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She hesitates. Only a moment. Too long. The siren slips past. Nyra raises both hands instinctively. Nothing happens. No manifestation permitted. Of course. The siren reaches the marker. I break away from the wolf and cross the ring. Too late. The human blocks me. Lucen tries to move around him. The wolf turns toward Nyra. I step between them. Again.
"Eirea—" She starts.
"Stay back."
Nyra does. The wolf forces me sideways. The siren takes the marker. The bell rings. Finished. Thirty-four seconds.
Professor Vale looks at us. No one speaks. She turns toward me.
"How many opponents did you face?" She asks me. "Three." I answer.
"There were three."
"Yes."
Professor Vale points toward Nyra. "There were four people in your circle."
The correction lands immediately. I look toward Nyra. She stands where I told her to stand. Behind me. Out of the fight.
Professor Vale walks closer. "You protected her." She says. Not a question.
"Yes." I answer.
"Did she ask you to?"
"No."
"Did you give her a role?"
"No." My voice is lower.
"Did you ask what she could do?" No. Professor Vale's expression does not soften.
"You fought three opponents." A pause. "You also fought alone." The hall has become quiet. "The marker was not lost because your group lacked strength." She looks at all four of us. "It was lost because none of you became a group."
That hurts more than the bruise. Professor Vale resets the marker.
"Again."
This time, I look at Nyra before deciding anything.
"What did you notice?"
She blinks. "The siren watches the marker before she moves." She says.
"Anything else?" I ask.
"The human favors direct engagement." Rowan adds,
"The wolf commits too hard when he turns." Lucen glances at me.
"I can hold the human." I nod. "Nyra, call the movements."
Her eyes widen. "You trust her to direct?" Lucen asks.
Nyra's face tightens. I answer before she can. "Yes."
The bell rings. The second-years move. Nyra calls left before the wolf changes direction. Rowan intercepts. The siren's gaze flicks toward the marker.
