Page 121 of The Gods Veiling
We’re vicious with our attacks. Neither of us holds back even as our training swords start chipping away. Her foot catches on one of her unconscious friends behind her and I don’t waste a second.
I plunge one weapon into her stomach, and the other, I turn at an angle. The flat side of the sword slaps across her face and the clap of it echoes louder than her bellow.
My shoulders rise and fall with my rapid pants as I take a staggering step back. My fingers are killing me with how tightly they’re wrapped around the smooth handles.
I tilt my head to the sun when a slow clap and a chuckle sounds from behind me.
Damn it. I forgot about the one who started this.
Every single fiber in my body hurts as I force it to rotate around.
“I’ll admit that was incredibly impressive. Mellcom did a fine job with you just as he claimed.”
Mara kicks the girl I hit in the neck until she rolls over. She bends down to grab the discarded sword and slashes it through the air a few times to get a feel for it. She expertly adds the second one, loosens her arms, and cracks her neck.
I swallow harshly, then choke back the gag that threatens to come up when I realize that was a glob of blood that just went down my throat.
“Let’s see how much more strength has settled since the Veiling.”
Fuck me. I also forgot her domain is under Gladian.
The cry that tears through her throat as she charges me has my eyes widening and my body screaming at me to run as far and as fast as I can. My stubborn mind, on the other hand, bellows I don’t think so.
I can’t surrender now.
My chest pulls taut, and I lock my jaw to ignore it.
She’s coming in quick, and her fierce determination is evident. Hell, maybe she’s afraid of how Gladian will react if I were to get the best of her. Whatever it is, my soul calling for me can’t be a distraction right now.
If I’m going down, I’m going to take this ass beating like a champ.
Our four swords clash together above our heads and splinter to pieces. The wood chips rain down on me, but neither of us relents with the scraps we hang on to.
Holy shit…
The difference in strength between Mara and the girls I just faced off with is astronomical. She’s most certainly the strongest person I’ve ever encountered in my life.
A scream rips through me when she rotates her wrists and slices me across the knuckles with the jagged wood. My feet begin to slide from the force she’s pressing down on me. My bellow becomes one not of pain but pressure. All the air in my body escapes me as I try to push back as hard as I can.
She grunts in frustration, then slings our arms apart and I stagger back. The shards of wood pierce the ground where she throws them, and she balls her fists in front of her.
Fuck. She’s about to pound my face in.
My lungs shrivel in my ribs when strong arms wrap around me from behind. Across from me, Gladian snatches Mara back. I buck against the chest holding me, then fall still when his lips touch my ear.
“That was so hot, sweet T. I’ve always wondered how you’d fare against other women.”
With a disgusted grunt, my heel slams into Jeremiah’s shin. He drops me, and I turn around and punch him right in his smug smirk.
“Don’t ever fucking touch me again.”
“Thayla.”
My feet practically leave the ground when Mellcom snatches me around. I shove against his chest until he lets me go. I’m tempted to clock his ass as well, but the furious glint in his eye, paired with the knowledge he now has a domain under the God of Pain, holds me back.
That thought didn’t really run through my mind about Jeremiah, but I can now see the error of that.
“What was this, Mellcom, a fucking test? Did you two tell her to do that to me?”
