38- Squad Challenges

The walk was..tense.

Xaden walked closely to me scanning the crowd as we go. Liam is on the other side seeming to do the same, I had this..feeling that was annoyance though it wasn't from me. 

Maybe it's from the bond..myabe from Rhys or something....Though.. When me and Dain.. Rhys said he could feel something so maybe..

Maybe it's Xaden?

I look at him, his expression always seemed annoyed but his jaw is clenched a little tighter, he's cracking his one hand's fingers with the thumb and.. he looks at me quickly looking pissed.. yea he's more annoyed then usual.

" You two are against two boys Marcos from First and Kieran Third Wing.  Fury you have first, Mairi you have third."

" How do you know that?" I question looking up at him one more. I see a small smirk form as he keeps looking ahead, " I do my best work at night."

Shadows. He means his shadows.

" Kieran is like a human battering ram. He'll use his size, Mairi...no fancy moves. Be quick on your feet and get some good hits on the side of his head, maybe an uppercut, don't give him room, overwhelm..He crubles once there's a constant pressure."

Liam nods, keeping his expression neutral not bothering to give Xaden another look.

" Fury." Xaden's vice becomes more authoritative as he looks at me. I raise a brow waiting for him to tell me not to be dumb. " Yes Riorson?"

" Marcos is a damn snake. Kills are looked down upon but not illegal for these kinds of things, normally one or two get killed ayear, normally the strongest like you two. Fight him like you'd fight Barlowe. He fights quite simular, anything illegal he'll try, watch you. And he might pull a knife, pull one first. "

" Does he have a signet he'll try to kill me with?"

He lets out a small chuckle. " No. Already checked."

We open the door to the large door of the combat rooms where everyone was, whether to compete or watch. 

" Kill if you really need to." Xaden says so quick in my ear, I barely had time to fathom how his hot breath felt on the shell of ear before he pulled away. " Mairi, I sure as hell expect you to do a better job with her then lat time. I swear to Malek..if something happens again you'll be answering to me.. and sure as hell not as a friend. Understood."

" I'll protect her with my life, I'll die if I need too." He confirms looking around before his eyes went to Xaden unwavering.

" Good."

There seemed to be unsaid conversation going on as they look at one another before Xaden takes a breath looking back at me " And Fury-"

" -Don't do anything stupid..yea.."

I hint of a smirk crossed his lips for just a second, " I'm glad you understand. I expect to see the both of you winning."

I nod once looking back into the crowd.  " Let's find Dain." Liam mutters staying right by the side mentioning me to walk.

" What was that all about?" I whisper.

" What?" Liam asks, trying to sound dumb.

" You know what." I spit.

He glances at me for just a moment, " No I don't."

" Liam Mairi." I demand looking at him.

" Freya Sorrengail." Liam matches with the same tone moving closer to me. " Come on."

I stop moving completely, " No. Not until you tell me what the hell just happened." I retort stubbornly.

" Freya.." I pulls my arm but I stay planted. " I'm not moving.."

He looks around quickly once more before his eyes fall on me once more. " Listen.. I'll tell you everything ONCE this is all over. Right now we need to focus, Riorson isn't giving us a choice except win. And if you or I don't win.. I'll be answering to him. And if you get hurt.. I'll be answering to him and I really don't want to be on his bad side at the moment..."

I bite the inside of my cheek looking up at him. " I hate being lied to you know."

" I'm not lying. I keep my word don't I? You should know that." He looks intesly in my eyes making me want to believe him. Finally I give in.. " Fine. After."

" I will, now come on. Tell Aetos we're here and get these damn challanges over with."

I follow him until we find Dain with a paper talking to the rest of our Squad. I see Hetta which she gives us a wide smile quickly walking over.

" Thanks for waiting for me today assholes!" She says trying to sound pissed. " Liam I thought if I gave you a time to see her you'd actually wait for me!"

He hits him kinda hard glaring up at him. " Ow! Damn mouse calm down!"

" And STOP CALLING ME MOUSE!" She says hitting him with everyword which he doesn't retaliate just laughing a little.

" Now come on and get checked in." Hetta looks at me, " Long time no see stranger. I'm surprised I don't see Riorson attatched at your hip."

" Oh well he came to check on her..and needed to walk the both of us down." Liam muttered.

Hetta stares at Liam for a second... and the same thing seems to happen..them having a conversation with just looks..what am I missing here?!

She sighs, " Come on.."

We weave through the crowd going to Dain who shot his head up, our eyes locking. I can't tell you the last time I actually talked to him, let alone looked at him. Xaden always blocked our view of eachother and when he did try to intervene.. Xaden never allowed it.

Now as I look at Dain.. I see a stranger.. I feel like I'm looking at a stranger as a ping of nervousness runs through my body. 

" Good Morning." He says formally, coldly. Like he talks to everyone else though he has a little more edge today.

" Morning."

He looks down quickly, " Your fighting Marcos Layash First Wing on mat 3... Liam your fighting Kieran Haans on mat 3.." He pauses chuckling though there was no humor in his tone. " Riorson has all of you on mat 3.. first Hetta, then you, then liam.. I see he's still making sure your watched..even more so then before. Isn't it triting always-"

" Not today Dain. I think you want to win this don't you? Since you want to be Squad Leader so bad.. Don't want to distract your best fighters here.." I warn. " And I think you want to keep the two..no three best ones here alive.. Riorson was just thinking."

" Mat 3." Dain answers coldly looking plainly.

" Thank you." I spit as the three of us go to the mat.

" He's been a bigger ass then usual." Hetta mutters as we take our places.

I roll my eyes, " Well I'd think he'd tone it down since he wants to win so badly.."

