The electricity from Reyna's marionettes tasted like pennies and fury.
I stood there absorbing her opening assault while the crowd went completely batshit. Thousands of students, instructors, and scouts erupting into noise that crashed over the arena like a physical wave.
Did you see that?
He just ate her lightning!
What the hell kind of Aspect is that?
Reyna's perfect combat stance flickered. Just for a second. But I caught it.
Confusion.
Anger.
Calculation.
Her emerald eyes narrowed as she processed what just happened, her brain already working through the implications. Smart girl. She knew immediately that I'd countered her primary offense with something she hadn't seen in the briefings.
"Cute trick, Stray Dog." Her voice carried across the arena, dripping with contempt that didn't quite mask the underlying wariness. "Let's see if you have any others."
She snapped her fingers.
