BLOOD CROWN: 029

Roxanne loathed physical training more than the next person. She wished she could stay at the back and remain concealed behind the rest of the girls, but she knew with Kaizen's gawking eyes that she couldn't escape even if she strived.

“Roxanne.”

Roxie sighed at the sound of her name and hauled her legs to the center of the field, where her opponent waited for her like a piece of meat. She looked at Kaizen, who stood at the side. She gave him a pout but he rolled his eyes. She looked back at her opponent; there was a glint in the champion’s eyes as she looked at Roxie who grimaced at the sight.

Roxie swallowed hard, her throat dry and her mind raced with strategies that she wasn’t sure would work, but there was nothing wrong with trying. She only needed to survive this once and go back to her bed. She got into a fighting stance.

Suddenly, her opponent was lunging forward. She swung a wild punch aimed at Roxie’s head, who barely ducked in time as her fist grazed the top of her hair. Ro