The she-elf bowed her head to him.
“Dyna, this is Lumina.”
“You have been enlisting new members for your army,” Dyna said, crossing her arms as she eyed Lumina. “Why hire her? She’s too soft to be a Raider, and you have enough mages.”
“She serves a purpose,” Tarn said. “Don’t let her appearance fool you. Lumina is a Magi Master, and in this instance, my recruiter.”
“Recruiter?” Dyna furrowed her brow. If she was to fight her way into his inner circle, why not put her up against Len?
His mouth lifted in a cool smile. “Everyone must pass initiation, Maiden. No exceptions.”
Lumina began to circle her. Vivid pink light spiraled around her palms as they faced off. She lifted her hands into position, making her bracelet of white shards clink softly.
“You have one minute,” Tarn said.
Dyna frowned. “For what?”
“To survive.” He snapped his fingers.
Lumina thrust her palm into Dyna’s chest with an Elvish word.
Pink light clashed against her fae armor. It absorbed the brunt of the spell, but the force sent Dyna sliding backward. She braced her legs, her boots skidding to a stop.
Tarn leaned against the banister and crossed his arms. The Raiders gathered on the deck below, jeering and hooting. Money passed hands as they made their bets. Tarn arched an eyebrow at her, awaiting her response. This was more than a recruitment. He wanted proof of her abilities.
Dyna took out her blades. “Until I draw first blood or until one of us is left standing?”
His silence left that up to her interpretation.
She faced her opponent, inhaling a low breath.
Lumina muttered a spell and cast out a stream of magic. It rippled across the deck in pink waves. Dyna ran toward her. She leaped over the attack spell and launched herself off the banister. Her blade sliced past Lumina’s arm. She yelped and dropped to the deck. Her magic vanished.
Lumina gripped her injured arm and wobbled to her feet, blood seeping through her fingers. This fight wouldn’t last long. It was clear from the way she moved that Lumina wasn’t a warrior. She relied on her magic.
“Zuled sadapse,”Lumina said, her voice light and sweet.
Essence tugged against Dyna like static. The sky crackled, and spears of pink light lifted in the air. Crouching, she readied her weapons.
Lumina swept her arms, and the blades came for her one at a time. Dyna parried the first attack, pivoted away from the second, and flipped to dodge the third.
Pink streaks, like stars, spun around Lumina. She brought her fingers together, forming a circle.“Rinuer.”
The enchanted flares spiraled out and formed a ring around Dyna. She had a split second to drop to the floor before the stars clashed into each other above her head, nearly taking it. A few severed strands of red hair floated down by her boots.
A fight to the death, then.
The Raiders hollered, thrusting their fists into the air. Tarn looked away to the horizon, unimpressed.
Dyna ground her teeth. A soft she-elf wasn’t going to beat her.
Pink light glowed in Lumina’s eyes.“Orto ramalcer aram nev.”
The water churned around the ship. The waves rose like a living thing, and the Raiders exclaimed in fear. Well, Lumina had some grit after all.
But Dyna smiled back. She would win this without using a single spell but one. She waved her hands in a cast and said in Elvish,“Orum ed erb’mul.”
Lumina’s eyes widened. She dropped her hold on the ocean and prepared for the fire called against her. Except, her opponent forgot one thing.
