plants or animals within miles of her castle, unless you count her pet dragons.”
“Dragons?” Bray raised an eyebrow. “That is almost cool. If it wasn’t for the fact I’m trapped in a demon’s castle.”
“Demon sorceress,” Willow corrected him. “I’m not sure where the dragons originated. Before the Scourge I’d never seen one.”
“We're going to die here, aren't we?” Bray asked.
“We might.” Willow made no effort to soften the blow. “I'm trying to devise a plan, but it's going to take time. You don't think I'm going along with this for nothing, do you?” That was not how she operated. She gestured for him to come closer and as he did, she balled her fist and punched him in the shoulder.
He doubled over in pain, one hand holding the injured area. “What the hell was that for?” he asked.
“I thought you would have had defense training.” Willow reached out to touch the injury, but Bray backed up, forcing himself against the wall. He held his head back up, gritting his teeth.
“Why would you think that? Stay away from me,” he said, raising up his good arm to protect himself.
Willow rolled her eyes. “I'm not going to hurt you. We have a lot of practice to get through if there's any shot of you escaping with me. I guess I was wrong about your training.” She reached for his shoulder, lightly touching it. “You'll be fine. It’s not broken or dislocated. This evening, assuming we're not separated for sleeping, I'll teach you how to defend yourself.”
Bray didn't move any closer to Willow. He gave the faintest nod. “What’s the actual plan?”
“We fight our way out of this place. Just keep yourself alive.”
Hudson stood behind Lil, his arms at either side of her. They held the sword together in both hands. “Like this,” he said, demonstrating how to spin the weapon and stab the enemy. His left hand came to rest on her hip, forcing her to take a step back and to maneuver her feet. “If you stand in the same place all the time, Eilith will kill you.”
It was growing darker by the minute. Lil had missed the sunset. An odd green and blue sparkle had twinkled across the sky as the red sun had faded down into the horizon. The training arena's lights flickered on, brightening as the hour grew later.
“How much more training do we have tonight?” Lil asked, feeling Hudson's breath against her ear. She didn't mind the sensation. He was good looking and had a great physique, though she wasn't used to being this close to any boy—not even Bray. He had never kissed her, and hugs were for rare occasions when something terrible transpired. He was a shoulder to cry on, but she'd never been overly affectionate with anyone. Hudson had stirred something within her. She couldn't quite grasp or explain the feeling. Lil's cheeks reddened, but she hoped it had more to do with the training exercises than his proximity. Though Hudson had rubbed her the wrong way when they’d met, he was growing on her.
“Until dinner is served.” Hudson breathed against her neck again. “It'd be nice if Rawlie started it, since he's not doing anything else.” He shot Rawlie a sharp look.
“I'm busy.” Rawlie held up his hands in defense. “Just because it may not look like I'm busy to you doesn't mean I'm not learning something.” He'd been sitting there since training had begun.
Arianna brought Jamie into the training arena while Rawlie watched in amusement. “You could offer a hand,” Arianna shouted at Rawlie.
“Has training worked up an appetite?” Rawlie smiled. “Good, then you'll be hungry enough to cook for me.”
Hudson's breath lingered against Lil's ear a little longer than necessary. “I think now's a good time for a break,” he said, helping her put the sword down, though he doubted she needed the assistance. She swung it with ease and though she'd been practicing with the sword for hours, she showed no signs of exhaustion.
“I've got it,” Lil said, taking the
“Dragons?” Bray raised an eyebrow. “That is almost cool. If it wasn’t for the fact I’m trapped in a demon’s castle.”
“Demon sorceress,” Willow corrected him. “I’m not sure where the dragons originated. Before the Scourge I’d never seen one.”
“We're going to die here, aren't we?” Bray asked.
“We might.” Willow made no effort to soften the blow. “I'm trying to devise a plan, but it's going to take time. You don't think I'm going along with this for nothing, do you?” That was not how she operated. She gestured for him to come closer and as he did, she balled her fist and punched him in the shoulder.
He doubled over in pain, one hand holding the injured area. “What the hell was that for?” he asked.
“I thought you would have had defense training.” Willow reached out to touch the injury, but Bray backed up, forcing himself against the wall. He held his head back up, gritting his teeth.
“Why would you think that? Stay away from me,” he said, raising up his good arm to protect himself.
Willow rolled her eyes. “I'm not going to hurt you. We have a lot of practice to get through if there's any shot of you escaping with me. I guess I was wrong about your training.” She reached for his shoulder, lightly touching it. “You'll be fine. It’s not broken or dislocated. This evening, assuming we're not separated for sleeping, I'll teach you how to defend yourself.”
Bray didn't move any closer to Willow. He gave the faintest nod. “What’s the actual plan?”
“We fight our way out of this place. Just keep yourself alive.”
Hudson stood behind Lil, his arms at either side of her. They held the sword together in both hands. “Like this,” he said, demonstrating how to spin the weapon and stab the enemy. His left hand came to rest on her hip, forcing her to take a step back and to maneuver her feet. “If you stand in the same place all the time, Eilith will kill you.”
It was growing darker by the minute. Lil had missed the sunset. An odd green and blue sparkle had twinkled across the sky as the red sun had faded down into the horizon. The training arena's lights flickered on, brightening as the hour grew later.
“How much more training do we have tonight?” Lil asked, feeling Hudson's breath against her ear. She didn't mind the sensation. He was good looking and had a great physique, though she wasn't used to being this close to any boy—not even Bray. He had never kissed her, and hugs were for rare occasions when something terrible transpired. He was a shoulder to cry on, but she'd never been overly affectionate with anyone. Hudson had stirred something within her. She couldn't quite grasp or explain the feeling. Lil's cheeks reddened, but she hoped it had more to do with the training exercises than his proximity. Though Hudson had rubbed her the wrong way when they’d met, he was growing on her.
“Until dinner is served.” Hudson breathed against her neck again. “It'd be nice if Rawlie started it, since he's not doing anything else.” He shot Rawlie a sharp look.
“I'm busy.” Rawlie held up his hands in defense. “Just because it may not look like I'm busy to you doesn't mean I'm not learning something.” He'd been sitting there since training had begun.
Arianna brought Jamie into the training arena while Rawlie watched in amusement. “You could offer a hand,” Arianna shouted at Rawlie.
“Has training worked up an appetite?” Rawlie smiled. “Good, then you'll be hungry enough to cook for me.”
Hudson's breath lingered against Lil's ear a little longer than necessary. “I think now's a good time for a break,” he said, helping her put the sword down, though he doubted she needed the assistance. She swung it with ease and though she'd been practicing with the sword for hours, she showed no signs of exhaustion.
“I've got it,” Lil said, taking the
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