I took a step back. A rock wall on one side and the sea on the other—not a great place for a fight. “Yeah, Masha, how about some new slurs to add to the mix?”

“I believe I am done talking,” she said, and unfurled that whip.

“There it is,” I said. “I was beginning to think maybe Alcántara had confiscated your weapon again.”

“Oh no. And I have better news. Hugo said I might kill you now.” She laughed at what must’ve been my goggle-eyed expression. “Do I surprise you?”

I gathered my wits, and quick. “Not at all,” I told her with what I thought was admirable calm. But I was surprised. Alcántara had sanctioned my death, which meant he hadn’t been fooled by my act. He knew there was something between me and Carden—I was sure of it now. “He told you to kill me?”

“Not precisely.” She waved her hand as though annoyed with such minor details. “He told me he wouldn’t stop me. Same thing.”

I hoped it wasn’t the same thing. If I survived, I didn’t want to return to campus only to be butchered by Alcántara himself.

But I couldn’t think about that now. I had more pressing issues, namely Masha and her pals. She looked eager to knock me off for good. If she was playing for keeps, it meant only one of us would be getting out of this alive.

I had more than just weaponry at my disposal—she might’ve had a whip, but my tongue could get in some pretty savage lashes—and if I wanted to survive this, I’d need to bring every last skill. I gave a dramatic shrug. “I guess he didn’t like our kiss any more than I did,” I said, aiming straight for her jealous little heart.

Masha’s face turned ugly with fury. Bull’s-eye.

I gave her an innocent smile. “Oh, you didn’t know we kissed?”

“Hugo kisses many girls. But he keeps few. You, he is done with.” Her arm flew out before I had a chance to react. Her whip snapped, and leather kissed my jaw, the pain instant and hot. She smiled. “I’ve been waiting for this day.”

“Oh—me, too.” Ignoring the trickle of blood tickling down my neck, I opened my senses to the periphery, trying to guess everyone’s next moves.

Mei-Ling was doing something at my back. Pulling out her stakes, I guessed. But I couldn’t let her get in the fray. She didn’t have enough experience—not against trained killers like these Guidons. Chances were, if she pulled a weapon on them, it would only get turned and used on her.

“I only wish we had an audience,” I said as I backed into the rock wall. It’d stop Mei from doing something brave and stupid, plus it’d protect both our backs. “Everyone could watch as we take you and your gal pals down.”

“We?” One of the Guidons laughed. “We? Seems like your ho friend here is useless.”

The other girl stepped forward, closing in. “Good luck with that.”

Masha cut in front of them, pacing a half circle before me, poised like a boxer. “We don’t need an audience. When I kill you, everyone will hear about it. Everyone will finally know what trash you are.”

The other Guidons pulled out their weapons. I heard that butterfly knife flicking open and shut, click-click. Click-click.

Three against one, not counting my roommate, whom I needed to get out of there. I’d concealed Mei-Ling’s gift from Alcántara, and now it was my fault that her life was forfeit. I’d do everything in my power to continue protecting her and her secret.

This wasn’t going to be a normal stand-in-place-and-duke-it-out sort of fight. Outnumbered like this, I’d need to keep moving, getting in whatever hits I could. I couldn’t guard Mei and keep myself alive at the same time.

I must’ve had a death grip on her arm, because she snarled in my ear, “Let go.” I’d backed us against one of the rocks and was edging along the side. “I can help.”

I ignored her, keeping my sole focus on Masha. “You don’t have to do this, you know.” I’d keep her talking as I inched farther sideways, waiting for a plan to present itself. If I stood still and three girls jumped me—jumped us—that would be it. They’d be clearing bits of us off the rocks for a vampire snack.

“I don’t have to do this,” Masha agreed magnanimously. “But I want to. I want to see you dead, Acari Drew. Your friend, too. Hugo says she also no longer matters.” She craned her neck, trying to catch Mei’s eye. “Hear that, little girl? You no longer matter. Step out from your hiding place. I’ll make it quick. I promise.”

I stepped aside, shoving Mei. “Run.”

My roommate flinched away, pushing out from behind me, looking pissed. “I won’t leave you.”

“Go, run, little girl,” Masha purred. “We like to chase.”

“Leave her out of this.” I shoved Mei again, but she didn’t budge. “Go. Get out of here.”

Masha shook out her whip, a cascading strip of black leather, so elegant and fluid in her hands. “Hugo thought he wanted her. He said she’s fair game now.”

