“COME ON! GIVE ME THAT NON-HUMAN SHIT!” I yelled across the mat. “I CAN TAKE IT!”

His eyebrows rose. He nodded. “Okay.”

Then he charged for me. I almost shit myself. He was moving so damn fast. One second he was twenty feet away, the next he was right in front of me with a dagger and a sword. I cursed and threw my magic out, pushing as hard as I could. A ball of neon-blue and pink swirling flames flew from my palms and slammed into his chest. There was a hiss and flash of light. My magic wrapped around his entire body. His feet lifted off the ground as he flew backwards. Those white angel wings popped out and wrapped around him right before he slammed into the wall about thirty feet away. That seal on the water fountain burst again, sending a river of water shooting onto the floor.

He landed on his feet and then looked down at himself and shook my magic off of him like they were drops of water. His wings vanished. And then Tenn laughed.

He laughed.

“See . . . I said I could take it,” I said between deep breaths.

Tenn slapped the wall beside him and the fountain fixed itself. “That was fun.”

I stared at him for a second, then burst into laughter, which he joined in on.

“Feel better, you two?” Tim asked from behind me.

“Actually, yeah,” Tenn and I said at the exact same time.

“Proctors. Right, well, beat each other up until one of you gets hungry. Then make sure he follows you home.” Tim shook his head and headed for the door. “Everyone else, y’all can stay and watch but be indoors for dusk curfew.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

FRANKIE

My muscles burned. It felt amazing. The knots of tension in my bones were gone. Tenn was officially my favorite sparring partner. We were already planning future sessions, some with weapons and some with magic. We were still laughing as we bounded up the steps onto the front porch as Tenn re-enacted some kids’ reactions to seeing him crash into them bowling ball style. I laughed so hard it sent me into a coughing fit.

Tenn threw the front door open with a wide grin. It crashed into the wall so loud I watched everyone at the table jump. Tenn barked another laugh. “Lancaster, you should spar with her tomorrow.”

I giggled as I closed the door behind us.

Jackson’s eyes widened. “Frankie, you’ve been sparring with him for two hours and you’re alive? I’m impressed.”

I shrugged and waddled my way to the table to sit down in the closest seat possible because my legs were ready to give out. “I mean, he was holding back and distracted, but I will take my minor victory in merely surviving it. Though my body may disagree tomorrow.”