Ethan

Chapter Seven

Training continued, and with each passing day, I became more aware of my hatred for running.

"Please, just let me be for two minutes. That's all I ask, two minutes," I begged Thalia. 

There was a thud in the grass next to me, where I was laying sprawled out on my stomach. I opened my eyes and blinked to focus on the thing in front of me. Groaning, I pushed myself to my knees and grabbed the handle of the sword.

"Get up," Sariah's voice sounded from my left.

"I really don't want to," I muttered, but stood anyways.

My eyes shifted over to my opponent and I winced, already anticipating the pain and wounds I'd suffer today. I still had ghost aches from yesterday's sparring. 

Dominic stood with his sword by his side. He gave me a nod to begin and we both raised our swords. I kept my eyes on him and waited a few seconds before I lunged, bringing my sword to strike at him from above. 

His sword met mine with a clang and the vibrations traveled up my arms, causing my grip to loosen just enough from him to push me away. His sword grazed the outside of my right arm, just enough to draw blood.

"You can use your speed all you want, but if you don't have the strength to match, you will die," Dominic's stern voice hit me and I looked back at him, raising my sword between us again.

"Who even fights with swords anymore?"

He glared at me and lunged forward before jumping back again. I felt a stinging on my cheek. I blinked in shock and then felt the blood slowly trailing down my face. My grip tightened on the sword and I heard a furious growl from behind me, where the other Elites where probably holding Ethan back.

"I thought faces were off limits?" I grumbled.

Dominic darted forward and I raised my sword. Our swords met with a clash again, but this time, I kept my grip tight. One of my hands released the hilt to wipe the blood off my face. He quickly pulled his sword away and swung again. 

But my blade was already there, blocking his.

My other hand reached out and jabbed at a pressure point right above his elbow of his dominant hand. His face held shock as his arm jerked, then fell limp at his side. His sword dipped as he struggled to readjust with one hand.  I simply smirked at him. 

"This sparring session is over," I announced.

"You haven't determined a winner," Sariah voiced and I rolled my eyes.

I moved my sword and flicked my wrist, causing the tip of my blade to knock Dominic's sword our of his hand. Then it was at his throat.

"There," I said with a sigh and lowered my blade. "Though it was over as soon as I hit the pressure point. He couldn't readjust his grip with one hand, especially it being his less dominant hand. If I had swung and he blocked, his sword would've fallen from his grip due to an improper grip. But sure, make me disarm him and hold a sword at his neck."

I put the sword away in one of the crates that littered the training grounds, then turned to the Elites. "Can I please go rest now? And maybe get some food?"

Thalia rolled her eyes but nodded, her lips twitching and I knew that she was amused. Lottie came bounding up to me and grabbed my arm, starting to drag me away. "It's almost dinner anyways, so let's go! Watching you train has gotten me sooo hungry!"

I gave her an incredulous look. "Cause you did so much."

"Hey, I resent that! Do you know how stressful it was watching you and Dominic spar? I thought you lost an eye for a second when he got your cheek! And holding back your protective mate is not an easy thing!"