We rode back to the Academy in silence. I leaned against the window, my foreheadpressed against the glass, and looked up at the stars. And they were beautiful. I felt better, after getting everything off my chest.

“You know, I wouldn’t actually mind sparring,” I said to Leander.

“Now that sounds like you,” he replied with a wide grin.

It was late when we got back and the gym practically deserted. Though lately, I hadn’t seen nearly as many Astrals here as I had when I’d first started training six months ago. Half the lights were turned off. And for once, Castor was nowhere in sight. 

“The usual?” Leander asked as he stretched his arms behind him.

I hesitated.

“Actually, I’ve been having some issues in class,” I said. It was embarrassing to admit out loud.

“What kind of issues?” It was touching how serious Leander got about it. Then again, I guessed that how well I did reflected on him.

“I can’t call Ophiuchus, obviously, so I go into every battle handicapped. Castor has Orion and he just”—I waved my hands around in the air—“pins me to the wall every time.”

Leander snorted and then visibly held back his laughter.

“Really?” I asked, deadpan.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just… he’s so unimaginative!” Leander burst out laughing. “I used to do that to Castor when he trained with me. I never thought he’d be doing it to a student of his own.”

“I’m not his student,” I said. I didn’t want to learn anything from Castor.

“Alright,” Leander said, humoring me. He dropped into a ready stance with his fists up, and bounced from foot to foot. “Do you remember our last session?”

“Yeah,” I said.

“You sure?” he said with a grin.

“Yes,” I said, rolling my eyes. 

With one hand, Leander motioned me forward. “Attack me, then,” he said. 

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I threw myself towards him, my staff out. He sidestepped and I followed up, spinning the staff towards him.

“Use your elements,” Leander said, evading the staff.

I raised my hand, a ball of fire forming in the palm. “Don’t blame me if you get hurt,” I warned him. The ball grew bigger and bigger in my hand.

He just winked at me. 

I threw the fire and he jumped back, the ball leaving a scorch mark across the back of his jacket.

“This is imported, you know,” Leander said to me in mock-outrage. 

I shrugged. “Guess you should have dodged better.” 

I kept my left hand behind my back. Water trailed discretely from my hand and along the floor. Behind him, a puddle formed. If it worked on Castor, I figured, why not Leander?

I threw my right hand in the air and dozens of tiny balls of fire formed above us. 

Leander whistled. “That’s new.”

The small balls of fire dropped from the air—and converged on Leander. But he waved a hand to create a wall of fire and my pitiful fireballs were all absorbed into his flames. I’d never actually seen Leander use his element before.

“You’re fire, like me,” I said.

He just winked again. I felt a smile of my own break out. But I wasn’t about to give up on this fight. I had an ace up my sleeve. 

I sent rapid bursts of fire at him, pushing him back farther and farther. Closer to the puddle I’d created behind him.

He inched closer to the puddle. One more large burst should do it. I sent a massive wave of fire towards him. But instead of backing up into the puddle, Leander dove forward—and underneath it my fire. He rolled and while staying low to the ground, spun, and swept me off my feet.

I landed on my back, the breath knocked out of me. Just like our last session. Damn.

“Nice work with the puddle,” he praised. “If I hadn’t already heard about it, I might have fallen for it.”

I just groaned from my place on the floor. 

“Now, do you get where you went wrong?” Leander asked as he squatted next to me.

“Not realizing you knew about the puddle?” I croaked.

“What was the difference once you started using your elements?” he asked.

I opened my mouth and then closed it. Oh. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it before.

“I was standing still,” I moaned, mortified.

“Most people when starting out never think outside their powers—they don’t combine them and they forget they can do other things. It’s not a weakness. It’s inexperience,” he told me. “Now think about Castor. When you’re fighting him, what does he look like?”

I closed my eyes and remembered. The last battle we fought, me facing Castor. He would stand there, his hand out, casting wind towards me. Silver hair blown by his own gusts. He would just stand there.

“He does the same thing,” I said, shocked.

“So what are you going to do next time you fight him?” Leander asked, his smile spreading over his face.

I returned it with a slightly sadistic grin of my own. It was time for my revenge.