The Black Pawn • The first book of the Black Academy Series

8. Stage Two

AH DAMN IT, she grunted as a fist punched her stomach. Her opponent. Morgan's fist pulled back and rushed towards Azalea again. But she grabbed the girl's fist. She twisted her so that Morgan was at her back. Wham! She had flipped Morgan onto the mat.

Morgan coughed. Azalea prowled around her. Every step of hers tested her opponent's boundary. Morgan was on her feet again. Azalea's face was plain but she was tired and her arms hurt.

Morgan was fast. Azalea was not faster. Her fist had reached Azalea's abdomen and had hit her with amazing force. Azalea's breath was knocked out of her. Laura didn't waste any time. She cocked her elbow and swung.

She wanted to break Azalea's nose. Essentially blind her and then finish her off. Morgan was not one for flashy power moves, she preferred stealthy calculated moves. Subtle moves. That was the only thing Azalea had been able to find out about the girl.

Morgan and her's fight was quite similar to the one she'd had with Benjamin a week ago. She did not waste time with her grins and her comments, she wouldn't be able to distract Morgan. She had to go in directly.

Or not.

She grabbed Morgan's elbow, pushing her backward. Off-balance. Morgan did not have a grip on the floor. Azalea did not have to distract Morgan with her comments, she could physically distract her by putting her off-balance.

While Morgan tried to get a grip on the floor. Azalea swung her own elbow. Crack! The blood flowed down from her nose. The pain was immense. The girl cried out as she fell backward.

She slammed against the mat as Azalea went behind her. She pulled up Morgan and then fitted her arms around the girl's neck. Nice and snug.

And then she squeezed.

Morgan's face turned red to match the color of the blood coming down from her nostrils. Her limbs flailed but Azalea remained concrete. She was choking. Her fingers scratched at Azalea's sleeves.

Mademoiselle Faith watched as Morgan stopped. She just stopped. She was not in motion anymore. She was not breathing. She was dead.

Faith walked over to Azalea, the others were still fighting in the background, "Je Suis très fier de vous, Mme Selene."

I am very proud of you Ms. Selene.

•

She wasn't asleep anymore. She was tired. She did not believe in the fake promise of sweet dreams. Her bare feet padded along the wooden floor as her hand traced the wooden paneling. The training session with Benjamin had finished hours ago. It was an early 3:23 in the morning.

Her breathing was calm as she walked mindlessly. Her feet chose her path. And unknowingly she walked down a hallway she had only ever visited once before.

Victoria Casella's office was down four steps into the hallway. Her feet traveled towards the door. The door itself didn't do much to cancel the noise coming in or going out. And Victoria hadn't bothered to put a charm on her room,

Hushed voices. Azalea was curious. She leaned closer to the door.

"Who do you think is in there?"

"Oh, my g —"

She jumped, her heart almost beating out of her chest. She turned around with her hand clutching her chest, "Wh — How did you get here?"

"I guess I walked."