Change of Darkness (The Change Series Book 3) by Jacinta Jade (best new books to read txt) 📕

his waist, grabbed the edges of his shirt, and pulled it up and over his head, using it as a towel to mop his own face before throwing it off to the side, the sweaty material barely missing Loce, who stood watching with the others. Then Pyron opened up his palm to her, gesturing to the space before him.

This was it, Siraay knew, feeling all the eyes in the room on her as she moved forwards to face him. This would make or break her plan to place herself at Chezran’s side tonight. Because Pyron was rumoured to be one the best fighters—next to Chezran and Herrin, that was—in the Xarcon army. True, she had saved him that time on patrol, but then he and his small unit had been significantly outnumbered that night.

So now, she knew, he had something to prove.

Wiping her moist hands off on her towel, Siraay balled up the cloth and threw it sideways before moving closer to Pyron.

He grinned at her right before he lunged.

The chief archon was so quick that Siraay didn’t register any of the usual warning signs, his lightning-fast moves too fast to give her the necessary time to dodge, and Siraay’s face exploded in pain as the back of Pyron’s hand whipped across her face, making stars appear in her vision.

She reeled, for just an instant, gasps accompanying her stumble, but she shook off the blow and only increased her focus, her vision clearing quickly enough for her to dodge Pyron’s follow-up attack.

As she ducked, Siraay let herself fall to one knee, driving one fist deep into the muscles of her foe’s abdomen, before letting her body fall and roll to the side. As she rolled back up onto her feet, Siraay forced her body to move faster, swiftly stepping behind Pyron as he tried to straighten up from her blow.

She had just gotten her arm around his throat when he reached over to grab that same arm and, dropping down onto one knee, leaned forwards and flipped Siraay onto her back.

Groans sounded throughout the room from the watching faces at the sound of Siraay’s body being slammed into the ground, but she blocked out the pain and instead arched her body up into a wave, letting her feet and calves flip up and back until she had them locked around Pyron’s neck.

Then she used every bit of strength the Mother had given her legs and torso to pull him forwards and over her.

As Pyron hit the ground, Siraay arched her upper body up over his, aiming to drive an elbow deep into the centre of his chest.

But Pyron managed to roll slightly so that she only managed to land the blow against his side, the tip of her elbow connecting harshly with his ribs, eliciting a grunt of pain from them both.

Surging to her feet again, Siraay straightened a mere breath before the chief archon did and, focusing, threw herself forwards and down. With her increased sense of balance, she had no trouble cartwheeling on her hands before using her momentum to spring forwards again, landing with one foot on the ground.

The other, with perfect precision, arced through the air and connected with a satisfying thud with the side of Pyron’s head, spinning him around and to the ground.

Siraay lowered her leg, triumphant, but it hadn’t yet touched the floor when Pyron scissored his horizontal legs, kicking hers out from under her and sending her crashing to the ground.

Siraay barely noticed the gasps, mutters, clapping, and groans that sounded around her as she scrambled once more to get to her feet, Pyron doing the same.

This time, however, he was faster, and he managed to step forwards to deliver a brutal kick into her stomach that actually sent Siraay tumbling a full body length away.

She, in turn, tried to go with the fall, tucking her chin and arms into herself as she fell backwards, using the momentum to help herself somersault backwards and rise smoothly to her feet once more … while her stomach roared in agony, of course.

The crowd watching them had grown, a distant part of Siraay’s mind realised, as if the noise had drawn other senior soldiers and servants into the room, but the spectators had also retreated to the edges of the room to give her and Pyron more space.

Now, Siraay prowled forwards, scowling as she circled towards Pyron, her blood thumping with her eagerness to take down her arrogant adversary.

Even better if she could do so and give him a lasting injury.

He was also stalking her, his movements cautious and measured as his icy-blue eyes glared right back at her, the silver mask making them seem more intense than ever.

Siraay had the impression of a creature gathering its strength for the final assault upon its prey. Only, she was no prey.

Circling until they were just a body length apart from each other, they exploded into action at the same time, their movements sharp, quick, and aggressive, their bodies moving with deadly intent, no effort wasted.

Siraay could spare no thought in her mind except to maintain her focus as lethal blows were thrown at her face and head, her reflexes helping her to dodge even while she threw her own deadly attacks at Pyron’s neck and face.

Tall, strong, and swift, she knew now why the chief archon was revered as a fighter by the soldiers of the army.

But she was swifter still, and would show them why she was the one the prophecy spoke of.

Siraay knew that her and Pyron’s hands were a blur as they both continued to attack, defend, and deflect. The world around them could have crumbled at that moment and they wouldn’t have noticed, so wrapped up were they both in the need to win. To prove themselves. To be the strongest.

To survive.

Siraay waited, timing her attack, and when her next set of deflections caused Pyron to raise both his hands up before him, she acted.

Grabbing both his hands and using them as