The crowd noise lifted at that A few trainees whispered low Mara laughed Good Now you start to look like you belong and not like some accident the lake spit out

He shook out his arms His cheek pulsed but he ignored it He focused on her hands Her hips Her feet He watched how her weight shifted before she moved He watched how the water around her ankles tightened like a brace each time she pushed off

Mara circled him slow and easy Voice casual but eyes sharp Lesson one she said while she moved Defense is not the same as weakness Standing your ground is not the same as winning Defense in water is about redirecting flow You do not try to stop me You turn me You use my force against me You already did it once at the gate You did it again just now with my knee Do it on purpose not by luck

Okay he said Show me

She nodded and moved again This time she aimed a high strike for his face and then cut low fast for his leg It looked like two moves but it was one motion He dropped his right hand to block low and twisted his body with the strike instead of against it The force of her kick rode along his thigh and slid past instead of crashing into his knee He pushed his forearm across her shoulders as she passed and she spun off balance for half a step

Better Mara said Now again

She came in faster now He blocked again Then again Then again The rhythm changed from getting hit to catching to turning He felt his heart beating hard but steady He felt his focus lock in The world outside the ring faded The trainees on the rail The cold air The fear The memory The queen The gate The pool All of it dimmed to background noise There was only Mara’s stance Mara’s weight Mara’s breath and his own answer to each of those

After a few minutes she stepped back and lifted a hand Stop He stopped His lungs burned He was sweating now His legs felt tight but alive The cut on his cheek felt warm He tasted more copper

Mara nodded You do not fight like a rookie Brooks That is good I hate rookies

He blew out air Thanks I think She pointed a finger at his face You keep leading with your head down like that someone with a blade will take your throat We are not doing blades yet but do not build bad habits I see you I fix you You listen You live Yes Yes he said

Her mouth pulled into a small smile Good You do listen I like students who listen

One of the trainees at the rail called out Mara You treating him soft because Corren told you to or because you like his face Mara did not even turn her head She flicked her hand and a sheet of water rose up off the ring and slapped that trainee across the chest hard enough to knock him on his ass Laughter broke out around the ring The trainee swore and stayed down Mara rolled her eyes Children she muttered

Evan almost laughed The mood in the ring eased for a second Even the trainees watching looked a little less tense Mara stepped closer and dropped her voice so only he could hear You see that Brooks He nodded Yeah You control the room She said People think combat is about hands and blades Combat is about who controls the room If I let them set the tone you look like a threat or a joke If I set the tone you look like mine You are safer when people think you are mine

He gave her a look So now I am yours Mara grinned Briefly For training After this you go back to being Corren’s problem Do not get attached

He shook his head at her She clapped once loud Enough warm up Lesson two Pull She held out her palm The water under her hand rose and formed a tight sphere It hovered over her palm and spun slow like a slow bullet The surface shifted clear to pale blue to clear again She said Focus is not in your hands It is in your center You do not move water with fingers You move water with will

She closed her hand into a fist The sphere snapped into a flat disc thin as glass and sharp around the edge He could feel the edge cut air Mara said This can slice a throat in one breath This can also stop an arrow mid flight like a shield Your choice Choice is the difference between tool and weapon You following

Yes Evan said

Good Now you Try to lift