Page 23 of Bound to Three Fae Beasts

“Are you trying to buy a lady of Alegro like a common whore?” Freta responded, a haughty arrogance to her voice.

Red flushed, then charged. Freta held her own against him for some time. It was clear by her quick movements and the way she defended herself that she’d received extensive training. She even managed to land a few blows on him, which only served to infuriate Red further. When she tripped him and kneed his face, he roared.

As he whirled, his arms lengthened. Before he could touch her, a flash of light blinded us all and they were both thrown apart. Each of them slammed into an opposite wall and dropped to the floor, gasping.

“No beast forms,” Thatcher drawled.

“Freta didn’t use her beast form, why was she punished, too?” I demanded, unable to stop myself. I wished I was a fae with a powerful beast so I could attack Thatcher and put him in his place. I wished that I could beat him the way he was letting the high fae beat the outcasts. I wished—

“Lord Seb, I expected better from your mentee,” Thatcher said. He turned toward Seb, who glared at me as though he wanted to rip my head off. The other students started to murmur to each other. “As her peer mentor, you should have taught her to respect authority by now. But let’s see what else you have taught her. Lord Seb, Miss Azriel, enter the fighting ring.”

Chapter 11 - Azriel

I stepped toward the ring, then stopped. A selection of knives and other weapons were contained in a glass case along the back of the pavilion, something that was magically bound to ensure students couldn’t get at them. I knew that because I’d tried to steal a knife from it and had gotten a shock that left my hand numb for a full day.

“Sir, it’s unfair for a late-binding fae to face off against someone as powerful as Lord Seb,” I said as I turned to Thatcher. “Can’t I have a weapon to defend myself with?”

“Weapons are not handed out for duels or during the binding trials. You will have what’s on your person and that’s it,” Thatcher replied coldly.

I repressed the urge to argue. I still had my knife on me, but did I want to reveal my secret weapon? If I used it now, then everyone would know I carried it on my person. On the other hand, I could maybe give Seb the credit for it, to puff up his public image? Not that he needed it. I was only thinking about myself. Making my competence to his credit might help to take some of the humiliation out of being publicly revealed as my peer mentor.

Given the look on his face, it wasn’t going to do much. I was in for a world of hurt here, and I had a feeling that the worse I lost to him—making him seem like a bad teacher—the worse my punishment was going to be.

“Miss Azriel,” Thatcher said sharply.

I bowed slightly to him and stepped into the fighting ring. Seb shifted to a fighting stance as the barrier around up popped up. I mirrored him. My experience with Kili taught me how to fight back, but my main strategy was always to run away. There was no running here. My mouth was dry as Seb feinted to one side then the next.

One of the fae that I didn’t know let out a harsh laugh. “You haven’t even taught her the proper stance? Some mentor!”

Oh, shit! I stiffened as Seb’s head swung around. With my heart in my throat, I leapt forward, throwing a punch at his face. He caught my wrist and before I knew it, I was on my black. He reared his fist back and slammed it toward my chest, but I managed to curl and twist so the blow hit the mats beneath us.

Some of the students watching laughed. I wasn’t sure what they were laughing at, but the result was the same. Seb’s face twisted in increased anger.

I twisted again, lifting my legs into the air. I hooked one knee around his throat and pushed hard, unbalancing him. His hands flew to grab my leg, but I was quicker than he expected. I flipped myself over and scrambled back to my feet, putting distance between us.

Right. I wasn’t going to get anywhere trying to be offensive. Best to play defense. Try to avoid getting beaten to a bloody pulp. Be smart.

Seb stood very still as he watched me. I stayed in a defensive crouch, the knife weighing heavy at my hip. His lip curled. Clearly, he was hoping I’d attack again. Patience. Wait it out. I didn’t have the strength to kill or fight him. Adrenaline pulsed through my body.

He came at me and I jumped to one side, evading the blows he sent my way. I was barely able to keep out of his reach. He tried to corner me, but I ducked under him and pushed his side, earning myself some space again. More laughter. His face darkened further. I desperately wished I could look to Freta and Silas for their advice.

I’d just decided that the best course of action would be to let him beat me and hope that it wouldn’t be so bad that I’d need a healing potion when he reached around his back and pulled out a knife. It was one of the dinner knives that had been served, too.

“Don’t look so scared,” Seb mocked as he came toward me. “Killing’s not allowed. Mr. Thatcher has enough healing potions here to take care of everything I’m going to do to you.”

“Great. Yeah, that makes me feel better,” I snapped back.

He adjusted his hold on the knife. “You should pay better attention to your lessons if you don’t want to pay the price.”

I could already see my blood spurting all over the place. If he chose to slit my throat, would I be healed? Or would that be the end of me?

“Maybe you should just cower like usual, hmm? Make it quick on yourself?” he taunted.

Was he pretending that he was giving me lessons? Or was this all just … you know what, it didn’t matter. If this was the bullies’ playground, if this was where the school hierarchy was formed, then screw it. I was tired of playing his game and trying to spare his ego. It wasn’t as though that would help me out any in the long run!

I drew my own knife and shrank smaller, the way I always did with Kili. Seb’s eyes flickered to the blade, surprise crossing his face. It was followed by something I couldn’t read, then he came at me again. He didn’t hold back, moving so quickly that every time I went for an escape, he was there. His knife thrust at my chest, and I deflected with my arm. The blade cut into the back of my wrist and sliced all the way to my elbow.

I stabbed his shoulder. It bounced off bone and caught in his shirt, but blood bloomed all the same. Seb let out a soft hiss, inaudible over my own cry.