already, and I would have been too, but one of our suitemates had taken forever in the bathroom—again—and since she was competing, I had patiently waited.
Maybe I’d get paired up with her and have an excuse to kick her ass? I was seriously tired of her drama and diva act when it came to our shared bathroom.
“Where is your head? Are you worried?” Craftsman asked me quietly.
“No, just hoping I can use this to smack my suitemate around,” I confessed, shrugging when he gave me a surprised look. “This is who I am.” I increased my pace, considering the nerve the conversation struck with me and how he hadn’t wanted me.
“I know, and I love that person,” he breathed. “I will always love who you are.”
I didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t sound like I wasn’t trying to start a fight, but I couldn’t say nothing as if I accepted that. “I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t blame you, but one day you will.”
We ran out of time as we arrived, which worked since I didn’t have a response anyways. Instead of focusing on Craftsman, I wracked my brain on what I knew about the tournament and the changes Mel had made. Random lottery. Everything was random lottery from the matchups, to if and what weapons were used, going down the list until we got all of them.
Right, so all facets of the training she was teaching. Got it.
“Good luck, love,” Craftsman whispered when we reached where I had to enter. “Kick all their asses.”
I flinched, glancing at him over my shoulder. “You’re at least six months too late saying that to me, and it doesn’t matter now coming from you.” I didn’t give him a chance to reply, storming off and ready to do all the battles they could throw at me to get out what I was feeling.
Hell, I was glad to have an excuse to bash some faces in.
“Why are you here? I mean down here?” Izzy asked me as I moved over by her.
“Another trap,” I muttered, glancing all around. I found where the vampire council was in the stands and could see well enough to catch the smug expressions.
But the warlock elders had them too. Ainsworth looked about salivating.
Something was seriously wrong.
“Tams!” Izzy hissed at me, giving me a shake. “Are you okay?”
I sighed, realizing she’d been talking to me. “Yeah, sure. Just worried what they’re up to now.”
“Fuck them. You got this. You’re the best here by far.”
I blinked at her. Yes, yes I was, and they had to know that.
So what were they setting up for when all eyes were on me? Those were confident smiles expecting to watch someone special fall.
I didn’t have much time to consider it given I didn’t arrive with the others. Mel shot me a few worried glances, but I nodded I was fine. The magical boards announced the pairings, and we were starting with staffs. Not my best, but again, I had already placed out of the class, and I ended up being paired with a freshman guy who was fairly clueless.
So I won almost immediately.
After a short break, we were paired up and went hand to hand. I got matched with a Physical Training III female dragon and still won fast. She was agreeable about it.
What was the setup? Where were they going to try and go for me?
Another break, and then we were using swords. I’d long since learned to tone down how good I was in public as it raised all the eyebrows. But I won against a freshman female who dropped her sword, since they’d barely used them yet.
I was getting anxious. I couldn’t find the answer.
Two more rounds and different weapons and it hit me… Well the over-the-top cheering did.
For Blake Ward. People had hated her at the end of last year and yet, the vampires had rallied around her. And she’d been dying to fight me after getting back on campus. She’d thrown a fucking fit when she’d learned I’d placed out of all the Physical Trainings.
Plus, Mel had had to place her in Physical Training III, and that had shocked Mel. Blake had been training on her year off from Artemis.
To fight me.
It sounded so fucking pathetic and stupid, I almost dismissed it… But it tracked. She could not let it go that I had beaten her. I could absolutely see that psycho go all-out in getting revenge and focus on kicking my ass. In front of everyone was even