Page 48 of Stealing Embers

I grab my neck and gasp for air.

Did he break my trachea? Am I dying?

Black dots swim in my vision as I fight for air.

I’m dying and nobody cares. Why isn’t anyone helping me?

Finally, a trickle of sweet air reaches my lungs. I want to suck it down in greedy gulps, but my body won’t cooperate. Each inhalation burns my throat.

Turning my head, I catch my classmates’ mixed expressions. They vary from horrified to amused. A grimace is frozen on Sterling’s face. Ash regards me with sad eyes, a hand covering her mouth. A few of the guys in the back row are openly laughing.

Walking over to Steel, Seth lays his hand good-naturedly on his shoulder, then glances over at me with worried eyes. After shaking his head, Seth pats Steel on the back in the universal gesture for “job well done.”

With a single wave, Steel cracks his knuckles and saunters toward the punching bag in the neighboring zone.

No way is it ending like this.

I get that I don’t have their fancy training. I understand that I’ve only just found out the truth of who I am, and they’ve all been raised to embrace their heritage.

But none of that means I’m weak.

None of that means I’m somehow less than the rest of them.

I may not have the technique, but I’m scrappy.

I don’t remember standing up. I don’t know how I reach Steel, but I’m fully aware when I jump on his back and hang on like a spider monkey.

Steel falters under my weight—after all, I’m not a small girl—tipping forward and stumbling a few steps before catching himself.

“Get off!”

You’re not the boss of me, you brute.

Steel’s arms swing back, and he tries to grab my clothes to rip me off him.

I’m not having it.

Tightening my legs around his middle, I sink both hands into his hair, fisting the strands. Using all my strength and weight I pull, forcing his head back and throwing him off-balance.

Is it a sophisticated move?

Nope.

Do I care?

Not at all.

With a roar, Steel’s giant body tips back.

Timber!

No amount of core strength is going to keep him upright with my full weight tugging him down and his neck bent at such an unnatural angle.

I hold tight as we go down. I manage to swing my body to the side before I’m crushed beneath his bulk.

My left leg and arm are trapped under a stunned Steel, but I don’t let that stop my assault.

Using what leverage I have, I pummel Steel’s chest with my right hand. I only get a few solid hits in before he recovers from the shock of being bested.