sky, studded with puffy, glittery clouds, while the crowd around them laughed and cheered.
For a few seconds, he allowed himself to fantasize about the library. If only…
“You are useless,” Bel said, brow raised.
He sighed.
Memories of Meléan scratched talons through his brain at regular intervals. The thought of hurting Isobel hammered nails into this nonsensical guilt.Hehadn’t done those things to her, but it sort of felt like he had. If he wasn’t careful, that guilt would fasten to him permanently.
No, thanks.
David stared up at her and shrugged. Cathaire had abandoned him to die at this termagant’s hand. Who was he to argue?
Isobel scooped a sharp rock from the ground. “You seem like a man who could handle this a little better.”
He shot her his most dangerous smile. “You have no idea, sweetheart.”
She ripped the sharp edge of the rock across her arm. Her skin opened and stitched back together, barely spilling blood. “I’m unbreakable, David. So stop being a little bitch and try to break me.”
David wanted to laugh. “Fine.” He hopped to his feet. “You want to fight? Let’s fight.”
She took on a sparring stance, the air sparkling about her.
After he focused, pulling the Luster from his marrow to his hands grew easier, like soaking water into a sponge, though he couldn’t credit Isobel for learning the trick. Instead, he used Galadaine’s memories. Galadaine had had a knack for absorbing Luster. He’d rarely engaged in hand-to-hand combat, but his coercive might soared with the Light singing through his voice. Sometimes he didn’t even need to speak to compel others to do his bidding.
David used the power to reinforce his punches or block Bel’s. Concentrated, Luster could jolt through skin like electricity or shred it open like a knife.
As they sparred, he realized herememberedher moves—imperfect and a tad frilly. She targeted his weak points and spilled blood like she enjoyed it. Judging by the vicious glee in her emotions, she probably did. Still, his attempts to harm remained perfunctory at best.
He raised a hand to attack, but she grabbed his wrist, twisting sohis arm was immobilized. As he lifted his other, her fingernails dug into a wicked gash she’d cut into his forearm. He took the pain without wincing.
Isobel’s luscious mouth twisted into a threatening sneer. “I think I win, but you weren’t even trying.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched.
Her fingers gouged further into his injuries. “Galadaine never would have let me win this way.”
Pain forgotten, David’s teeth clenched. “There’s a lot of things he did that I’d never do.”
Her assessing gaze tracked over his face. “I hope you’re right, but we’ll see.”
Indignation clawed at the fresh blocks of ice hiding his true feelings. “You’re so quick to jump to assumptions about me.”
“You’ve seen what he did to her. Would you trust you, if you were me?”
“Meléan wasn’t perfect either. Should I assume you’re a flighty, flaky, cheating liar like she was?”
Bel’s eyes narrowed. “Fair enough. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt if you can answer one question.”
“I don’t need to pass your tests, Isobel.”
