“Kail—”
“Escape without magic,” he said, his grip firm but not tight enough to bruise. “This is the weak link in your technique. It cannot overcome the leys of established webs and runes. If you are ever surrounded like this, you will be vulnerable.”
She frowned, pulling again.
“No. Not like that. Like I taught you.”
“I am not strong enough to do that. We’ve established this.”
He pulled her against him. “If you give up so quickly, how will you ever learn?”
“I cannot learn something that is beyond my body’s limits.”
Kailorien’s mouth smoothed into a hard line. Still holding her bound, he turned so she could see Lu’ma fighting once again.
“Your leg isn’t scarred and twisted. Your arms are whole and strong. You are slight in build, but that gives you a different kind of advantage.”
Auryn watched Lu’ma bob and weave, jump and roll and kick.
“You enjoy humiliating me,” she said, more than a little hurt.
“Never. Only giving you what you need to come home to me.”
Her stubborn pride melted at the devotion in his words, and she softened against him. He released her wrist, but she didn’t step away.
Across the yard, Zarrek finally called a halt to the training.
The four of them drifted toward the shade of the courtyard wall, the sunlight fading in the Mirror Shafts as day gave way to night.
Auryn wiped sweat from her brow with the edge of her tunic.
“Lu’ma,” she smiled. “You are an inspiration.”
Zarrek snorted. “She’ll survive.”
Kailorien’s mouth curved at the corners.
Auryn rolled her eyes, but her smile lingered.
They took shelter from the oppressive heat in the arched entryway to the Resh’Agar’s wing. Auryn leaned her back against the cool stone with a sigh as Lu’ma slid her training blade back into its rack with careful precision then wiped sweat from her body with one of the towels they’d brought to the ring. Zarrek followed, wiping the back of his neck before crossing the courtyard toward them.
“Your Veilstep’s improving,” he said to Auryn as he approached.
“High praise from the Bloodletter,” she teased.
“It would be higher if you weren’t announcing it with your entire body first.”
Auryn glared, glancing at Kailorien. He shrugged.
“I did warn you.”
She gave Zarrek a withering look. “Both of you are cruel.”
Zarrek’s mouth twitched.
“Just saying it like I see it, little star. Anyone with eyes can tell when you’re about to vanish. Already got you in plenty of trouble at the Path of Fire, didn't it?”
Zarrek rested one forearm against the wall beside them, his expression turning more serious.
