Cursebreaker and Fireheart

Chapter 22: The Assassin's Fight

"After hearing such inspiring stories about her, I expected her to be more..." Cassian searched for a word. 

"Intimidating?" Mor suggested. 

"Oh, she is." Rowan Whitethorn said, smiling slightly. "She can be perfectly frightening when she wants to." 

"Don't I know it." I muttered. I hadn't forgotten about Aelin's combat skills. And I hadn't even fought her with blades. I never wanted to. She'd make Cassian's training look like a beginner's lesson. 

"Does she want to?" Mor asked. She was staring at Aelin, who was lounging on a chair with her legs hooked over one of the arms. She tilted her head back to look at Mor, an obvious fake pout on her lips. 

"I'm insulted, Morrigan. I thought you were impressed by my insurmountable store of weaponry." She said. Mor laughed.

"I haven't decided whether to be impressed or worried." She replied. "Feyre tells me you're quite deadly even without them." 

"And with them, I am a force to be reckoned with." Aelin said devilishly, her upside-down grin looking quite mad. 

"Really?" Cassian asked incredulously. "I mean, you've got fast reflexes, obviously, but-"

"My dear Cassian, are you implying you think I'm not a good fighter?" Aelin drawled. 

"No. Just maybe not as good as you think you are," Cassian said, shrugging. Mor and I both scoffed at him. Cassian's arrogance was going to get him killed one of these days. Aelin sat up, a wicked grin on her face. She rotated her shoulders, making the bones pop in a precise rhythm. Mor had healed the shoulder injury she'd gotten from grabbing onto the railing already, but Aelin seemed like she enjoyed the prospect of more possible injuries.

"Oh really? Care to try your luck, Illyrian?" She pointed to the sparring ring outside the house. After we'd gotten off the balcony, Rhys and I had winnowed everyone back to the river-house. So far, we'd yet to talk any real strategy, because my friends couldn't seem to get over the fact that Aelin was actually here. To be fair, I was still reeling over it too. 

"I wouldn't, Cassian," Rhys warned. "We're not here to-"

"Please, this will be over in about two minutes. Then we can get to strategy talk. I haven't had a good fight in some time." Aelin said. She stood up, heading for the doors. "You in, Illyrian?" 

Against everyone's warnings, Cassian grinned and followed Aelin outside. 

"She's going to kick his ass, and he'll be in a foul mood the rest of the day," Rhys said as we followed them both outside. Mor chuckled quietly. 

"I bet you three of Sevenda's cakes that she beats him in under a minute." She said. Rhys smiled dryly. 

"Alright. And I say she'll beat him in less than thirty seconds." He replied. I laughed, loud enough that Cassian looked back at us.

"Are you betting?" He asked. Mor stuck her tongue out at him. 

"This is payback for always betting on how many glasses of wine I'll go through on Winter Solstice." She called to him as he and Aelin took their places. 

"Well, this should be good." Rowan Whitethorn muttered. He was standing on Aelin's side of the dirt ring, arms crossed and eyes on her. She was stretching out her body, bending herself in ways I definitely couldn't. She was still in her black, skin-tight suit, so I could see every muscle on her body as she moved. I'd thought I was in decent shape, but I was pretty out of it compared to the queen. 

"Alright, let's get started. Blades, or fists?" Aelin asked, cracking her knuckles. She looked so pleased with herself I was tempted to place my own bet. I'd seen Aelin move. Cassian didn't stand a chance. 

"Fists. No cheating with your fancy suit, Majesty." Cassian said, raising his fists and getting into a striking position. Aelin copied him, settling her weight on the foot slightly behind her body. 

"Alright then. Begin." She said. Cassian was moving before the word was out of her mouth. But she sidestepped him easily, using the foot she'd balanced her weight on to lean backward out of his reach. She spun around and kicked him in the back, sending him sprawling in the dirt. 

All of this happened in less than a second. I'd never been so pleased to be present at a fight. Rhys looked like he wanted to help Cassian, but was too busy trying not to laugh. 

Cassian pushed himself up and turned around, holding his fists up again. Aelin opened one hand and beckoned to him, smirking. He growled, obviously annoyed. He lunged for her again, but feinted at the last second, aiming for her throat. It was a good move and would have fooled even me. But Aelin saw it coming from a mile away.

Aelin spun out of reach, ducking under his arms and snapping her knee up, catching him in his stomach and knocking all the wind out of him. She grabbed both of his arms and spun to face away from him, crossing his arms so fast I thought she might pull them out of their sockets. With a mighty heave, she tossed Cassian over her head and flat onto his back. 

By this point, Mor had almost collapsed with laughter. Even Azriel looked mildly entertained. 

"Alright, try not to kill him, Aelin," Rowan said, but even he was grinning. Aelin blew some hair out of her face and smiled smugly at him. 

"Please. He'd already be dead." She said smugly. While she was looking away, Cassian grabbed her ankle and pulled her off her feet. She hit the dirt but was already twisting out of his grip. She locked her foot around his wrist and pushed down on the bone, causing him to hiss in pain and release her. They were both back on their feet in seconds. 

"It's been thirty seconds, Rhysand. You owe me some cake." Mor sang next to me. Rhys just smiled. 

"You only have thirty seconds to win that bet. If it takes longer than a minute, you're out." 

"Quick, Aelin, kick his ass! The cake is on the line!" Mor yelled. 

"That is good motivation," Aelin called back as she dodged another of Cassian's punches. "Share some with me?" She jumped nimbly over his sweeping leg, landing light on her feet and ducking yet another punch. 

"If you win, sure!" 

Aelin did a mock bow and blocked Cassian's latest attempt with her forearm. "Gladly." Before Cassian could react, Aelin pushed off the ground using his arm as momentum, vaulting over his head and grabbing his shoulders. She dragged him down with her, slamming him into the ground so hard I heard something crack. She rolled away and came up on her feet, smirking down at him. 

"Do you yield, or are you hungry for more?" She asked, her eyes alight with amusement. Cassian groaned, waving her away. 

"Damn, Majesty, I think you broke my back." He managed to say. "I concede, for the sake of cake." 

Rhys came over to help him up, his shoulders shaking with laughter. "You alright, Cassian?" 

Cassian shoved him away, then turned to Aelin, who'd gone to stand by Rowan. "You move like a demon. Where the hell did you learn to do that?"

"The Assasin's Keep in Adarlan." Aelin said simply, a serene smile on her face. I felt my eyebrows raise. I couldn't tell if she was joking or not. At least I'd guessed right. She was definitely a trained killer. 

"So you were an assassin?" Mor asked, tilting her head. "That actually makes sense, given your fighting style. More speed than strength." 

Aelin sketched a bow. "Thank you. Now..." She straightened back up, smiling at all of us. 

"I believe I was promised cake?" 

Art by Taratjah!!

Mk. So. I finished Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo last night. Stayed up until 1:45 a.m. to do so. I... literally am just lost. I don't know how to go on with my life. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't read the Grishaverse books, but DAMN. I was really close to crying by the end. Can we just talk about Wylan? He is so damn adorable and he is by far my favorite character. He and Jesper interact so well and their banter is ON POINT, I tell you. I need mooooore!!! I need the next book!!!! And the prequel books which I stupidly skipped for some reason thinking Six of Crows was its own series!! And I need more Jesper and Wylan!! I love them!! They are the best ship of the series, zero contest.