Page 30 of Called By Fate

My anger with her bubbles over. “One more outburst and I’m putting you on toilet cleaning duty for a month, Merri. Respect me and my mate or get the fuck out.”

Hemsworth chortles. “Oh, he told you, bitch.”

Damn that dog. It takes everything in me to keep from cracking a smile. I can’t say the same for everyone else though. Several of them are covering up their laughs with a cough or chuckling behind their hands. Others have confusion on their faces. Right, I forget not everyone is used to Hemsworth talking. They’ll figure it out eventually.

Sadie stares her up and down. "Trust me when I say I want to take the Elders down as much as everyone else. Take a ticket and get in line."

A tiny bit of respect flashes in Merri’s eyes, but it’s gone in a flash. Is she testing Sadie? Her thoughts are neutral at the moment, probably knowing I can read them. Either way, I’m going to have to keep an eye on her and Jack.

"Yeah, shut up, Merri. Only you and Jack have issues with this. What if she’s the one?” Auryen asks, confirming my suspicions.

Merri throws her hands up in surrender and storms off the training mat with Jack trailing after her. Everyone else also leaves the mat, giving Sadie and Hades the room they need to spar, but secretly they just want to watch. Heavy doses of anticipation and thoughts of curiosity permeate the room.

Sadie looks Hades up and down with a smirk. He smooths his sweat-slicked, black hair out of his face, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "Let's see what you've got, Hades. Is magic allowed?"

He shrugs. "Sure," he says, essentially signing his death warrant. I barely hide my chuckle behind my hand.

The way Sadie's face lights up with an evil grin confuses him and he shoots me a quick look, but I school my features, not giving anything away. He shakes it off and they take their fighting stances across from one another.

"I bet I can take you down in less than five seconds," she tells him confidently, bouncing on her toes to get her blood pumping.

Hades scoffs. "Pfft. You're on, Weaver. Someone count us off?"

"I got you," Jack calls out with glee. He’s a short, ruddy sort of dude that I’ve never really liked. Thankfully, we haven’t interacted much until now. He and Merri watch from their spots on the far side of the mat, away from me and my Circle. "Take her down."

Hades taunts Sadie and lunges for her, going for a takedown straight away. Big mistake, bud. Sadie is light and agile on her feet. Not to mention has way more experience than I know Hades has. She’s not going down so easily. The corner of my lip turns up.

"One," Jack shouts.

Sadie dodges expertly and he goes sailing past her, stumbling until he manages to catch himself. Meanwhile, Sadie is calling her shadows to her and they come slithering from the floor, solely at her command. She looks completely badass like this and hell if my dick doesn’t awaken at the sight. I mentally scold it because now isn’t the time or place… but soon.

"Two."

All it takes is for her to lift one tendril, wrapping it around his ankle for her to trip him. Hades’ face morphs into shock as he hits the mat with anoomph. Every single one of her mates, myself included, is smug as fuck for her.

Until Jack says, "Three," in disbelief. "No fucking way! I call foul. That wasn't even sparring. She used her damn magic."

"Which was allowed, per Hades’ rules," I remind him, barely keeping a snarl from my voice.

Hades pops up from the ground, rubbing his hands together. He laughs and extends his hand for a fist bump, which Sadie returns. "He's right, bro. Sadie won fair and square." Then to her, he says, "The real question is, can you spar without your magic?"

Sadie smiles. "Of course, I can. Ready for me to hand you your ass again in round two? I may need more than five seconds this time though."

Hades grunts. “I’m ready all right. This time I won’t be taking it easy on you.”

He shoots me a look and says,way to warn a dudeto me in his thoughts. I chuckle and shake my head.

“Psh, that was me taking it easy on you, bro,” Sadie taunts and dives in with a jab that he barely misses. She smirks and says, “Prepare yourself.”

Glancing around, I notice the room has shifted. Most of them are looking at her with varying degrees of respect. Some are even in awe already, and she barely tipped the surface of what she can with her shadow ability.

Just like that. She’s already turning the tide in her favor exactly like I knew she would.

* * *

Sadie sparswith the Light Weavers for hours, learning their moves and getting a feel for everyone's actions. Honestly, she's a fucking vision. If someone's takedown form is wrong, she corrects it. Their stance is off? She fixes it. Their thumbs aren’t tucked in while throwing a punch? Oof. She chastises them about the possibility of breaking it. But honestly, she's learning as much from them as they are from her.

And more than a few of the men are jealous of me, and that makes me smug as fuck.

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