Page 101 of Vicious Princess
Blinking, I look at where the door slams shut in her wake. Not even a minute later, she comes back with two Ezkai. Daegel waits for them to chain the thrashing prisoner before getting back on his feet.
He didn’t even break a sweat.
Not a single hair is out of place on his damn head.
I have toforcemyself to look away from him before I climb him like a tree in front of the whole damn group.
The Ezkai escort the prisoner, who’s cursing Daegel and everyone else in this room in the most colorful Ekiosh words I’ve ever heard, out of the training hall.
“Fuck me,” Roman whispers.
“Right,” I murmur back.
Ezkai Cassandra clears her throat. “Well, that didn’t go too well, now, did it? Cadet Quang, why don’t you make your way to the mender’s office? I think you’ve had enough for today.”
White as a sheet of paper, Quang shuffles out of the training hall.
The moment the door closes behind him, Ezkai Cassandra turns to the rest of us. “Who’s next?”
This time around, no hands rise.
She scans our group with pursed lips. Thankfully, before she can pick a random cadet, KatafuckingNightingale charges forwards.
The redhead doesn’t bother to draw blades or pull out her bow. She stands tall and confident in front of the line of prisoners. Even when the next set of iron chains drops to the ground and the seven-foot-tall fae with shoulders almost as wide as the door takes a heavy step forwards.
The prisoner eyes her up and down. Kata lifts her chin.
I startle and back away a step when the prisoner roars with fury. The sound bounces off the walls. He beats his fists on his muscular chest so hard, I think his ribs may break.
I might get lucky if this giant takes her out today.
My eyes bounce back and forth between Kata—calm and collected, her gaze sharp as the blades strapped to her waist—and the giant, who’s turning red from all the damn rage.
He charges at her, so angry that I can see the steam coming out of his ears. Kata remains rooted in place, unmoving.What the fuck is she doing?
Another step and the giant will flatten her to the ground.
Before he can even reach her, his steps halt.
He falters, clawing at his chest. The horror mixed with shock on his face twists my guts.
With bloodshot eyes and a groan, he sinks to his knees and falls over to his side. Kata’s eyes remain on him until he draws one last ragged breath.
Ringing silence settles.
“Anger-induced heart attack,” Ezkai Cassandra says. She claps for Kata. “Very smart, Cadet Nightingale. Next, please.”
Kata dips her chin in acknowledgment and heads our way.
“I think Wildarrow is ready to go next,” Kata says sweetly right as she takes a spot next to me. I glare at her. She leans closer to me and whispers, “Try not to die,yrathi. I’m not done with you yet.”
“Cadet Wildarrow, would you like to go next?” Ezkai Cassandra pulls my attention away from Kata.
I lift my chin and step forwards. “Sure thing, Ezkai Cassandra.”
I ignore my racing heart and sweating palms as I stand in the middle of the hall. With one deep inhale and exhale, I shut out the noise and the gazes from other cadets.
Daegel’s shape lingers at the edge of my sight, but I don’t focus on him as I inspect the third prisoner. A very regular-looking fae with the tip of one ear missing. His sandy-colored eyes match his hair.
