Capes & Clues: Book 2 in The Dominion Point Mystery Series by Isadora Brown & H. C. Cardona

Author:Isadora Brown & H. C. Cardona [Brown, Isadora & Cardona, H. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grey Star Publishing, LLC
Published: 2025-06-02T00:00:00+00:00

I stepped into the Vigilante Training Block, the familiar scent of sweat and determination hit me like a wall. The air buzzed with the sounds of combat drills, grunts, and the sharp thud of bodies colliding with mats. I usually found a spot at the edge, notebook in hand, ready to absorb whatever Ashford had to teach.

But today felt different.

And not just because of the grueling training session Ashford subjected me to this morning. He stood near the center of the mat, his back to me as he casually sipped from his ever-present coffee cup.

“Get on the mat,” he ordered, not bothering to turn around.

I blinked, caught off guard. “...what?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.” His voice was flat, no hint of humor or softness.

My heart raced. Sparring? This wasn’t what I signed up for. I had expected observation—taking notes on techniques and strategies—not to be thrust into a fight. A knot formed in my stomach as I hesitated at the entrance.

Before I could protest further, one of the Third Years—Cartright, if I remembered correctly—stepped forward, eyes gleaming with eagerness. “I’ll spar with her.”

But before Cartright could take another step, Ashford shot him a look that could freeze fire. “Don’t even think about it, Cartright.”

The other students chuckled lightly; they knew how this went. The tension in my chest tightened further as Ashford turned his attention back to me.

“Either you want this or you don’t,” he said, voice low but insistent. “Prove it.”

My mind raced through a thousand thoughts. This was Ashford—a man who demanded excellence and didn’t tolerate excuses. Was I really prepared for this? I wasn't a Vigilante; he knew that. But somewhere beneath that fear bubbled something else: a flicker of defiance.

“I can do it,” I replied, surprising myself with how steady my voice sounded despite my nerves.

Ashford regarded me with an unreadable expression before nodding once and gesturing toward the mat again. “Then get moving.”

The laughter from my classmates faded into background noise as adrenaline surged through my veins. I took a step forward onto the mat, fully aware that today would be different than any other training session I'd experienced thus far.

He didn’t even give me time to process before he called over one of the fighters—a girl built like a tank, her muscles rippling as she stretched her arms. I eyed her warily.

“Take it easy on her. She’s new.”

The girl smirked, a confident gleam in her eyes. “No promises.”

That was my only warning before the fight began.

The moment Ashford stepped back, the girl lunged forward, and the first hit knocked the wind out of me. I stumbled back, blinking against the bright lights above as I tried to regain my balance.

Okay. That hurt.

But I could do this.

I squared my stance, recalling the drills Ashford made me do—every punch thrown with precision, every movement calculated. But this wasn’t drills; this was real, and everything felt different in that moment.

I threw a punch—but it missed completely.

She sidestepped with an ease that made my heart sink and then slammed into me again with such force that I found myself sprawling onto the mat.

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