CHAPTER 12 – Ready or Not

"C'mon, is that all you've got?"

They were sparring. Asher grunted as she threw even more force behind her punch. He blocked her, but just barely. She was getting faster every day. It was exhilarating, like a complex, graceful dance as they went back and forth, dodging, attacking, and defending. Joanna had never played sports her entire life, but her muscles quickly became lean and toned from training every day.

The first time she'd been in this room, she'd been clumsy and weak. But she'd also made her first strong decision. Pain still occasionally ghosted around the hole in her chest, but she'd become very good at not thinking about it. And when she fought Asher, nothing else existed.

The playful expressions they'd started the sparring match with were gone now. Asher's face was serious. He no longer had to hold back now, and he looked almost pleased whenever she landed a good blow.

Asher ducked suddenly, reaching out to snag Joanna around the waist. He'd used the same move on her when he'd kidnapped her, what felt like a distant lifetime ago. For a split second Jo froze, and then she twisted, slamming her hands down to break his grip on her even as they both went tumbling to the mats. They rolled, and she dug one heel into the ground to stop them so she was on top with the advantage. She straddled his torso, holding his wrists in an iron grip against the floor.

Asher stopped struggling, but Joanna didn't let go. She may have been strong, but with his muscles of steel, Asher was still stronger. Never underestimate your opponent, or drop your guard. He'd taught her that. She doubted she'd overpowered him.

They both panted for breath and stared at each other. Joanna was tensed, ready for him to make the next move when something in the air changed. Jo was suddenly vividly aware of his body beneath her, chest rising and falling, the inches of space between them charged with intense heat. He grinned, sharp grey eyes watching her as she rolled off and slumped against the wall. Her cheeks were hot.

He sat up, running a hand through his hair. It was damp with sweat and stuck up in spikes. She looked away quickly, feeling strange for watching his bicep swell with the gesture.

Her heart jumped a moment later when he said, "You're ready."

Asher handed Joanna the smooth grey stone, and it began to glow as soon as her fingers closed around it. It was witchlight, she knew now. A rune-stone. She slipped it into the pocket of her gear. She knew so much more now.

It wasn't the first time she'd put on the tough, black leather Shadowhunter gear, and she'd grown accustomed to it. It was lighter than it looked, even with multiple weapons, both concealed and in plain sight. She looked back up at Asher, and he nodded before turning to push the heavy oak doors of the Institute open. She followed his lead as they moved quietly outside.

The sun was just touching the ocean, dipping below the clouds, a soft dusk that made the shadows long and hazy. The air smelled damp and fresh, and the stone steps of the Institute were still wet with rain. They ghosted down the gravel driveway in silence. Just before they slipped under cover of trees, Joanna glanced back. The Institute rose behind her, tall and regal. Jo realized with a start that it was comforting in its ancient solidness, overshadowing her old haven, her room in her house. She wondered when she'd started thinking of the Institute as home.

They walked for nearly an hour as the sun was slowly extinguished by the waves in the west behind them. Asher navigated and Joanna became increasingly sure he knew every nook and cranny of the island. But she was surprised when they climbed a small ravine and found themselves on a flat, two-lane paved road.

"I thought I'd gotten them all," Asher said, his voice breaking the stillness in the half-light. "But a mundane died on the trails in this area a day ago. They said it was a wild dog attack." He met her eyes, his own eyes reflecting the pale blue twilight. She nodded, immediately understanding what he meant. Caulker demon. Her mouth set in determination. It was her job to find it and kill it.

She pulled out her Sensor and crossed the road. She opened her senses, listening as she treaded carefully through the forest. She listened intently to the sounds that reached her sharp ears: nocturnal animals, a car passing down the road behind them, Asher's quiet breathing as he followed her.

And then an eerie silence fell. The Sensor in her hand buzzed gently. Her heart pounded in her chest as she continued moving forward, until the Sensor was hot in her hand and vibrating almost painfully against her skin. She could just pick out through the trees and bushes a patch cleared by claws and a hole disappearing into the ground.

A low, menacing growl sounded through the forest.