“Come on,” Darcke said. “Show me your worst.”
He didn’t know how right he was.
Viljan and Ivren moved to the rope, neither daring to meet my eyes, while Rakkel and Stefen took the spots beside them. Ottoh and Vero also stayed to watch, and I showed my teeth once more when Geord smirked my way.
The air thickened with malice as the other initiates pressed in. My neck ached to bend under it, to give in to the sharp comments flung my way.
“Don’t let them get to you,” Darcke said as he crouched into a fighting stance. “That rage you keep swallowing is mine, not theirs.”
“And here I thought it belonged to me,” I said as I mimicked him, keeping my center low.
“No.” It was the only word he said before he rushed me.
I ducked, anticipating his fist half a second before it struck me square in the nose.
Darcke’s laugh crawled up my back. “Almost too slow.”
“Focus on the bond,” Guner called. “You shouldn’t even need to really look at each other to know what the other person is planning.”
I dipped, trying to hook a leg behind Darcke’s, but he danced away.
“Too slow again, heir.” He wiggled his brows. “Too bad your people don’t have a rune for speed. Your father would have been better off with it.”
All fury drained into the ground beneath me, and my chest cracked with the next beat of my heart, the image of my father’s disappointed face nearly making me spew the food Darcke had given me.
Darcke’s face fell. “What was that?”
I spun in the air, kicking out my foot instead of responding. There was no more smile on his face as he caught me by the ankle, and as he pulled, sending me sprawling onto my back with the air beaten out of me, his face came to mine.
“What was that?” he echoed as he reached out a hand to get me to my feet.
“Nothing,” I snarled, wedging my foot between his legs as he stared at my hand, getting him onto the ground as well.
He was on me before I could even taunt him, his knees digging into my arms.
“Tell me what just happened,” he demanded.
I tried slamming my head into his, but he turned, making my forehead connect with his shoulder instead.
“That’s just sloppy,” Darcke barked. “Fight back.”
I twisted beneath him, but Lika’s face joined my father’s.
What would Lika and your father say if he gets to rule your people?
My eyes sought Viljan’s, but as usual, his were averted, his pride and honor unable to stomach the disgrace of my facade. I knew Darcke was going to strike, but I did nothing as he landed a jab to my chest.
“Come on.” Darcke’s frustration was bleeding into the bond as he got to his feet, pulling me with him. “Don’t pull this shit again.”
Another tap to my gut, and while the force of it made me bend over, I didn’t defend myself.
“No,” Darcke snarled. “You don’t get to do this. You might be stronger than all of us, but I can fucking take it.”
“No, you can’t,” I replied in a monotone.
He frowned as the truth vibrated between us.
“Get it together!” Guner bellowed. “You’re supposed to fight, not use each other as punching bags.”
