Page 61 of The Awakening of Essensia

There was a beat of silence. Then, someone called “begin.”

Vaelira lunged. She swept her leg low, aiming to knock him off balance, but Kolborn dodged with maddening ease, his fist already flying. The punch caught her on the jaw hard enough that her vision blurred.

“I’m disappointed, Vaelira,” he said as she hit the mat. “I expected better. Why else would you be here?”

A few people sniggered. Kolborn watched her with an eager gleam in his eye.

Vaelira pushed herself up and spat onto the mat. Her skin throbbed where his blow had landed but she shook it off, raising her fists as her lips curled into a grin. “Why don’t you find out?”

He took the bait, charging forward. She dodged and rolled, sending him stumbling. He recovered, rage flaring in his eyes. He came at her again, his skill far beyond her own.

Every opening she took was deflected, every feint read. There wasn’t a single recruit here who could beat this man, yet she was expected to do what they could not? The injustice of it all sent her temper flaring.

His fist struck her arm, the muscle there contracting painfully. He dodged her next attack, his own sweeping under her arm and striking her hard in the side. Her vision blurred, tears of rage welling. Kolborn struck out with his leg, hitting her thigh so hard she almost went down.

Her arms hung low, palms prickling with heat. She clenched her fists, tamping down the familiar surge of energy. Kolborn’s gaze flicked down, his eyes narrowing.

“You’ve got this!” Fang shouted from the edge of the mat. She didn’t, but the sentiment was appreciated.

Kolborn’s fist drove into her stomach and pain flared. The punch landed right where Kili had stitched her up only weeks ago. The memory of it made the sting worse. The fresh scar flared hot, sharp enough to buckle her legs. She crumpled, gasping as she turned onto her side, arm across her abdomen.

Kolborn crouched beside her, voice low enough that only she could hear. “It seems you’re not worth much after all,” he murmured. “Crawl back to your pitiful excuse for a town.”

Shame burned her cheeks, and she squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on getting air into her lungs.

Kolborn straightened and turned to the recruits. “Dismissed.”

Vaelira rolled onto her back, staring up at the high windows where rain tapped gently against the glass. She would lie there until everyone had left. The thought of getting up and facing them all felt like another blow.

A face appeared above her. Then another.

“Well, that was awful,” Ressa said, holding out a hand.

Vaelira took it and let herself be hauled up. “I don’t think awful covers it,” she muttered, her hand brushing the tender spot on her abdomen.

“How about nauseating? Abhorrent?” Fang offered.

Ressa scoffed.

He shrugged. “I grew up in a bookshop, remember?”

Vaelira let out a shaky breath, and a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

“Okay, okay,” Fang continued, “How about… shit?”

“Yeah,” Vaelira said. “Shit will do.”

They headed for the courtyard. Ressa handed Vaelira her sword and she took it carefully, buckling it at her waist. Her gaze lingered on the ruby set in the pommel. “He said he wanted to see what I was worth.”

Ressa frowned. “Why?”

Vaelira didn’t look up. “Who knows. But I don’t think I convinced him. Or anyone else.”

Fang snorted. “Who gives two rats what the rest of those idiots think?”

Vaelira forced a smile, but it wasn’t the other recruits she was worried about.

After lunch, Vaelira walked to the Old Town gate to report for her first patrol duty. Her body ached, but she set her shoulders and kept her head high. She wouldn’t let it show.