“Since you’re the expert on the matter, what’s yours?”
He paused, caught off guard, but Patrick could recover himself with such skill it was an art-form. “If I told you, you could use it against me.”
“Does anyone know?”
He shook his head.
“Not even William?” I found this hard to believe. These two shared everything . . . except girlfriends and underwear. Hopefully.
“Especially not William,” he emphasized, looking like he was shuddering from the thought of it.
“But—”
“You’ve got five minutes,” he said suddenly, interrupting my oncoming assault of pulling it out of him. “Get dressed and I’ll see you out there.”
“Fifteen minutes,” I bargained, throwing the covers off.
“Ten,” he said. “And that’s my final offer.”
“I’ll take it,” I said as he stepped out the door.
I grabbed my linen training pants to slide them on, but given my mind was focused on everything but the task at hand, my foot caught the inseam and tore a six inch hole through the left leg. Lovely. I could already tell this day of training was not going to bode well for me.
CHAPTER FOUR
REVENGE
“You need to focus,” Patrick commanded, extending his hand to me.
“Would if I could,” I snapped, letting him pull me up. “Do you think I’m enjoying getting my pride handed to me on a silver platter?”
“That’s the third tree you’ve shattered in the past hour when my kicks have gone un-deflected.” He brushed away the dirt on my shoulders, looking me up and down for damage. “William’s gonna kick my butt when he finds out about the beating you took today.”
“It’s not your fault,” I said, rolling the top of the Blue Spruce over to the pile where the remains of the other two rested. “Although I might blame you if your dad discovers the mess I’ve made in his training arena.” I lifted the shredded log and heaved it onto the pile.
I referred to the circular clearing on the far north corner of the Hayward’s land as a training arena, although I used the term “arena” loosely. Apart from the two Immortals that exchanged spars and kicks that reverberated off the surrounding mountains, the arena was nothing more than compacted soil surrounded by a circle of trees as packed-in as spectators at a boxing match at the MGM.
“Come on, Bryn. Enough trying to lighten whatever’s going on.” Patrick had snuck up from behind and spun me around. “I’ve never seen you miss a kick—let alone three in a row. What’s going on up there?” he asked, tapping my head.
“Nothing.” I bit my lip, stalling. “Everything. Take your pick.”
“I can’t be as easily appeased as my brother who becomes bewitched by your every word. Explain, please.”
I shook my head. “Sometimes this whole thing I’m putting myself through seems like a waste. The training, studying, making like a good little Immortal—what’s it all for when the Council will never grant William and me a Betrothal?”
“You’re missing the whole point,” Patrick said. My forehead creased, wondering what the “whole point” was. “You’re not doing all of this for them, you’re doing this for him.”
“I have no idea what you mean. Like usual,” I added. “Explain.”
“Let’s put you following the ancient tradition of our Alliance’s training program aside,”—he eyed me as if this should have been obvious, glaringly obvious—“let’s reverse you and William’s roles several months ago and what if you were the only person standing between him and John Townsend?” He tapped my temple. “See any real-life benefit to all this training now?”
I exhaled, knowing he was right, and there were few things I hated more than Patrick being right. I’d been so focused on every other reason I was being forced to go through the training, I’d missed the critical reason I needed to learn it: to protect him. Hadn’t this been the vow I’d made to myself that night after waking from a coma-like-state that had nearly taken both our lives? The very same night I’d discovered the gift that festered inside of me could take an Immortal life?
“Again,” I said, circling back to the center of the arena. “Let’s run through the drill again.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Haven’t I inflicted enough damage on you for one day?” The tone of challenge in his voice was obvious.
“Again!” I yelled over at him, more angry with myself than my teacher.
He hopped up from the felled tree and jogged over to me. “Suit yourself.” He smiled and cracked his neck as I took my readied position in front of him.
He crouched, readying himself. I side-stepped to the right, anticipating his high kick from the left that had knocked me senseless several times already.
He broke his position and straightened, his gaze shifting to the right of my shoulder. “What’s up, William?” he shouted, waving his hand.
He couldn’t have ever loved a woman if he expected I would be fooled so easily. I could feel William’s energy a good mile away and there’s no way I’d still be feinting around Patrick now if he were anywhere near.
Patrick’s kick came half a second later, silent as the wind and fast as a bullet, but my tuck and roll was faster still. I landed behind him and before the dust erupted, I was on my feet. He spun around just in time for his chest to connect with my right heel. I relished his look of shock all the way to his collision with the big pine at the far end of the arena.