Page 120 of Trivium

The sight of Lennox covered in blood sent a fierce, protective rage coursing through her.

The old Ahmina would have trouble remembering her fight stances—how to position her body just right, how much strength to put behind her throw, exactly the angle to flick her wrist. She would succumb to whatever Barrow wished, whatever anyone wished, if it meant she would be respected and admired.

If it meant she would be worth something.

She came to the Academy to gain power and it had been the one thing constantly taken from her. Discovering her magic changed all that. Because now she didn’t need to acquire power. She had it, crawling under her skin, just waiting to be unleashed.

All she had to do was learn how to use it.

But now, standing there, she knew she was willing to give it all up. Everything she had worked for at the Academy. Her dream of becoming a Defender. Her reputation. She would sacrifice every last bit of it if it meant ending Barrow’s hold on her and protecting Lennox.

Taking one deep breath, she threw her chakram with deadly precision.

She would accept the consequences, whatever they were.

Barrow’s growl was confirmation. Bullseye. It tore up his neck, and he reached to cover the blood that gushed down his chest. He fell back against the rocky shoreline, his head lolling back as he lost consciousness.

“Nice shot,” Lennox said panting, a beautifully crooked smile splitting across his face. Her heart squeezed just looking at him. Sweat made his shirt cling to his body, showing off his defined shoulders and abs. His hair, wet from the rain, was dark, wavy, and hung in his eyes.

His eyes.

Those kaleidoscope eyes captivated her from day one, and even now, they made her stomach flutter.

He looked unfairly hot, even with his arm sliced open.

Only then did she realize her body burned as though it had caught fire—and she relished in it. The way Lennox looked just added fuel, surging her inner flame.

“Give me your dagger so I can finish this.” She would puncture Barrow’s heart, and this would all be over.

“Make it deep,” Lennox encouraged, passing her his dagger and reaching for his sword instead. She spun, plunging the dagger down with every ounce of strength she had left, but the blade only punctured the shoreline. All that remained in Barrow’s place was a heap of blood-soaked rocks. He had disappeared. Vanished into thin air.

“He’s gone,” she said in shock.

Lennox’s eyes were glued to her, and she glared back. For the first time since Ahmina met him, his eyes were wilder than his hair. His pupils dilated as he searched her face.

“Don’t worry, we will get him next time.” He breathed, his voice deep and low.

“Next time?”

“He won’t go far. He’s about to bleed out. Which was all you, by the way.” The way the sides of his mouth and eyes playfully crinkled made her stomach flip. She swallowed, taking in everything that had just happened.

“Fighting you and that psychopath in the Goddess-damned rain will be the end of me.” Lennox shook his head ever so slightly, the side of his lip curling up.

“You weren’t fighting me this time,” Ahmina said between breaths.

He licked his bottom lip and bit down. “Thank the Goddess for that because I barely made it out alive the first time.”

“I didn’t even hurt you the first time.”

“You didn’t have to.” His eyes searched hers intensely and she knew. She knew. That day in the rain, she had watched Lennox’s eyes rage as Barrow wrapped his arms around her. “Watching you with Barrow like that made me sick.”

“I thought you despised me.”

“Despised you?” He ran his hands through his wet hair. “Fuck, Ahmina. I craved you. Ever since I met you in the library and you told me your weird-girl theory about the lost cities, I couldn’t get enough of you.”

Ahmina couldn’t have stopped herself, even if she tried. They crashed together with magnetic, unstoppable force as she launched herself at him and jumped into his arms, her legs wrapping around his hips. Lennox dropped the sword he had been holding and tugged her against him. Every feeling she had pushed down came bubbling up to the surface. Her hands furiously searched his wild hair.

And she kissed him.