Trenton quickly moved towards her. The bladewhistled through the air where her head had been. She ducked out ofthe way and then tripped when he shoved his foot into her path. Shemanaged to turn the fall into a roll but had no time to recover ashis wooden blade bit into the grass next to her head.
All of a sudden his attack stopped. He sighedand then went back to where he’d originally stood.
Shea got her feet cautiously and wiped herhands against her trousers.
Trenton’s head was turned slightly away fromher and his eyes fixed on something behind her and to the right.She turned to look.
Fallon stood with his arms crossed over hismuscular chest, watching the session.
So that’s why.
It was a little surprising considering Fallonwas the one who’d ordered this stupid test. He’d practically giventhem free reign to do anything they wanted so long as they said itwas part of the testing process.
Trenton closed in on her, pounding at herdefense with blows that had the force of a mountain behindthem.
“Where is your fire?” Trenton asked, everyword punctuated with another blow.
Shea kept silent and concentrated on gettingout of the encounter with no internal bleeding. With the way he washammering at her guard, he’d cause an injury if a blow landed.
“Is this the woman who convinced her men tofollow her on a fool’s errand?”
Shea didn’t respond.
“Where is the spirit that drove you off acliff onto a shadow beetle?”
He was very talkative as he drove her acrossthe small practice ring. She envied him the ability.
“You’re weak.”
Now he was onto insults.
“You don’t belong here.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah. She’d heard that onebefore.
He closed with her, bearing down with hisblade until her arms were shaking with the strain. His face wasclose to hers as their match became a test of strength. “Yourstupidity is going to get everyone killed.”
Abruptly, Shea released the blade with onehand, sidestepped and launched a punch straight into his ear. Hishead rocked to the side and Shea, taking advantage of hisdistraction, grabbed his arm and hooked her leg around his beforepushing with all her might.
He toppled backwards, landing hard on theground for the first time that day. Shea didn’t wait for him torecover and kicked him in the ribs. He rolled into her legs as sheprepared to do it again, bringing her to the ground with him.
She kicked, punched and wiggled her way backto standing and quickly backed up as he rose to his feet.
He didn’t look happy. Shea backed up evenfurther.
The dark expression on his face was a bitscary. Guess she shouldn’t have kicked him when he was down. Thebiting probably didn’t help either. Trying to dig her fingers intohis eyes had been a low blow. Even she could admit that. This waspractice. Some things were just off limits.
He started for her, not even bothering topick up his practice sword. Shea prepared to run. New energycoursed through her as she felt genuine danger rolling offTrenton.
“Test complete,” the old man crowed.
“What?” Shea asked in disbelief.
“You passed.”
“That’s it?”
The test had been difficult but notimpossible. She’d been expecting impossible given the hesitationthe old man showed in testing her.
