PUNCH. PUNCH. JAB. PUNCH. DUCK.

“Again,” Theo commanded.

We were both covered in sweat. We’d been working on hand-to-hand combat for a good two hours now. I was exhausted but he kept pushing me, because he insisted you never knew how long a fight might last so I needed to build my stamina. I didn’t argue with him, because I knew he was right. I wouldn’t tell him, though—telling Theo he was right would give him bragging rights for a solid year.

My breath came out raggedly, and I flicked a piece of sweat-dampened hair from my eyes.

Punch.

Duck.

Jab.

Jab.

Punch.

“Good,” Theo crooned. “You’re getting quicker.”

I laughed. “Soon I might even be better than you.”

It was his turn to chuckle. “Don’t go getting cocky on me now, doll face.”

“Me? Cocky? Never,” I chortled, dancing on the balls of my feet.

He came for me and I blocked his punch. He chuckled and danced away. I crouched down and quickly jabbed at his side, landing a punch.

“Ooh.” He smiled proudly, not at all fazed by my punch. I knew it’d been a good one too, he’d probably get a bruise, but I’m sure he was used to it enough for it not to bother him too much.

I backed away, bracing my arms in front of my face. He threw a punch at my face and I dodged it, but I found out quickly he’d only been trying to distract me. He lowered and rushed me, tackling me to the ground.

“Oomph.” The air rushed out of my lungs as I landed on the ground with him on top of me. Since we were in the library there were no cushy mats to cushion my fall.

“Hey.” He grinned.

“Always want to get on top of me, don’t you?” I joked.

Before he could come back with a sarcastic retort I brought my knee up and shoved it into his stomach. He gasped as the air left his lungs and rolled off me clutching at his stomach. I hopped up and positioned my fists at the ready.

“Fuck,” he gasped. Catching his breath, he lay flat on his back. “We’re done for the day. I call it.”

I laugh, smiling triumphantly and let my hands fall. “I think I won.”

“Keep dreaming.”

He sat up and let his head fall. When he finally looked at me again, his eyes were full of worry.

“What? What’s wrong?”

He shook his head and let out a breath. “I feel like time’s running out.”

“What do you mean?” I whispered the question, but I already knew what he meant.

He toyed with his lip ring. “I have this antsy sense that something is brewing and we’re not going to like what it is.”

“What do we do? Leave?”

He sighed and slowly gathered to his feet. “Right now, this is the safest place for you. If I feel like we need to leave, we will.”

“What about Adelaide? Will she come with us?”

His eyes shuttered. “She’s not my charge. I’m not bound to protect her. It … it would be wrong of me to bring her with us.”

“We can’t leave her,” I told him. “We can’t.”

He pressed his lips together. “It’s too soon to think about this anyway.”

He turned away, but I saw the resoluteness in his eyes. I knew he was doing what he thought he had to do, but I thought he was wrong. If it did come to us having to leave I’d insist Adelaide came with us. The thought of leaving her behind after I had to leave Dani behind sucked.

Dani.

I hoped she was okay. I tried not to think of her often because it hurt too much. I worried about her safety. I was terrified of The Iniquitous getting ahold of her like they did my dad. I’d never forgive myself if someone else died because of me. There was already too much blood on my hands.

Theo and I headed back to my room and took turns showering before heading down for dinner.

I grabbed my food and sat down by Winston and Adelaide. Theo sat across from us and toyed with his spaghetti.

“Hey,” I greeted the two of them.

Adelaide only nodded at me. I knew she was still mad about Theo and I sneaking off all the time and not telling her why. Theo didn’t want me to tell her but I’d made up my mind to let her know. I didn’t like keeping her in the dark or the fact it was pushing her away. I missed her. In all this craziness, Adelaide was a much-needed light.

“I went by your room—you weren’t there,” Winston accused.

“I was studying,” I explained easily. It wasn’t a lie after all.

He shook his head and I saw his eyes flick quickly over to Theo and back down.

My stomach churned. I couldn’t keep letting this drag on. I liked Winston. He was a good guy and I wanted him to be my friend, but not my boyfriend. Right now, I was using him as a shield, and it was wrong of me.

“Mara really enjoys studying.” Adelaide looked pointedly at me and Theo glared at her.

“What can I say, I really want to succeed.”

“I’m sure you do,” she muttered. “I’m not hungry.” She stood and grabbed her plate, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she went.

“Adelaide,” I called after her.

“Let her go,” Theo said softly, his voice resigned.

I refused. Despite the fact I was starving, I left my food behind and ran after my friend. She was already halfway up the massive staircase.

“Adelaide,” I called again.

Her back stiffened and she stopped but she didn’t turn around.

I jogged up the steps and stopped on the same one as her. Grabbing her arm, I forced her to look at me.

She tilted her head and a defiant expression stole over her features.

“I know you’re mad at me—”

“Yeah, I am. Winston is your boyfriend yet you spend most of your time with my brother. How messed up is that? I know you and Theodore like each other and what you’re doing is wrong. You shouldn’t be sneaking around behind Winston’s back. I expect stunts like that from my brother, but I thought you were better than that.”

“Adelaide,” I breathed, stung she could really think something like that of me. “It’s not like that, not at all.”

She placed a hand on her hip and pursed her lips. “Really? You expect me to believe that?”

I looked around the open space, and despite no one being there I grabbed her arm and dragged her up the steps to my room.

When the door closed behind us I said, “Look, listen …,” I paused and took a breath. “Theo decided it would be a good idea if he started training me on top of my lessons. More combat stuff, and more … magic.”

“Seriously? That’s all? That’s your big secret?”

I shrugged. It sounded stupid now that I’d said it, but I hadn’t been the one who wanted to keep it hush-hush.

“Theo wouldn’t let me tell,” I admitted. “He knew you’d want to join and he was afraid of you getting hurt.”

She rolled her eyes. “Remind me to kick my brother the next time I see him.” She grew quiet and sighed. “So, my brother isn’t engaging in a secret relationship with you?”

“Nope. Not at all.”

“Well—” she smiled slowly “—I guess I can’t be mad anymore.”

“You did get one thing right,” I admitted softly.

“Oh?” She raised a brow.

I sighed and sat down on my bed. Nigel hissed and moved away.

“Oh, sorry, bud,” I muttered, not realizing I’d sat on his tail. Looking up at Adelaide, I said, “I need to break it off with Winston. It’s not right. Not when …”

“Not when what?” she prompted.

“When I have feelings for Theo,” I whispered. I hated speaking the words out loud. It sounded like I was giving voice to the impossible. Shaking my head, I continued, “This whole thing with Winston happened so fast. He … he just assumed we were together and I went along with it because I wanted to forget about Theo. I like Winston. He’s a good guy—great, even. But what I feel for him is nothing more than the love you feel for a friend.”

“Good to know, love.”

I gasped and looked up to find Winston standing in the doorway of my room. I hadn’t even heard it open. Theo stood behind him, his eyes boring into mine.

Winston turned harshly before I could reply and slammed his shoulder into Theo’s as he went.

Theo stepped into my room and the door closed behind him.

“That went well.”