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I peeked into the hole and followed her in. The moment my feet hit, I went to my knees. Dianna’s sword hit the metal just above my head and stuck. Her eyes blazed as she yanked the blade from the wall.
I rose and stepped to the side, out of her reach. “How did you get so good at wielding a sword? You despise swords.”
She rushed forward, and I blocked the swipe she aimed at me. I held her there for a few seconds, the force behind her strike tenfold. She leaned in close and smiled, snapping canines sharp as the blade she wielded. Her first shot connected with my jaw hard enough to send me into the neighboring wall. I pushed off, ducking once more as she swung, the blade sparking against the wall where I’d stood.
“You can only perfect something if you train.” She tossed my words back at me in a mocking voice. “Another lesson you taught me.”
“Oh, so you do pay attention to what I say?”
A pipe burst where she had struck the wall, sending a plume of steam hissing into the hallway.
“You know, I saw you on the screen, prancing around and smiling at those stupid mortals as if nothing had happened. So precious, telling everyone how they have nothing to fear. What a joke you are.” She stalked me through the gray steam, spinning the blade as she rotated her wrist.
“I have to maintain face, Dianna. That’s all that was. You know that. The mortals are already in an uproar.”
“Yes, you looked so miserable with everyone practically drooling over you.”
A thought crossed my mind. “Is that how I looked? How long did you stare at me?”
She moved again, and I blocked it.
“He put her on display, Samkiel, just like that, and you go on there like it meant nothing. Lie to me again about how much you care for me,” she growled, her foot shooting out to kick me in the chest. I flew back, the wall groaning as my body hit. I rubbed at the lingering ache in my sternum and stood. Yes, she was definitely stronger and meaner. As I caught my breath, her words sank in.
“Dianna. I have to make the world, the mortals, feel safe so The Council of Hadrameil stays away. That’s all. I would never willingly do anything to cause you more pain.”
Steam continued to billow from the pipe, filling the hall with a thin fog. I could only see her red glowing eyes and silhouette as she took a step back, then another.
“I wouldn’t worry about me being in pain,” she said with a smile, her white teeth flashing in the gloom.
One minute she was there, and then the next, gone. I shot to my feet and dashed to where she had been. Smoke twined around my body, but the corridor was empty.
“Fuck,” I growled under my breath, another word Dianna had taught me spilling from my lips. She was baiting me, feeling for him, zeroing in on his location, and once I was far enough away that I couldn’t reach her, she’d vanished.
I turned, summoning the ablazed weapon back into my ring before darting down the hall. Knowing I wouldn’t reach him before she did, I stopped and portalled, reappearing outside the metal door. I grabbed the lever and yanked, ripping the door from its hinges. Santiago jumped, his eyes wide with fear and shock. Not giving him time to react, I reached inside and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, pulling him out.
“You look terrible,” he said, his face grim as he took in the cuts and blood on my jacket. I had not noticed how many swipes she had gotten in during our battle, but apparently, she had done some damage.
I dragged him along, looking down every hallway and around every corner, waiting for her to appear. I was surprised she hadn’t gotten to him yet. Santiago caught on to my unease and hurried to keep pace with me.
“You know I could have just portalled both of us out of here if you hadn’t taken my fucking hands.”
“Shut up,” I snapped, reaching the end of the hall. I peered right and left, but the only movement was the shadows created by the dull flashing of the lights. I pushed Santiago toward the right and the exit sign at the end of the hallway.
“Why are you protecting me?”
My shoulders bunched as I stopped and spun to face him, forcing him to take a step back. “I’m not,” I said from between gritted teeth.
“Sure looks like it,” Dianna purred from the other end of the hall.
Santiago’s eyes went wide, his gaze focusing behind me. I turned slowly to face Dianna. She leaned against the wall, tapping the forsaken sword against the tip of her heel. How had she snuck up on me? This was the second time.
“Why can I not feel you anymore?” My brows furrowed, and I heard Santiago gulp behind me.
Her eyes connected with mine. She shrugged, pushing off the wall and twirling the sword in her hand, just like I had taught her. “It’s a secret, and we’re not best friends anymore.”
My lip curled, ready to tell her once more how deeply I loathed that word, but Santiago whispered behind me. “You are more Kaden than ever before.”
“Something like that.” A slow half-smile crept over her face. “Are you ready to die now?”
