held the position of power, he nodded at Connor. The dynamics of their relationship had definitely changed.
Seeing the muscles of Rawson’s body tense as he shifted his weight, I jumped back, only just missing the kick that he aimed my way. I adjusted the angle of my body, making myself a smaller target. Rawson was stronger than me, and quick, but he didn’t know the ways I’d learned to fight in Faerie. I dropped my body weight, and on the ball of one foot, spun with one leg stretched straight and took out his leading foot. It gave me a split second to lift myself up and smash my fist into his kidneys while he was off balance. I hoped his healing abilities were still working. I bounced out of the way as he followed me, unleashing a combination of super fast punches. Within a moment, I was face down on the mat with my arm twisted painfully up my back.
“Concede.”
I tried to twist out of his hold and get enough freedom to attack.
He tried again. “Ember, tap out.”
“Ember, you need to know when to give in. Rawson won’t break your arm—unless I tell him to, but your future opponents will. Tap out.”
I glared at Connor, not willing to give in.
Rawson put the arm lock on harder.
Connor raised his brows at me, but his face was tight, his jaw muscles clenched. His eyes flickered to Rawson before his dark gaze fixed on me.
Pain blazed in my shoulder, and I couldn’t hold back a screech.
“Ember…” Connor growled, his hands fisted. “Gods dammit all, concede!” He looked at me, his nostrils flared and his eyes turned wholly black. Power thickened the air.
I clenched my teeth. I had to concede. Being stubborn was putting Rawson in danger, if Connor’s face was anything to go by. I slapped the palm of my free hand on the mat, twice.
Rawson released me and stood, holding his hand out. I scowled, and reluctantly took it. Once on my feet, I shook out my arm and shoulder until the pain receded.
Rawson watched me with a slight frown dipping his brows. “You’re still so stubborn.”
“Yeah, well, what can I say, surviving on your own will do that to a person. And I hate to lose. If you lose, you die.” And that had always been true, whether I’d been in Faerie when the royal guards hunted me and Blue down, or in the shadowed streets of London.
Connor closed the distance between us until his shoulder brushed mine. Almost as if he was trying to get as close as possible without actually touching me. “We didn’t leave you on purpose,” he said quietly, his eyes cerulean.
Rawson stepped closer too, his fingers brushing mine. “We didn’t, neither did Lyss.”
Of course they hadn’t, I knew that, but it didn’t change the fact that life was unpredictable, and something evil was happening in this place that instinct told me could take them from me in an instant.
“And you’re right, giving in or losing will result in you dying in here. So we are going to retrain you to never end up in that kind of vulnerable position again,” Connor said firmly.
I nodded and blew out a steadying breath. I didn’t know what was going on, or why all these people were training so hard, but it was clear both Connor and Rawson wanted me to be as strong as I could be. I wasn’t so wrapped up in myself I’d turn that down.
“Okay.”
They both looked at me then each other, their brows raised.
“What?” My eyes narrowed.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing.”
They both said at the same time.
Connor grinned. “I’m impressed, Firecracker.”
“At what?” What was there about my last words that would be impressive?
“That you can be reasonable, and make a sensible decision about something I suggested, without arguing with me.”
Before I had a chance to give a suitably snarky response, Stone jumped into the ring. Whilst glaring at me, he indicated with his head that he needed to talk to Connor.
I had no idea why Stone detested me so much, but I didn’t care. I smiled back sweetly.
Stone curled his lip before he whispered something in Connor’s ear. I strained my ears trying to use my wolf’s senses to help me, but, of course they knew the right volume to use. Stone glanced at me again, and scowled—again. With no shirt on, and covered in a sheen of sweat, which only served to define the cut of muscle over his powerful body, I conceded he looked almost as