23

Dove

Kairos and Seven fought on the field the next morning, Enko lounging and calling out points next to me. It was daunting to see how powerful they both were, how much Kairos was holding back when he trained me. They used their real weapons, Kairos with a mace and Seven with a sword, expertly dodging each other's blows, slowing them just in time.

Seven moved with such speed, shadows hanging in the air like mist behind him as he disappeared and reappeared to dodge and strike, earning three points in quick succession. The students cheered as Kairos conceded.

Mr. Varma blew his whistle to signal the start of class. "Third-years, you're fighting with the kits today!"

While most of the first-years groaned in preemptive pain, I smiled cheerfully toward Kairos and Enko.

"I'll fight Dove." Seven glared at me from behind Enko and Kairos.

"Why would we let you do that?" Kairos growled at Seven. "Haven't you caused enough problems?"

"You want to learn from the best, don't you?" Seven glowered at me, daring me to refuse. "Or are you too afraid?"

I matched his usual smirk, meeting his ruby eyes with a dangerous glare. "You think I'm afraid of you? I've seen things you haven't seen in your nightmares."

He cocked his head curiously, shoving himself around Kairos and Enko. "Somehow I doubt that."

He grabbed my arm, dragging me to the center of the field. He was too strong to fight against, and the students were already looking our way, so I trotted along behind him. Seven released me, shoving a foam sword at my chest.

Kairos and Enko jogged toward us, ready to intervene, but I shook my head as we gained the attention of the class.

Seven already stood menacingly at the center of the circle of students, glaring at me with so much hatred. As if that glare was going to kill me before the foam weapon he was holding. He could smell my fear. Seven's mouth twitched like he might smile or laugh. But instead it remained in that perpetual smirk.

I adjusted my grip on the sword. My palms were sweaty. I was too weak to take on most demons in a fight, let alone most other kitsune. Especially not the top student at the academy.

"Face your partner, bow, and begin!" Mr. Varma screeched, but the entire class fixated on the fight between Seven and me.

Seven lowered his head slightly in a nod, his eyes never leaving mine. His hair tousled forward with the movement. He stood like the grim reaper, his black hair ruffled in the breeze, his heated crimson eyes flicking over me.

Seven circled me, stalking his prey. I sidestepped with him until we switched places, and I could see Enko and Kairos watching from the sidelines.

He sprang at me. I deflected several of his hits, but his kitsune magic made him faster than me, even without using the Shadow Vale. He swung his sword at me and I jumped back, stumbling until I landed on my ass. Seven laughed at me as he stalked forward.

Seven wasn't going to go easy on me like Kairos or Enko.

I jumped to my feet, swinging the sword—missing—and swinging again. Seven dodged with expertise, deflecting every blow with a flick of his wrist. He was an expert with the sword and his years of study showed.

As he laughed, my anger grew, I yelled out, diving forward and managing to clip his arm. His laughter stopped, some of the crowd around us gasping. His blade swung again, crashing into mine and straining my muscles as I blocked.

He was so close, I could scent him. Trees. Oh fuck, I was supposed to hate him. What kind of tree?

If he weren't swinging a sword to keep me away, I might have latched onto him and found out. I had to be closer. His sword released, sliding against mine. I barely dodged the blow as it slammed into the ground.

Rage sparkled as he continued slamming his sword with all his strength and gaining ground on me. Shadows shrouded around us in the broad daylight as he pulled me into the Shadow Vale.

I tripped backward again in the darkness, but this time Seven didn't laugh. He pounced forward, his blade to my neck, straddling my body and holding me down.

"Still not afraid?" he snarled, eclipsing us into an orb of his shadow. I could only see his dark silhouette, the spark of his eyes. I knew I should have been afraid. But I wasn't.