Prologue

She lifts the knife, a dangerous smile playing across her face. The boy tilts his chin and tightens his grip on the sword. "Twenty-four of us go in, one comes out. You won't be leaving alive," he says in a voice that doesn't reach a pitch louder than a growl.

"Like hell I will," she hisses back. "Those who underestimate me don't seem to live long." She angles the blade so it catches the light.

"You don't scare me," he scoffs, rolling his eyes.

The girl is up in his face instantly, knife at his throat. "That's what they all say."

She feels cold metal against her stomach. Crap. The sword. She looks up at his face. He smirks, knowing she's trapped.

She does some sort of crazy backflip, kicking away the weapon, and lands on her feet, poised to throw the knife at his heart.

He snarls, and they begin the real fight. She slides the short blade back into her jacket and picks out a long dagger, using it to duel his sword. He may be bigger, but she's faster tenfold.

Twenty minutes pass, then half an hour, an hour and a half, two. They're locked in a wild dance of slashing blades and flying knives.

She pins him down to the ground and holds him at knifepoint. He struggles and struggles, to no avail. He slumps down, seemingly admitting defeat, that this small girl bested him in combat. She relaxes and begins to get off him, when he blasts upwards, sending her flying.

"Never assume an enemy is defeated unless he's dead," he says with a wicked smirk.

That was only the beginning.