Page 22 of Shattered Empire (Shattered World)

“Many of them owe their lives to Matthias,” Maksim informed me. “They want to repay a debt in the best way they know how.”

Tears gripped the edges of my lash line. I dashed them away before anyone could see. “They could die.”

“If it wasn’t for Matthias and theBratva, they would be dead already,” Vas pointed out logically. “This place is their second chance. Their second life. You need to accept and honor their dedication and, as it may be one day, their sacrifice.”

But I didn’t want anyone to sacrifice anything for me. I never had and never would. If it came down to it, I was more than happy to be the one to sacrifice my life for them. These students who had carved their bravery and survival onto my soul.

“I can’t do it!”

The sudden shrill proclamation caught my attention, and my eyes followed the sound back to a small brunette who faced off against a giant Roman.

“You can,” Roman growled. “You aren’t trying, Amika. You’re holding back. You’re hiding.”

“Coward, more like,” her partner, a boy I recognized by the name of Vadim, sneered.

“I. Am. Not. A. Coward,” Amika, shrieked. I saw the move before she made it, and so did Vadim. Amika leaped at him with a war cry, her body bouncing slightly off the grass as she surged forward, her fist clenched and ready to strike.

Amika missed Vadim’s face by a mile. He’d easily sidestepped her attack. Grabbing her wrist midair, he twisted it behind her back, using the momentum of her lunge to slam her hard into the ground.

Ouch, that had to hurt.

Amika cried out, a mix of pain and frustration as she wiggled and writhed beneath her captor.

“Let me go, you fucking egghead.”

Vadim chuckled.

“You gonna calm down, princess?” he taunted her. Amika growled and swung her free arm back at him. He caught that one with ease as well, locking it behind her back with the other.

“You’re going to regret this.”

“No,” I stepped forward. “You are if you think you can fight with all that pent up anger.”

“Pakhan.” Vadim instantly released Amika as if she were hot coal and stood, his shoulders tightening as he came to attention before him.

Then he was flat on his back.

I suppressed a small chuckle when Amika took Vadim’s legs out from under him.

“First lesson,” I smirked down at him. “Never turn your back on an enemy. Even in training.” Vadim took my offered hand, shooting Amika a freezing glare.

Damn. Polar ice caps, that one. I could feel the frost from here.

“Second lesson.” I turned my attention to Amika. “Getting angry will get you killed. Taunts and digs can only hurt you if you let them. I doubt he’s the first to call you a coward, and he certainly won’t be the last.”

Amika’s eyes widened as she stood and dusted herself off. “Yes, ma’am.” She came to attention. The entire training session had stopped, their eyes on me.

“He’s beating you so easily because you’re telegraphing your moves.” I noticed several times how easily predictable she was when she moved. “You’re dropping your shoulder before you strike, and your emotions play over your face like a newbie at VIP poker night.”

“Vadim is bigger than me,” she whined. I raised my brows at her statement, my eyes narrowing at her.

“And you think that’s what?” I hardened my voice. “Unfair?”

Amika lowered her attention to her feet and scuffed her shoes in the dirt, looking uncomfortable.

“Size doesn’t matter, Amika,” I told her. “What matters in a fight is using every tool you have available against your enemy. If he’s bigger and brawnier than you are, then he’s slower. So be quicker. Move your feet more. Wear him out before striking at him.

“Fighting is like seduction,” I continued. “Watch them. The way they move. The way they talk. Does he have light steps that will tell you how quickly he moves or heavier ones to tell you how slow? If you pay attention, everyone has a tell. Even Vadim and Roman. Find that tell, that weakness, and then exploit it without exploiting yourself.”

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