Page 360 - Fourth Wing

“I don’t have the energy to block you out right now, so I’m going to need

you to be quiet for a few minutes here.”
An answering growl is the only response I get.

“Keep it clean,” Emetterio warns. “Go.”

My heart drums so loudly, I can hear it in my ears as we begin to circle
each other.

“Offense. Now. Strike first,” Tairn snaps.

“Not helping!”
Jack lunges, striking out with his knife, and I slice my dagger across the

back of his hand, drawing first blood.

“Shit!” He jumps back, his cheeks blotching.
That’s what I want, what I need to win this match, for him to get so angry

that he acts without thinking and makes a mistake.
He dances forward and then kicks out, aiming for my midsection, and I

stumble back, narrowly avoiding the blow. “Bet you wish you could throw

that blade, don’t you?” he taunts, knowing I won’t break a rule when it can
hurt someone in the matches going on around us.

“Bet you wish you didn’t know what it feels like to dig out one of my
knives, don’t you?” I retort.

His lips press into a thin line before he comes at me in a series of punches

and swipes with his dagger. I can’t deflect—he’s too strong for me, as
evidenced by the dagger he easily kicks out of my hand—so I use my

speed, ducking and diving while getting in another cut, this one along his

forearm.
“Damn it!” he rages, twisting to follow as I come around his back. He

catches me off guard, locking onto my arm and flipping me over his back to

the mat.
I take the blow on my shoulder and wince, but there’s no sound of tearing

or snapping. Thanking Imogen will be my first order of business if I make it
out of this.