Page 106 of The Serpent’s Shadow

I lowered my shield and sword, frowning at her.

“You’re outside the lines, initiate. You just got flung off a cliff. Bout, Grim.” Osfen’s voice was emotionless as he proclaimed my victory.

Ravinica flared her nostrils at me from her back.

The look I gave her rang in my head.You’re better than that, love. On your feet now. Fight me andbeatme!

She sprang up from her palms, dusted them off, and grabbed her sword and shield without a word.

We stepped into the Sticks.

She charged at me this time, arms wheeling. She moved swiftly. I kept up with my swinging shield, getting lucky a few times by sliding her sword off the center boss of my board.

Being lucky was just as good as being skilled, in my mind. It all led to the same place: Victory.

Our eyes met, swords moving in a rhythm, thudding off one another with wooden clashes. She pushed forward, I swung to the side. She followed my step, wheeling, and met my blade before I could swing it over her delectable ass.

Ravinica met me swing for swing. She didn’t show any signs of letting up or tiring, which surprised me. It was like Magnus with his bloody abilities.

And that was when I suspected she was trying to emulate his strategy, after seeing him succeed.

I punched my shield left, at her face—

Already moving with a feint of my right hand, sword arcing down as her attention diverted to my shield.

I watched her eyes swivel, and knew I had her again.

Then pain lanced through my middle.

I grunted, stepping back.

Ravinica was down on one knee, in the same place I’d left her, with her eyes focused off to the side. But her sword was sticking up like a pigsticker, away from her, and I’d run right into it with my downward attack.

I smiled. She’d tricked me masterfully—pretending she was distracted by my shield-feint, eyes in that direction, and then hiding the upward trajectory of her bladewithmy shield.

By the time I’d been halfway cocked with my arm, stepping into her guard to finish the bout, she had been two steps ahead and already “impaled” me.

“Bout, Ravinica,” Osfen said with some life in his voice. “You just ran yourself through on her blade, Grim.”

Some students grumbled. Others clapped—Randi loudest of all. Despite the little lass losing her bouts, she was there to cheer on her friend.

I lowered my arms, the smile widening on my face as Ravinica stood to her full height. There was a reason I called her by the nickname I’d chosen. “Congratulations, little sn—”

“Again,” she announced, loudly. Face solemn, focused.

Creases formed in my forehead. Students who had been meandering off stopped, looking over their shoulders at her with surprise.

“You’ve passed,” I said. “There’s no need for a—”

“There are three bouts, yes?” This, to Hersir Osfen.

The professor pulled at his beard, as confused as I was. With a shrug, he said, “Erm, I suppose. It’s not bestofthree. You’ve already scored a point. You passed. A third bout is not necess—”

“I challenge you regardless, Kollbjorn,” she interrupted.

My confused expression flattened, taking in the severity of her claim.This is her moment . . . and she knows it.

Slowly, my lips upturned with a crooked smile. “Challenge accepted, little sneak.”

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