Page 29 of Mate of a Monster

“Holy shit—wait. If they grounded the dragons, doesn’t that leave their skies exposed?”

My hands stop working, and a frown pulls at my brow. Didn’t think of that.

I shake my head. “I don’t care.”

Zev lets out a quiet laugh. “You don’t care?” His head tilts. “Then why are you arming yourself like you’re about to march on the kingdom?”

I have no idea what he’s talking about until I follow his gaze to the branch in my hand.

I’ve shaped it like a blade.

Without answering him, I swing.

He barely manages to bring up his own weapon in time to block it.

The crack of wood against wood reverberates through my arms.

“There she is,” he murmurs.

We move at once, falling into the rhythm we’ve known since we were small enough to bleed over stupid things. He presses forward. I meet him. He ducks low. I pivot and strike from the side.

But something is different.

My body feels faster.

Not frantic or wild in the way I tend to get when I’m angry.

My movements are precise.

I step inside his guard before he expects it. My shoulder slams into his chest and sends him back a full step.

He stares at me. “You’re stronger.”

“Maybe, or maybe you’re slower?”

He grins beneath the mask and lunges.

I don’t retreat, swiftly whisper something under my breath—a word I don’t consciously choose—and the air around his feet shifts just enough to throw off his balance.

Focus.

Precision.

Thank you, Professor Astra.

He stumbles, catching himself at the last second. “Holy fuck.”

“Yeah,” I say, circling him. “It wasn’t all bad there. Learned a trick or two in Spell Chem class.”

“Impressive.”

“Good shit came from being kidnapped, who would have thought?”

“How was the dick?” he shoots back.

My mind throws him at me in pieces. His lips. His dick, heavy and thick. Then blond hair spills through his fingers, wound tight in his grip. Something inside me snaps.

I drive forward hard, pushing him back with a force that makes his boots skid across dirt. He laughs at first, but the sound changes when I don’t slow down.