"A mistake." I paced the room, shadows swirling in my wake. "He means to humiliate you. Or worse."
"Then teach me to defend myself." She stepped into my path, stopping me. "You said I have some sensitivity to shadows. That's something, right?"
I looked down at her, at the stubborn set of her jaw, the fire in her eyes. Something about her called to me, like shadows to darkness.
"It's not enough."
"Then what happens in this challenge?"
I hesitated. "Traditionally, it's combat. But since you're human, he'll likely choose a shadow endurance test."
"Which means?"
"He'll surround you with his shadows. They'll press in, make it hard to breathe, to think. Most humans panic within seconds."
Fear flickered across her face, but she squared her shoulders. "Then I won't panic."
"It's not that simple?—"
"Teach me." Her hand touched my arm, warm against my cool skin. "Please."
I looked down at her fingers on my forearm, then back to her determined face. "We have until tomorrow."
We trained through the night. I pushed her harder than I should have, summoning shadows to envelop her, teaching herto control her breathing, to find the pockets of air even in darkness.
She surprised me again and again. Where most humans would break, she endured. When she should have fled, she faced the darkness. And every time our bodies came into contact, my hands positioning her arms, steadying her waist, catching her when she stumbled.
By dawn, she was exhausted, dark circles under her eyes. She'd collapsed onto my bed, too tired to return to her own quarters.
"Rest," I told her. "You'll need your strength tonight."
She looked up at me, hair splayed across my pillow. "Stay with me? Just until I fall asleep."
I should have refused. Instead, I sat beside her on the edge of the bed. "Sleep. I'll be here."
When she reached for my hand, I gave it. When her eyes drifted closed, I studied the curve of her cheek, the sweep of her lashes. The longer I watched her, the more the shadows in the room responded, gathering closer, as if drawn to my forbidden thoughts.
I had not planned to care about Aya Fletcher. Now I feared I might not stop.
Dusk came too quickly. The Shadow Arena stood at the center of our settlement, a circular pit with high walls that trapped the darkness inside. Our people gathered around the edges, murmuring when they saw me enter with Aya.
Nyx waited at the center, shadows already dancing around him. His smile was predatory as we approached.
"The human accepts my challenge," he announced to the gathered crowd. "Let us see if she deserves a place among us."
The Elder stepped forward from the crowd. "The terms?"
"Shadow endurance," Nyx said, as I'd predicted. "If she can withstand my shadows for one full minute, she may stay and continue her training. If not, she leaves tonight."
The Elder looked to Aya. "Do you accept these terms?"
She nodded, her face composed despite the fear I could sense rolling off her. "I do."
"Then begin."
I wanted to protest, to step between them, but this was her choice. All I could do was watch as Nyx's shadows gathered, thick and menacing, and surged toward Aya.
They engulfed her completely. Through their darkness, I could see her silhouette standing rigid, fighting the instinct to struggle. Seconds passed like hours. I counted them silently, my own shadows restless around my feet.
