a prize wally.”
“Hey, Ms. Jules is always harping on about patience and modesty.” Genie grabbed his proffered hand and helped him up. “I’ve learned modesty by getting floored 99% of the time—or maybe that’s humility. And I’ve learned patience by persevering to reach that 1%.”
“Well earned, lass.” Marcel dusted himself off and tightened the belt of his judogi variation. “I could’ve done without the gawping spectators, but there’s nae shame in losing.” He nodded toward the observers behind the training-room glass. “You only learn how to win by taking a whole lot of hits first.” His eyes sought mine with a pointed nod, and I heard his encouragement loud and clear.
If I’m ever going to get out of last place, I need to up my game. Poring over books and absorbing endless notes came easy to me, but I sometimes forgot that the physical part of my training also needed care and attention outside of lessons. It wasn’t enough to prance around in my bedroom, trying to kick seven bells out of imaginary attackers. I needed to learn from my mistakes and come back harder and faster and fitter than before, which meant cardio, and maybe persuading Genie to spar with me. Or perhaps I could ask Teddy or Dauda to step in, to imitate battling with physically bigger opponents. Either way, I wanted to show everyone that both of us SDC women were a force to be reckoned with.
Marcel smiled, unfazed by the loss. “After that, I need a sit down, so yez can scoot early and sort out your aches and pains. Persie, you know where the broom is, aye?”
“Aye,” I mimicked.
Ayperi shouldered her backpack, while the others were already halfway out the door. “Do you want us to get you anything from the canteen?”
“Not today, thanks. I’ve got to go see Ms. Jules and then come back here to sweep the decks, so I’ll grab something later,” I replied, grateful for the offer.
She smiled. “We’ll be hanging around the rec room after, if you change your mind.” Her gaze turned to Genie, who never left before I finished sweeping. “That was awesome. I’ve got a feeling we’ll still be talking about that at graduation.”
“Hopefully you’ll all have gotten the better of me by then,” Marcel retorted as he, too, made his way from the dojo.
Genie had put in the work, and it had paid off. She ran for pleasure, for crying out loud. But it served as a double reminder that I needed to start making changes to my fitness regimen. I glanced out of the dojo window, where the sea frothed in the distance, stormy and carrying a chill in the air—not one I could feel, but one I could sense in the slate gray of the sky and the shiver of the waves. The tides could turn in my favor. It was all in my hands now.
Fall was on its way. It had always been my favorite season, filled with warmth and burnt colors, and I had a feeling that this one was really going to be the making of me.
Two
Persie
Ten minutes later, I sat in Victoria’s office for one of our daily half-hour sessions, which sort of made Marcel’s early finish meaningless for me. She’d cancelled this morning’s tutorial and rescheduled it for the end of the day, but I didn’t fancy stretching my evening out further than I had to. I hoped I could catch her a little early and make quick work of the dojo once I was done. Genie had gone to do some private study, with a promise to meet me back at the dojo afterward. I just had to send a text and she’d be there to keep me company, grateful not to have to pore over Gatsby’s Encyclopedia of Monster Anatomy, a book so heavy you had to wheel it on a cart to your study spot.
“You look tired. Are you eating and sleeping properly?” Victoria began, not very flatteringly. “Has there been a Purge I do not know about?”
I shook my head. “I think I’m just starting to look like a student. Twelve-hour days have a way of catching up to a person.”
“Yes, perhaps.” She gave a small sniff which I guessed was supposed to be a chuckle. “Now, how are you getting on with your Euphoria techniques? It’s been a few days since we discussed that, but I do believe it may be key to unlocking voluntary Purges.”
“I… keep trying, but nothing really happens,” I admitted.
“Even