Page 75 of Wings of Ashes
“Running or jogging?” Nix asked, ready to run off some of her suppressed anger.
“Whatever you can handle.”
Nix scowled at that, taking it as an insult.
Ryker arched an eyebrow at her glare. Okay, maybe he did not mean it as an insult. Maybe he truly meant he would accept whatever she was able to give.
How come a vicious and violent dragon shifter was nicer than whatever the heck Graeves was?
More lies from the cygni clan?Growing up, the Oadess family told Nix that all dragons were heartless murderers.
For the first time, Nix managed to run the entire mile. Her side ached and throbbed, but she finished the run with a huge, prideful grin splitting her face.
Ryker’s lips just barely curled at the edges when he nodded at her job well done.
“Can I learn some of the fighting moves now?” Nix asked him, eying the rest of the class running through different drills on the grass.
“You wish to fight?”
“I wish to prepare for what’s coming,” Nix replied cryptically.
Blurring from supernatural speed, Ryker moved to stand an inch from her. His tall, brawny body cast her in shade as it blocked the sun. He tipped his chin down to make eye contact with her.
“Someone has…threatened you?” he spoke in his slow, jagged manner, like each word leaving his lips required effort. Why was that?
Nix shrugged. Technically, Astrid and the other mean girl had threatened her with an “or else,” but that did not scare Nix. The uncertain future did. “I need to become stronger and learn to fight. It’s the only reason I signed up for this class.”
Ryker’s gaze scanned her face, as if trying to read something written in her pores. “We start with muscle. Endurance.”
“I don’t have time to build muscle and endurance. Can’t I do that while I learn fancy tricks?” she asked impatiently.
“Without muscle, you will fail,” he grunted. “Without endurance, you will die.”
“The likelihood of me having more muscle or endurance than my attacker is extremely unlikely,” Nix admitted.
No matter how many days she went to the gym for weight training, any male alpha would naturally have more strength than she could ever build.That pisses me off too.
There was so muchangerinside her today.
“Either you teach me how to fight a bigger, stronger person, or I march up to Graeves and practice on him.”
“Graeves?” Ryker repeated.
“He has an extremely kickable face.”
“Kickable?”
“He’s tall, but I can be flexible when it’s necessary,” Nix replied.
Ryker’s lips twitched again. Fighting off a smile? He tilted his head and gave her a once-over. A soft blush colored her cheeks when his gaze caught on her legs again.
“Are you worried I’ll kill Bael after you teach me some wicked combat moves?”
Ryker snorted.
“Or are you worried I’ll teach the other women in this school how to protect themselves until none of them need to cater to you alphas anymore for protection?”
Ryker’s half-smile was obliterated from his face.
