Page 121 of A Legacy of the Light

“What about if you’re fighting more than one person?” I ask.

Reyne huffs a laugh. “Let’s cover one thing at a time. The more you practice, the better you will get. When you can knock someone on their arse one on one, then we can move onto multiple opponents.”

I nod with a smile and listen to her instructions on the standard tells for most people. A subtle shifting in their weight is the most common one.

“What’s your tell?” I ask her.

She chuckles. “You’ll have to work that one out for yourself.”

I roll my eyes and she winks at me before talking me through how to block attacks with a few simple moves. Well, they look simple, but I feel uncoordinated and sloppy when I try.

Reyne repeats the movements before standing next to me, taking me through each step slowly to block punches and kicks. As I pick up momentum and feel less awkward, snow drifts down from the sky.

Stopping to tilt my head back, the fat flurries fall quickly and leave no doubt in my mind that we’ll soon be fighting in snow-packed training rings. Elfayne is a beautiful city. It will be breathtaking in the snow and I can’t wait to see it.

The flakes melt instantly when they land on my heated skin. The cold droplets they leave behind are welcome as they trickle down my face.

“Want to try sparring?” Reyne asks me, pulling my attention back to her again.

“I don’t know, you’re sort of scary when you fight,” I admit with a lift of my brow. Reyne is fast and powerful and, although she can’t wield beyond the magic she has shown me so far, everyone who enters the ring with her ends up flat on their back with her blade aimed at their throat. Reyne is the epitome of why you don’t need power to be powerful.

“I’ll go easy, I promise. I want you to try these defensive moves we’ve just walked through. The best way to do it is to have someone actually trying to punch you in the face.”

I grimace. “What if I can’t block you and you bust my nose?”

“I’ll pull my punches, Elsie. Come on,” she says firmly and I shake my arms out.

“Into position,” she tells me and lowers into a squat with her weight spread equally between her feet.

I copy her. The second I’m ready, Reyne attacks, throwing her left fist straight at my face. Panic makes me stumble back a few steps out of her reach.

“Sorry,” I mumble when she gives me a reproachful look.

I get back into position and when the same fist comes at me again, I use my right arm to throw her aim over my shoulder.

“That’s it!” Reyne smiles widely, giving me some confidence.

“Again,” I say, centering myself.

Reyne’s grin turns menacing and she throws a left hook followed by a quick kick. I block both and adrenaline floods my system. Everything starts to click into place.

“Match your breathing with your movements, release your breath as you strike, each time you defend.” Reyne demonstrates what she means.

I copy her and dodge the punch she aims at my ribs and grab her right leg when it swings round at me. We both smile wide but despite her saying she would go easy on me, she picks up her pace, and the time between each assault gets shorter and shorter, not giving me any time to think. Forcing me to just feel.

Her brow furrows in concentration as I block each of her moves and keep up with her. Maybe defensive moves are my thing.

She throws her right hand straight for my face and I spin away from it, not noticing the left hand she aimed for my ribs, and I spin right into her clenched fist. All the breath leaves my lungs and I double over clutching my side.

“Shit. Sorry, Elsie!” Reyne says, placing her palm on my back.

“I thought you were pulling your punches?” My voice comes out on a wheeze as I try to breathe around where Reyne winded me.

“I know, I’m sorry. Are you okay? There was more power than I intended in that.” She rubs her hand in soothing circles on my back. I poke around my ribs to confirm nothing is broken.

After a few seconds I can finally pull in a full mouthful of air and stand up tall with my hands on my hips. That’s definitely going to leave a bruise.

“Okay, let’s switch. You go on offense now,” Reyne says.