I straightened my blouse, watching Jace from the corner of my eye. He was still fuming. I’d always known how he felt about the Narcos, but seeing him react fully to their presence unnerved me. It made me fear the possibility of him discovering my secret that much more.
I grabbed my small canvas satchel from the side of the levibike and followed them into the woods. After a while of walking, we chose a small clearing about a mile past the park. The ground was hard and covered with pine straw. It was perfect, and practicing outside in natural elements was something we had yet to do.
I trailed behind Lana farther into the woods while Jace and Nick ate their lunch. We couldn’t spar in corsets and blouses, so we always packed a change of clothes for the club basement. Of course, at the club, we had a bathroom to change in.
Releasing a frustrated breath, I realized I hadn’t packed any clothes because we hadn’t planned to spar today. Crap.
“Hey, Lane.” I glanced around the woods. “I don’t have anything to wear. And even if I did, where are we supposed to change, anyway?”
“I have something you can borrow. And I guess, behind a tree?” She shrugged and stalked off behind a large pine. My shoulders slumped as I followed her, missing Cogs. I was starting to despise Reese.
Lana handed me a tiny tank and too-short shorts. “What are these?” I asked.
She glared at me. “Sparring clothes.”
“For who? A baby?” Lana was smaller than me—petite. I wasn’t tall by any means, but over the past few months, I’d developed some major curves. And my normal sparring clothes were leather breeches and a baggy shirt. Why did my best friend have to be such a girl?
She huffed. “You’ll look fine. Better than fine. Someone might actually notice you’re a girl in those.” She rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, Dez. It’s just us. What haven’t my brothers seen before? We used to bathe together.”
“Yeah, but we were like five then.” I sucked it up and stepped into the tiny shorts.
After we changed, we headed over to where Nick and Jace were packing away their empty wrappers. Lana sat down and dug her food from the bag. Jace and Nick moved to the center of the clearing and began stretching out.
“You know,” I said, coming up beside them, “if we were really attacked, you wouldn’t have time to stretch your muscles.” I lowered my nose at Nick and Jace.
“True, but…” Jace began, but his words trailed off. His illuminated blue eyes flicked down my body. He cleared his throat and looked away. “But it wouldn’t do us any good to get hurt now would it?” He raised his arms over his head, bending from the side. “Nice outfit, by the way. Will you be going for the diversion tactic with the Narcos?” He asked with a smirk.
I smiled at him, envisioning how I was going to punch that cocky grin right off his face. After the stunt he p
ulled last night, I definitely had to show him up today.
Nick and Lana sparred first. No weapons. Just hand-to-hand combat since we couldn’t carry any at the Academy. I sat next to Jace, cross-legged in the pine straw, discussing which tactics we should take with the Narcos.
“Their power is Flame,” Jace said, tearing pieces of straw apart. “The stronger the Narcolym, the farther his Flame can reach.”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “But I thought it was like magic fire, not real flames. I don’t understand what kind of damage it would inflict.”
Jace drew a deep breath. “Flame is magic, but it burns just the same. And because we’re creatures of myth”—he gave me a lame smile—“we suffer the effects of their Flame the worst.” He paused, going into deep thought. “The Academy will explain it a little more in-depth. Like all scientific and stuff. We just have to know how to counter it with our Charge.” He avoided my eyes.
I didn’t want to go to war. But it was a possibility. The Narcos outnumbered us. My stomach clenched. Fighting Jace, Nick, or Lana, or even that stupid Reese at Cogs, was different than the full scale bloodbath that war would bring. We’d all heard the horror stories. The visions of them swam in my head, making me feel ill until Jace pulled me from my thoughts.
“We’re up, Rug Rat,” he said, using his old nickname for me and extending his hand after he stood. “Don’t you owe me a mark?” His voice was playful, but the look in his eyes made me shiver.
I couldn’t imagine actually putting my lips to his neck, although I knew I had to practice. Our power source was in the ink gifted to us by the ancient sorcerers. I had to learn to protect my future power source, as well as take it from my enemy. But after the change, if I became more Narco than Shythe, how would I feel? I shook the thought from my head.
Lana and Nick plunked down in our spots, breathing heavily. I gave Lana a knuckle bump for beating Nick. “She’s beaten you almost every time this month. What’s up, Nick?”
He scowled at me. “I’m reserving my energy to take on Jace.” He flung himself hard on the ground, pouting.
Squatting down in a defensive stance, I stared at Jace as he circled the clearing, studying me. He circled me once more, then turned toward Nick. “Hey, you haven’t fought Dez in a while. I think she should have a go at you this time.”
“What?” I straightened up and squinted at him. “But he’s whipped from taking on Lane. Look at him.”
Nick sat up. “I have to concur with her on that one. And besides, I thought it was agreed that she had to beat you first. She’s kicked our asses, already. You’re the only one left she has to beat.” He gave Jace a playful frown. “Those are the rules, oh great master.”
Jace exhaled audibly. He turned back toward me and made a bring-it-on gesture with his hands. “Fine.”
“What the hell, Jace.” I threw my hands in the air. “What’s your problem with me?”