“Why are you here, Anna?” he yelled over the clashing of our swords.
I gritted my teeth and surged forward, meeting his blade with renewed force. The rush returned, that wild energy thrumming through my veins, but this time it wasn’t chaotic. It was focused, controlled.
I was here to get answers.
“Why do you fight?” he asked, his voice sharp.
My mom’s face, still and cold, flashed in my mind’s eye—a harsh reminder.
People die when you are weak.
I had to be strong.
Our blades danced, each strike faster and sharper than the last. I ducked under a swing, pivoted, and aimed a precise cut toward his side. He blocked effortlessly, but there was a flicker of approval in his eyes.
“Better,” he said, breathless but steady.
Sweat slicked my skin, my lungs burning from the effort, but I didn’t stop. I wouldn’t stop. I met him strike for strike, my body moving on instinct, every motion smoother and more deliberate.
Then he changed tactics. His foot swept out, hooking behind my ankle. I went down hard, the breath knocked out of me as I hit the floor with a thud. His blade hovered near my throat—not touching, but close enough to remind me who’d won.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Caelan lowered his sword, offering a hand. I hesitated before taking it, his grip strong as he pulled me to my feet.
“You fought well,” he said, voice rough but sincere.
My chest heaved, but I faced him without wavering. “I lost.”
He shook his head, a faint, approving smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You were always going to lose.”
Caelan sheathed his blade with a practiced motion. “You have talent, Anna. From now on, I will be your sparring partner.”
A sense of relief swept through me. Not because I wouldn’t be facing my less talented classmates, but because I had a goal. I’d lost, but it wasn’t in vain. I still felt where his blade stopped.
That wouldn’t happen again.
Which meant I had to train.
Then, I wouldn’t be weak.
As I walkedto the dorm, something made me pause. I couldn’t figure out what it was. Adrenaline? Something high voltage? Whatever it was, it made my blood rush through my veins. I changed course, following a whim. I took a flight of stairs I’d never taken before, following a corridor to the western part of the castle. It was a wing I hadn’t seen before. There were several rooms as I went further down the wing. I tried a few doors, but they were locked. No one was here. I continued towards the energy.
When I got to the end of a corridor, a large set of double doors stood before me. They were made of dark wood with inlaid designs carved around the perimeter and had a forged iron handle. Grasping the cold metal, I pulled, but it was locked too.
Groaning, I stood there and glanced around. No one was up here, and I wondered why it was abandoned in the middle of the afternoon. Irritated, I reached for the handle again, tempted to force it.
“Hey!”
I released the handle abruptly.
It was Commander Everson. Behind him, watching me curiously, was Adept Corinya.
“What are you doing down here?” he asked, approaching me steadily.
I turned and raised my eyebrows. “I was wondering what this wing was.”
He glared at me. “It was not a part of the tour for a reason. It is a restricted area.”
