The Unbroken C. Clark (best books to read for self development .txt) š
- Author: C. Clark
Book online Ā«The Unbroken C. Clark (best books to read for self development .txt) šĀ». Author C. Clark
Jaghotai got close, pretended to leave Touraineās reach, and then came close again and slammed her elbow into Touraineās gut before twirling away. Luca gasped, held the breath. Touraine doubled over and staggered once before regaining herself. First real contact. It ended the pretense that neither fighter was out for blood.
Touraine struck next, like lightning. When Jaghotai chopped at her, Touraine blocked the attack to the outside with a forearm, bent her knees, and rammed the heel of her fist in the space between Jaghotaiās stomach and ribs. That was the end. When Jaghotai bent, Touraine kicked her sharply in the thigh. The other woman crumpled to one knee, clutching her stomach.
Djasha clapped twice and then pointed to Touraine. One person applauded, then maybe three joined.
Touraine strutted toward Luca with her chin high, a smug smile on her lips. Djasha, however, caught Touraineās arm.
āThere are three rounds, girl. The victor takes two.ā
As the edges of Lucaās mind still blurred with drink, Touraine walked back into the circle. Gil squeezed Lucaās shoulder.
CHAPTER 23A HOPE IN THE DARK
Touraine squared off in front of Jaghotai again. Sharp inhale through the nose, slow exhale through the mouth. Breathe like the wolf, not the deer. Which instructor had told them this, in Balladaire? Her entire core ached, but she pushed the pain away.
Djasha clapped again. Jaghotai rushed Touraine immediately. Jaghotai spun and kicked, and Touraine batted the leg away with her fist. Another kick. This time, Touraine hopped sidewaysābut couldnāt avoid Jaghotaiās second rotation. Her boot clipped Touraineās temple, and Touraine dropped, stunned, to her knees.
Touraine expected someone to call foul, but no one did. Somehow, she had a feeling headshots werenāt common in friendly sparring.
Djasha clapped twice and stepped between them. This time, she pointed to Jaghotai.
Touraine blinked the stars from her eyes. Jaghotaiās smile was smug. Luca sat on the edge of the hide chair, arms wrapped tight around herself.
Fine. One more time.
āAre you surprised, daughter?ā Jaghotai danced around Touraine on her toes.
There was a collective inhale from every person around the fires. Certainly they couldnāt all be surprised. Her uncle had put the pieces together, and SaĆÆd, too. Maybe they never expected Jaghotai to acknowledge the traitor child, as good as a bastardāif they even had that concept here.
Touraine was surprised by many things in this scenario, but the Jackalās fighting skill wasnāt one of them. She still remembered the feel of those boots in her gut.
Also not a surprise: the boot didnāt feel any better against her head.
The pain in Touraineās torso kept her breaths shallow. She needed to watch out for those sky-falling boots. Balladaire hadnāt prepared her for anything like those kicks. The dizzying swirl and shift from one angle of attack to the nextāshe had been caught off guard. She wouldnāt be again.
āWhen I found out a conscript killed my brother, I swore Iād get revenge,ā Jaghotai said. Her dancing steps kept her out of reach. āI just didnāt expect Iād be this unlucky.ā
Before she finished speaking, she closed the space between them and aimed a kick at Touraineās gut. Touraine spun away from the kick and landed a solid jab in the other womanās kidneys before she widened the space between them again.
āIf youāre unlucky, I must be sky-falling cursed.ā Touraine spat. āA mother like you.ā
Touraine kept circling, waiting, waiting for her opening. The other woman held her arms in a loose cage as she swayed to her own mental rhythm, left elbow protecting her body, her right hand up near her face. Jaghotai was slowing, and a beautiful bruise was already swelling on her face from an earlier hit.
Touraine ducked in, teasing Jaghotai into lashing out with her legs again. This time, the kick came and Touraine was ready. She grabbed the leg, spun Jaghotai off balance, and pounced on her. Somehow, with a deft twist of the hips, Jaghotai pinned Touraine under her instead.
Jaghotai laughed in Touraineās ear. āHow long are you going to serve them, MulÄzim?ā Her voice was gravelly as Touraine writhed in her grip.
Touraine managed to roll onto her side. The womanās breath was sour with food and drink. Sweat made their skin slick and hard to hold, but Jaghotai still had a fistful of Touraineās shirt.
āShe doesnāt care about you,ā Jaghotai hissed in Touraineās ear. āThey donāt see any of us as people. When sheās sucked you hollow, sheāll throw you away to rot, and find a new tool.ā
Past Jaghotaiās shoulder, Touraine saw Luca watching from the edge of the circle, her pale hand covering her mouth. Jaghotai was wrong about one thing, at least. Touraine hoped. Luca had danced with her.
She wanted Jaghotai to be wrong about the rest, too.
āItās not just Balladaire who doesnāt care,ā Touraine choked out. A quick knee to Jaghotaiās crotch gave Touraine just enough space to wrap her legs around the other woman and squeeze her still. āI wouldnāt be in this position if it werenāt for you.ā
Jaghotai jerked above her but couldnāt escape. She tried to punch, but Touraine locked her arms, too.
āI was a lonely kid,ā Touraine growled, ācrying in the dark of some strangersā ship. Shouldnāt you have protected me?ā
There. There was the bitter truth that lay behind every sharp retort. Touraine didnāt care that Jaghotai hadnāt stopped Balladaire from taking her. Her life was better this way. She didnāt care. She didnāt. But if she didnāt, why was she yelling it?
Touraine knew only that the words hit Jaghotai where she wanted them to. The other fighter roared and threw herself free of Touraineās hold.
Where the words woke something in Jaghotai, though, they broke something in Touraine, siphoning away her
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