The Devil I Thought I Knew

Olivia’s movement was swift the moment Eva uttered those words. Eva hadn’t anticipated such speed as Olivia’s sword slashed through her arm once again, striking the same spot. The cut was deeper this time, more excruciating.

Staggering back, Eva clutched her arm, which was bleeding profusely, the crimson flow relentless, like an open faucet. Her vision blurred from the intense pain, and she realized she was losing too much blood. The real fight hadn’t even begun, and yet, she was already at a disadvantage? No, she wouldn’t let it end like this.

Olivia circled her like a predator, her eyes cold, calculating. The sun glinted off the sharp edge of her sword, casting a deadly reflection that danced across the ground. Eva’s breath came in shallow bursts, her heart pounding against her chest. The crowd of onlookers had fallen silent, watching the exchange with rapt attention.

Marco stood at the edge of the circle, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression unreadable. He didn’t flinch, didn’t move, as if this was all part of the plan.

"You’re slower than I expected," Olivia sneered, her voice icy. Without warning, she lunged forward, her blade aimed at Eva’s side with deadly precision.

Eva barely managed to twist her body in time, the tip of Olivia’s sword grazing her ribs. Pain exploded through her, but she suppressed the scream that threatened to escape.

Blood soaked her, streaming from her arms and ribs, but she couldn’t afford to dwell on the pain now. The sword Marco had given her for a reason felt like a foreign weight in her hand, too heavy, too awkward.

She gritted her teeth, refusing to let the discomfort show. Every instinct in her screamed to surrender, but she couldn’t. She needed to prove her worth, she needed to stay here if she truly wanted to destroy the Luca clan.

"You won’t last a minute," Olivia smirked, her voice low and venomous.

Her next attack came fast...too fast for Eva to fully react. Olivia’s blade sliced through the air, aimed directly for Eva’s shoulder.

This time, Eva had no choice but to raise her sword, bracing for the collision. The clatch of steel on steel rang through the training ground, the sound deafening. Her arms trembled under the force of the blow, but she held firm, refusing to let Olivia overpower her.

She could feel the blood still trickling from her arm, but she forced herself to ignore it. The fight wasn’t over yet.

With a quick twist of her body, Eva shoved Olivia back, gaining just enough space to steady herself. She staggered, her breath heavy, the pain in her arm a constant reminder of how close she was to breaking. But she wouldn’t. Not in front of Marco.

Olivia’s lips curled into a smirk. "You’ve got spirit, I’ll give you that," she laughed, stepping forward again.

"Too bad that won’t save you."

The words barely left Olivia’s mouth before she was moving again, faster than Eva could track. She spun, her blade coming in a deadly force. Eva barely managed to dodge, the cold rush of air as the sword whistled past her ear making her pulse race. Adrenaline surged through her veins as instinct took over.

She lunged, her sword aimed directly for Olivia’s side. The blade would have struck her, but Olivia was quicker. She twisted with terrifying speed, bringing the hilt of her sword crashing into Eva’s ribs instead. The impact sent Eva staggering backward, her breath stolen from her as a sharp pain exploded through her chest. She gasped, clutching at her side, trying to force air back into her lungs.

Olivia stepped forward, her eyes glittering with malicious pleasure. "You should have stayed down."

Eva’s vision blurred even more, but she didn’t allow herself to fall. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stand, the sword still gripped tightly in her hand.

"You talk too much," she spat, her voice cold, her words a mask for the pain that burned through her.

But Olivia wasn’t done. Without warning, she thrust her sword forward, aiming for Eva’s stomach. The blade came so fast that Eva barely had time to dodge.

Eva twisted, but Olivia’s sword found its mark, the cold steel plunging into her stomach with brutal force. Eva choked, blood rising in her throat, but she didn’t let herself fall.

"She'll die at this rate." She heard murmurs ripple among the crowd. Vanessa sighed, shaking her head in quiet disapproval.

Before Olivia could pull the blade out, she drove it in again, the steel sinking into Eva’s flesh with a sickening force. This time, Eva couldn’t hold back the scream, the pain overwhelming her as the second strike left her breathless, the world around her rotating dangerously.

Olivia pulled it out of her, ready to strike again but suddenly, the sharp sound of a sword slicing through the air rang out, followed by the loud thud of metal meeting metal. Eva’s eyes snapped open, her heart racing. A flash of steel appeared in front of her...Vanessa. The the one who had stayed quiet, now stood before her. Her sword was pressed against Olivia’s, blocking her from landing a third blow.

"What the hell are you doing?" Olivia hissed, glaring hard at Vanessa, but Vanessa didn’t flinch. Her eyes were cold as always, her expression unreadable.

"I was getting bored," Vanessa said simply, her voice low and controlled, as if she hadn’t just interrupted a deadly duel. She stepped forward, pushing Olivia’s sword away from Eva’s body.