Page 90 of Riftborne
I looked over my shoulder toward the other mats and found Briar and Raine warming up together. The last spot was occupied by Nazul and Lieutenant Mercer.
Something wicked inside me stirred, and I bit back a smile. I couldn’t help but look forward to watching Nazul get his ass handed to him.
We started the session by spotting our movements. We were a little awkward at first but soon were moving with ease, deflecting each other's strikes with calculated maneuvers. With each shift of my feet, I felt more assured as I wove through attacks—a delicate balance between offensive and defensive.
Once we were all truly in the rhythm, Mercer pulled everyone to the side and motioned for Raine and Briar to take their positions, allowing the rest of us to observe.
I watched as my two friends circled each other, but at this moment they were opponents, each determined to test the other's skills.
“Don’t worry nature boy… I’ll go easy on you,” Raine taunted, a spark of challenge in her eyes.
“Oh Raine, let's see how fierce you are without your little sparky hands,” Briar fired back with an amused grin.
As they closed in, Raine made the first move, launching into a series of quick strikes aimed at Briar’s defenses. Briar reacted instinctively, deflecting her blows with practiced precision.
Raine's movements were like lightning, sharp and direct. But Briar wasn’t giving in. He met each blow with a calculated counter, his movements grounded and precise.
Back and forth they went, exchanging strikes and blocks in a whirlwind of skill and strategy. Raine's speed and agility were matched only by Briar's strength and resilience.
But as the spar progressed, it became increasingly clear that Raine had the upper hand. Her movements were too quick, her attacks too precise for Briar to defend against. Despite his best efforts, he found himself constantly on the defensive, struggling to keep up with her.
Frustration simmered beneath the surface as Briar's confidence started to wane.
Raine delivered a powerful strike to his gut that sent Briar staggering backward.
He stumbled, off balance and disoriented.
"Looks like I won this round," Raine taunted, a triumphant gleam in her eyes.
Briar's jaw clenched, his expression sour as he begrudgingly accepted defeat.
"Yeah, yeah, you got lucky," he muttered, sauntering off the mat.
The fight between Draven and I was much less interesting to behold, I’m sure. Despite the intensity of our movements, I couldn’t help myself from wanting to hold back, careful not to inflict harm.
After what felt like an endless back and forth with Mercerjumping in to comment on footwork or body placements, he finally called a draw.
“I’m going to need to see more from you both. I can tell neither of you are giving it your all,” he scolded. I couldn’t deny his point, so I simply nodded and moved to the side, collapsing beside Raine and Briar who seemed to have made up just fine.
The Lieutenant and Nazul sparred last.
I had been expecting a total blow-out but clearly the elite training Nazul received from his family was making its long-awaited debut.
Lieutenant Mercer still bested him, but there was a sheen of sweat on his brow by the time they finished.
It felt good to see our training efforts finally put to the test. Still, I couldn’t silence the nagging voice in my mind telling me that no matter how strong we were, we’d never be ready for the battle to come.
CHAPTER 33
The moon hunglow and bright behind thick fog, its diffused beams of light filtering through the treetops. We were walking just outside the city, on our way to a clearing at the border of the Reyanthe Valley. The scent of fresh rain and pine and sap lingered in the depths of the wood, ebbing and flowing in the cool evening breeze.
Briar and Raine were giggling amongst themselves as Osta and I navigated the damp earth below our feet, avoiding tangled roots and slippery patches. A near permanent grin had been etched onto Osta’s face ever since I’d arrived home after training.
Nerves prickled the back of my neck. I kept looking around to make sure we weren’t seen or followed. I had a bad feeling about tonight, made even more intense by Osta joining us.
“So how many of the initiates are going to be there?” I asked, peering in Raine’s direction.
“I’m not sure exactly. I only spoke to a few of them about it,” she said nonchalantly, keeping her attention on the path ahead. I noticed Briar nudge her side before hiding a smile.