“I won’t let you touch her.” I honed in on Masha’s neck. Only one of us would survive.

Masha giggled. “Said you’re fair game.”

“All’s fair, isn’t that what they say?” I pinched a star between my fingertips, eyes on her jugular. I threw.

But Masha darted aside, and my shuriken flew past her, arcing and dropping into the sand. “Too slow,” she said. “You’re not fast enough to beat me. Not strong enough.” Large rocks littered the base of the hillside, and she sprang onto one of them, cracking her whip at me as she spun into place.

But I was faster this time. I ducked and threw, and my star hit her arm, still extended in midair. I laughed, feeling momentarily giddy with the tiny success. “I am smart enough,” I said. “Smarter than you, Masha. And you hate that. It’s why Alcántara—why Hugo—wanted me.”

“He doesn’t want you anymore.” She shook her whip out, twirling it from where she stood on her perch. “You’re not good enough. You’re nothing anymore.”

I slid another star into position. Only two left—I’d run out soon, and if I had any hope of surviving, this fight would have to get sloppy. Fists, sand, seawater…whatever it took to win.

Which meant I really had to get Mei-Ling out of there. I slammed my hip into her, hard. “Go.”

Finally she listened. She took off, and hearing her scuffling, frantic footfalls, something in my chest released. I needed her safe—I wouldn’t have her die on account of me.

But then one of the Guidons took off, chasing her. She was a strong, broad one, and she sped after Mei, flicking open her butterfly blade as she ran.

I didn’t think. My right hand wasn’t in a good position, so I punched my left arm out, sliding the stake from my sleeve into my hand, and impaled the Guidon in the chest as she flew by.

Her body bucked in midair, and she dropped, spasming in the sand. Dead.

Masha’s face hardened, her eyes narrowing, glittering with hatred. “Lucky hit.”

I spared a quick glance for the remaining Guidon. “Two on one, Masha. I think you should leave Mei-Ling out of this. You might need all the help you can get.”

“We’ll find her,” Masha said. “Don’t worry. We’ll just get rid of you first.”

I’d pinned my focus on Masha and realized too late the other Guidon was on the move, rustling with something. Masha cracked her whip, aimed at my face, and I ducked, but as I did, I heard the sickening meaty thunk of the other girl’s throwing knife skewering my shoulder.

I stumbled back a step. “Goddammit.”

I tore the blade out, which was stupid. Combat medicine rule number one: When stabbed, do not remove object from wound. Blood flowed from my body in a hot gush, soaking the front of my shirt almost instantly.

I slung the blade back at her, but it was my left hand, wet with my own blood, and my throw went wide.

I clutched my shoulder, backing away. So much blood. It would summon something to us, for sure. I imagined I heard the distant snarling and moaning of the Draug already, rattling in their cages.

The Guidon plucked her knife from the sand and closed in. “I think it’s you who needs help, Acari Drew.”

I needed to keep moving. Blood loss would weaken me. I backed up, but slammed straight into the wall of rocks. I darted a look up and from side to side. It was boulders to either side of me and the steep hillside above.

“Cornered,” the Guidon taunted. “Like a little rat.”

Masha was on the move. I heard the click of scattering rocks as she began to climb. I couldn’t let her get above my head. I had to separate my two opponents.

“Crap.” I knew what I had to do, and I hated it. Masha had disappeared onto the rocks, but I knew better than to worry about her when I had a deadly Guidon right in front of me. “Crap,” I repeated, taking off toward the water.

I heard the girl follow, and I spun, jogging backward, and threw my star. Hit.

“Bitch,” she shrieked. Stumbled. Fell. But she rolled back to a squat at once, glaring at me. She didn’t pull her eyes from me as she plucked my star from where it’d embedded in her foot. She did a little limp-hop and began running after me again, almost as fast as before.

I turned and hauled ass for the water, not sure what my plan was. I took up my last star and spun around again, facing her. I threw, but she bobbed out of the way at the last second and laughed as it went wide.

Slowing to a jog, she held her throwing blade between her fingers, showing it off. “Need a weapon?”

“Nah, I’m good.” I slid the last two homemade stakes from my sleeves.

“Clever.” She prowled toward me, her blade poised for action.

I lunged, taking her by surprise, slamming my stakes at her from either side. Water, sand, and blood made my grip slick, and one grazed her arm in a nearly useless hit and flew from my hand, but the other managed to penetrate the thick muscle at her shoulder.