Free Salt by Danielle Ellison Page B

regaining her balance, I strike with my other foot toward her right leg. She anticipates the move and bounces back to her left side. Missed. Edith reverses the move on me, twisting her body, and I jump over her while she’s down, so I’m behind her now.
    I swing, leaning into the punch and using my legs to keep myself stable. She avoids each blow I make and I only get air. I need to go back to the defensive. As I decide that, Edith kicks her feet out toward me. I’m ready so I don’t fall like she intended. I step forward, keeping my balance and moving my feet despite her attempts to knock me over. She doesn’t land a hit on me either. I use a duck-and-jive method that Ric taught me. Edith and I circle each other, gliding above the mat.
    “Helix,” Mrs. Bentham yells a fighting maneuver for us to do next. “Now!”
    Edith pauses, it’s half a second. It’s all I need. I ram my fist toward her face and she blocks me; it’s too late. My fingernail grazes her cheek. Her face is red in the spot, blood starting to flow. She launches at me with her body twisted, feet toward my face. I duck. Edith lands. She looks ready to have a go at me again, but Mrs. Bentham stops us.
    “Edith Summers, you’re dismissed.”
    Edith drops her hands. “Why? She didn’t do anything!”
    Mrs. Bentham points to Edith’s face, at the spot where my fingernail grazed her skin. Edith touches her cheek, her hand coming back with drops of red. “If Miss Grey had been a demon, you very well could be dead right now.”
    Edith looks outraged—at me, at Mrs. Bentham, at herself. I cross my arms. Edith’s whole face is scarlet and I bet she’s going to yell. To my surprise, she doesn’t. She nods her head slowly; tears start to fall down her face.
    “Thanks,” she mutters to Mrs. Bentham, then turns to me. “Good luck,” Edith says, extending her hand to shake mine. I stare at it for a second before I take it. When Edith lets go, she turns on her heel, head held high, and leaves.
    Mrs. Bentham stares at me. “Well done, Miss Grey. It seems you have more gusto than I imagined. That’s what we look for in Enforcers,” she says.
    I didn’t mean to scratch her, but I did and I’m here another day for it. I should be happy, but I can’t help but feel like I’ve destroyed someone else’s life.
    “See you tomorrow, dear.” Mrs. Bentham says, going back to call another pair of names. I pick up my bag and head out the door. It’s already two thirty and I’m exhausted. From this morning, from the sparring, from the demon search. A demon can’t just disappear like that. I need a nap.
    My phone rings as soon as I get into the car and I dig it out of my pocket. It’s Carter’s number. God, he really is so annoying. “How’d you get this number?”
    Carter chuckles on the other end. “You gave me your phone earlier, remember? I texted myself so I’d have it.”
    “You are such a stalker,” I tell him.
    “Tracker, but thanks for the compliment,” he says. I laugh, but my stomach hurts. Man, what is it with this boy?
    “So,” Carter pauses. I hear something crash in the background. “You busy?”
    My hair is damp with sweat and my face red. I’m pretty sure I’ll have some bruises within the hour. I can’t let him see me like this. “I’m not really dressed to go out in public.” Wait, why do I care how he sees me? I feel the blush surfacing on my cheeks. I’m a sicko and I have to look at myself in the rearview mirror so I can see my own blush. Yup, rosy.
    “I’m sure you’re just as pretty as you always are.”
    Silence fills the line. Did he just call me pretty? That’s totally what that was, right? There’s a crash on Carter’s end, then he clears his throat. “So?”
    I should say no. I should not go because I have things to do. But if he does know something about me, I have to find out. That desire is stronger than anything else. I have to protect myself. That means going somewhere with less people. “See