Thorns of Fate: Serendipity Saga Book One

Chapter One

Will was fast, but I was faster. He launched at me, fists sailing through the air. I was quick to leap aside, dodging every blow. I had anticipated another flurry of attacks but what I hadn't expected was his muscled arms to lock over my head, clasping my limbs to my side. I shoved against him, his grip unrelenting. Though it was a friendly bout, I couldn't help the pang of panic that shot through me when I couldn't move. On a gut instinct, I hurled my head back, cracking my skull into his. The impact resounded and exploded through my head but his grip released, his body crumpling to the ground. I wriggled away, peering back at him and rubbing the back of my head. 

Will lifted himself into a sitting position, his elbows on his knees, head cradled in his hands. "Really, Ky? What happened to a fair fight?" he groaned, rubbing the tender skin at the center of his forehead.

"Sorry, Will, but you almost had me there. That was more than fair. You're like six times my size," I responded, straightening my posture and holding a hand out to him. He clasped his hand around my wrist and I did the same, heaving him to his feet.

He chuckled, mussing his sweaty hair. "Get used to being smaller than your opponent, Ky. With the way you fight, most of your opponents are going to be men and they're going to be bigger than you. This gets you prepared. Next time, grapples and blows only." He gazed down at me from his height, several inches taller than me.

I dramatically rolled my eyes. "Will, I've been whooping your ass since we were like six. You can start to admit defeat at this point."

He laughed heartily this time, lightly punching me on the arm, grabbing his towel from a nearby bench, and walking with me to our respective locker rooms. I quickly showered, scrubbing the sweat from my skin and hair, donned my street clothes, grabbed my belongings and headed toward the door.

I pulled my phone out as I opened the door, scanning over various emails and text messages I had received while sparring. Will exited at nearly the same time I had. I could see him out of my peripheral vision, scanning the room for me, locating my hunched silhouette, and pressing his way through the post-workout crowd.

He sighed, "You know, I wonder why we bother having pre-opening meetings when you do so much of the work before you ever get to the building. Do you live, breathe, and sleep nightclubs?"

I froze, guilt seeping down my spine and swirling into my gut. I dropped the phone into my bag and looked up at him. He stared down at me, his brown hair highlighted to a lighter blonde in the sun, his hazel eyes lined with playful annoyance. His fingers gripped the outer edge of his square rimmed glasses and readjusted their fit on his face. And slowly, his signature grin made itself welcome on his lips.

I shoved him gently, loving moments like these with him.

Will was my best friend. We had an easy friendship, the kind where silences are recognized as a part of life, not filled with incessant babble. Though our friendship was our most important relationship, he, his twin sister, Kellic, and myself were also cousins. We had been in various martial arts courses since we were very young. My mom and her sister had been raised learning to fight and passed the tradition down to us.

My mom had been my best friend as a small child, but I barely remembered her. Then she suddenly died, and the story was laced with tragedy and shattered memories. My recollection of the events was spotty at best. I had been assured that this was some sort of self defense mechanism to protect myself from the pain. I had had nearly a decade to cope with it but there were still some doors better left closed.

I didn't know my dad. My mom had told me stories of him before she died but I was never really sure what had happened to him. He wasn't involved and that seemed to be all that was relevant after my mom died.