The message arrived early.
"They're waiting for you."
Adara looked up. Seryna stood in the doorway, her expression serious, no jokes this time.
"Who?" Adara asked, rising to her feet.
"House Aurelion."
Adara felt something tighten in her chest.
"Is this a duel?"
Seryna shook her head.
"Not officially."
She paused.
"But everyone will treat it as if it were."
That was enough to understand the gravity of the situation.
The central courtyard was crowded.
It wasn't a huge crowd, but large enough that every movement mattered.
Members of House Valoria were present.
So were those of House Aurelion.
Standing, watching.
Assessing.
Adara walked to the center. She felt their gazes upon her, heavy, constant.
Karan was there.
She said nothing.
But he never stopped staring at her.
—
Lady Valerice spoke in a firm voice:
—This isn't an official duel.
No one reacted.
Everyone knew it didn't matter.
—It's just a demonstration.
Another pause.
—No magic.
Adara nodded.
She stepped into the circle.
—
Her opponent was already there.
A man taller than her, with a strong build. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes weren't.
—I'm not Vespera—he said with a slight smile.
Adara stopped in front of him.
—I wasn't expecting that.
—
—Begin.
There was no countdown.
The man attacked immediately.
Fast.
Much faster than Adara anticipated.
She raised her guard—
but the blow was powerful.
Too much.
The impact coursed through her arms, forcing her back.
Two steps.
Immediate pain.
The audience didn't speak.
But they saw everything.
—
The second attack came without pause.
Straight to the torso.
Adara twisted her body to avoid it.
It wasn't perfect.
The blow grazed her side.
Pain.
Harder.
—
Adara took a deep breath.
Don't try to win.
Survive.
She remembered the words.
She focused.
—
The next attack was different.
Adara didn't block.
She moved.
A sideways step.
The blow missed her.
For the first time.
—
The man frowned slightly.
Adara noticed.
She waited.
She watched.
And when he opened up too much—
she advanced.
Short strike.
Direct.
Clean impact.
The man took a half step back.
Not much.
But enough.
—
A murmur rippled through the courtyard.
—
The fight continued.
Faster.
More tense.
Adara began to understand the rhythm.
To anticipate.
To respond better.
But the man changed his fighting style.
He became more aggressive.
More direct.
—
One strike.
Another.
And then—
mistake.
Adara hesitated.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
—
The blow landed squarely on her side.
Hard.
It knocked her to the ground.
The air left her lungs.
She couldn't breathe for a moment.
Pain.
Real.
Intense.
—
Total silence.
—
The man advanced.
He could end the fight.
Everyone knew it.
—
Adara tried to get up.
Her body didn't respond immediately.
Too slow.
—
And then…
she felt it.
Again.
That pulse.
That strange heat beneath her skin.
Something inside her… pushing.
As if it wanted to get out.
—
More force.
More speed.
More power.
—
Just let it out—
—
Adara gritted her teeth.
No.
Not here.
—
She took a deep breath.
She forced herself to move.
In pain.
Slowly.
But conscious.
She stood up.
—
The man paused for a second.
She hadn't expected that.
—
Adara adjusted her stance.
She breathed.
Control.
—
When the next attack came—
she didn't respond forcefully.
She responded with precision.
She deflected the blow.
She twisted her body.
And used her opponent's movement against him.
—
The man lost his balance.
He didn't fall.
But he lost control of the moment.
—
—Enough.
Valerice's voice cut short the fight.
—
Silence.
Then murmurs.
—
The man stepped back.
Not defeated.
But not victorious either.
—
Adara was still standing.
And that…
was what mattered.
—
The older man from Aurelion took a step forward.
He watched Adara intently.
"Interesting."
His voice was calm.
"She's not weak."
Valerice replied:
"She never has been."
The man nodded.
"But she's not ready either."
No one argued with that.
Karan didn't speak.
But he didn't take his eyes off Adara.
Adara was breathing heavily, but she didn't lower her head.
"Then I'll keep training."
The man watched her for a moment longer.
Then he said:
"Do it."
Pause.
"Because next time… it won't be a demonstration."
He turned and left.
The others followed him.
The courtyard began to empty.
But the tension didn't disappear.
Seryna approached first.
"That blow..." she said, "almost knocked you out."
Adara nodded.
"I know."
"But you got up."
Adara looked at her.
"I had to."
Seryna smiled slightly.
"Good."
Valerice approached next.
"You hesitated."
Direct.
Adara didn't deny it.
"Yes."
"And you almost lost because of it."
"I know."
Valerice observed her.
"But you controlled yourself."
Pause.
"That's the only thing that saved you."
Karan was the last to approach.
He stopped in front of her.
"Are you okay?"
Adara nodded.
"Yes."
But it wasn't entirely true.
Karan lowered his voice.
"I felt something."
Adara tensed.
"What?"
"You," he said. "For a moment... you weren't you."
Sil
Silence.
Adara hesitated.
Just for a second.
"I controlled it."
Karan stared at her.
Not convinced.
But he didn't press the issue.
"Because now I understood something important:
It wasn't just the world that was changing.
It was her."
"And that…
was more dangerous than any enemy."