#Chapter 40: Blade for Blade

Raven For the second time since I had met Hannah, she had a blade pressed to my throat. And if the infuriating curl to her lips was any indication, she was loving this little power imbalance. But I had learned from our last encounter, and I was prepared. “You seem to enjoy holding a knife to my throat, Hannah,” I said, lifting my chin. “But this time, I’m not unarmed.” Hannah’s smirk faltered, and her gaze flicked down to where my own knife was pressed into her stomach, just beneath her ribcage. The tip of the blade dug into the soft fabric of her robe, right between her ribs. I wasn’t a skilled fighter by any stretch of the imagination, but I knew that one swift thrust would be enough to at least incapacitate her. And she knew that, too. Her eyes widened, if only for a second, before she regained her composure. She released me with a sneer, stepping back but keeping her own blade visible. “You shouldn’t be so confident just because you’re Prince Ne