At each mat was a few third years and seconds if they wanted to watch. Imogen and Bohdi were there..no surprise.

" First is Golgi with Blake, then Canvero with Gria, Sorrengail with Layash , Mairi with Haans, then rounding out will be Black.." 

I happen to look over at Marcos who gave gave me a wide smile raising his brow challenging, I simply give a slow smile matching his brow raise refusing to give him anything other then confidence.

His smile falls into a scowl before he looks away, toying with a small slender knife on his thigh. "Are we ready?" The third year- Thia asks in a loud bark like tone.

I snap my attention back to her, all od us giving a firm nod. " Good let's begin.."

Bex Golgi got pinned almost right at the get go, leading us to Hetta with in 10 minutes. She steps on the mat with Fran Gria, a cocky red head from second Wing. They step on the mat, lookign her up and down " Easy win."

She was about to step on when I grabbed her am pulling her back, " Don't let him get to you ok?"

She gives me a firm headshake before I let go, she steps on eyeing him instensly as he jumps around the met shaking his head and hands. 

" Canavero, Gria...ready?" Thia asks looking between the two of them.

" Ready." Hetta says simply.

" Ready." Fran hollars making just want to get on the mat and pummel him myself.

Thia nods, " FIGHT!"

Fran almost instantly bolts, coming to kick her right in the chest making her fall back, she flips gripping her chest with a muffled hiss. He tries it once more, this time she side steps taking his leg and twisting it so he hands hard face first on the mat stomping on his middle back.

" Good Hetta!" I shout.

He grunts, turning quickly punching her in the knee making her buckle. He rolls on top punching her 3 timrs in the face making a sickening crack, She catches the fourth with one hand elbowing him just above his making it cramp up.

She gets him once in the face stumbling backwards trying to shake the hard blows off, her face was all blood. " You got it Hetta.." Liam says watching intently.

I see him slowly grab something out of his belt, my eyes widening " Hetta he has a knife!"

He swung it at her, she dodges it just in time just skimming her skin with a small cut. " You can't interfere Sorrengail!" Thia barks.

" I didn't I just stated on observation." I spit back quickly not taking my eyes off of the fight.

He rushes her so fast, grabbing her waist slamming her into the ground. " Yield!" He yells, pointing the knife closer inbetween her eyes, " Yield!"

She glares for just a few seconds, both heaving. " I yield."

He pushes himself roughly standing spitting at her before walking off the mat. " Your lucky you warned her.." He mutters as he walks past me nudging. 

I grab his sleeve, " No, your damn lucky you didn't cut her deeper." I grab a knife holding it on the side Thia can't see, also blocked by Liam by my side pressing it into his lower side.

His eyes widen as he looks at me not saying another word as he walks away.

Hetta was just standing, swaying a little as Liam scoops her up off the mat setting her on a bench.

One of the second years clean the blood before Thia called Marcos and I.  We go on the mat, I remember what Xaden says, he doesn't play by the rules..pull the knife before he does.

He eyes me in a way thats unsettling, " The hell are you looking at?" I bite.

He gives me an oddly arched smile, " I'm just looking at the life in your eyes, before I take it. I want your life."

Even his voice is unsettling.

I cringe slightly at the absurdity, " Good luck with that."

He simply laughs crouching almost looking at me unwavering. His intimidation almost gets to me but I swallow it down repeating to myself what I just told Hetta. Don't let it gt to me.

" ...Ready?" is all I hear from Thia as I keep my eyes on him.

" Certainly." Marcos responded.

I only nod, not even waiting for her to say fight before I pull my daggers right away. He moves just at the last second flipping me though I pivot flipping back over back to my feet. I smile, " Nice try."

I see he had a large dagger in his hand as well coming back at me, I quickly defend all his attacks each time his blade sliding off of mine. Just as it was sliding off again I take my other fist colliding it into the side of his head.

He stumbles back chuckling, " Your just making your torture go longer halfblood.." He takes one of his knives hurling it at me. 

 OH SHIT!

I dive rolling a few times, I want to kick myself for not having better form to get back up I can see the deep green of his shirt coming right at me, I can hear Thia scream at him for throwing a knife with so many people around. I don't think anyone got hurt..luckily.

He was about to tackle me when I kicked him square across his face, yet he doesn't falter to much getting a hard grip on my throat squeezing with almost inhuman force. I claw at his hand, I hear Liam, He happen to look up cockily boasting about how he took down the number one ranked in the first years.

Big mistake, I clawed harder with one hand so he still thinks I'm struggling as I use the other to grab a knife stabbing it directly in his eye. He scrreches so loud it almost makes my ears ring as I get out of his grip.

" Finish him Freya!" I hear Imogen yell. I grip Marcos in a headlock happening to look up myself.. Xaden was a row back watching intently with his arms crossed. Keeping eye contact I snap his neck one way and slit his throat the other making his blood splatter all over me.

Thia counts my victory almost in a lissed way knocking us to 10th place out of the 24 Squads. " Nice Freya!" Liam exclaims rushing on the mat giving me a big hug.

" We need to move the other spars to a different map. This one is going to take awhile to clean..." Thia grumbles. 

I happen to look down at the whole mess, and Marco's body laying there lifeless.. Yet he was so confident he'd be in my position. I feel a presence right by me as I look up once more to Xaden not even a foot away from me with a towel. " I guess I should've told you as well not to do anything fancy."

" Not like he was going to do anything. Couldn't see." I state.

I see the sides of his mouth just quirk, " Fair."

His hand with the towel wipes over my face making me freeze as I stare at him. " I see all that training with me really payed off."

" Was it your training or just my skills." I try to say as plainly as possible.

He chuckles, " I don't know.. pretty sure I taught you that move." he almost whispers as he wipes the blood off my lips.