The clang of steel on steel echoed across the training yard, sharp and relentless, drowning out the rustling leaves of the towering oak trees beyond the orphanage walls. Arteja's muscles burned, her arms trembling as she adjusted her stance to deflect Rowyn's blade again.
"You're slipping," Rowyn sneered, pressing the attack. She feinted left, her wooden sword whipping sharply toward Arteja's ribs.
Arteja sidestepped, lifting her shield just in time to deflect the blow. She tried to counter, pivoting on her back foot and thrusting her training sword toward Rowyn's shoulder.
Too slow.
Rowyn batted the attack aside with ease, twisting her blade to deliver a brutal strike to Arteja's thigh. The force sent Arteja stumbling to one knee, the sting of the blow throbbing through her leg.
"Pathetic," Rowyn spat, lowering her weapon. "If that were a real fight, you'd be dead before you could even blink."
Arteja's jaw tightened, but she didn't rise. Her breathing was heavy, her chest heaving as she stared at the ground. Around the training yard, the other Wardens-in-training whispered among themselves, some smirking at her failure.
Lirael stood near the edge of the circle, her hands clenched into fists. "That's enough, Rowyn."
Rowyn turned, her expression smug. "Enough? If she can't handle this, she doesn't belong here. Weaklings like her—"
"Arteja, get up." Corliss's voice cut through the tension like a blade.
Arteja's head snapped up, meeting the cold, piercing gaze of their instructor. Corliss was standing with her arms crossed, her face unreadable as always.
"She knocked you down," Corliss said, her tone calm but firm. "So what? Get. Up."
Biting back the pain in her leg, Arteja pushed herself to her feet, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword. She squared her shoulders, ignoring the throbbing in her thigh as she faced Rowyn again.
Rowyn arched an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. "You want more?"
"Enough talking," Arteja said, raising her shield. "Fight me."
Rowyn didn't need any further encouragement. She charged forward, her sword slicing through the air in a powerful downward arc. Arteja braced herself, her shield absorbing the impact, though the force sent her skidding back a step.
This time, she didn't hesitate.
Before Rowyn could recover, Arteja surged forward, swinging her sword in a swift, diagonal strike aimed at Rowyn's torso. Rowyn barely managed to block, her eyes widening in surprise at Arteja's sudden aggression.
Arteja didn't stop. She pivoted on her heel, her shield smashing into Rowyn's shoulder and forcing her off balance. As Rowyn stumbled back, Arteja followed through with a quick thrust of her blade toward Rowyn's chest.
Rowyn deflected the strike, but her movements were less fluid now, her balance shaky. Arteja pressed the attack, feinting to the left before swinging her shield upward in a sharp motion that caught Rowyn's chin.
The older girl staggered, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Her expression twisted into a snarl as she lunged forward with a wild swing.
Arteja ducked under the strike, her body moving on instinct. She spun behind Rowyn, her sword raised, and brought the flat of the blade down against the back of Rowyn's knee.
Rowyn crumpled to the ground, gasping as Arteja's blade pressed lightly against her neck.
"Yield," Arteja said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins.
Rowyn glared up at her, her teeth bared in defiance. But after a tense moment, she dropped her sword, the wooden weapon clattering against the dirt.
"Enough!" Corliss barked, stepping forward.
Arteja lowered her blade, stepping back as Rowyn pushed herself to her feet, her expression dark with fury.
"You're learning," Corliss said, her gaze fixed on Arteja. "But don't get cocky. Rowyn made mistakes today. Next time, she won't."
Arteja nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow. She turned toward Lirael, who offered her a small, proud smile.
"Nice work," Lirael whispered as Arteja joined her.
Arteja managed a faint smile in return, though her heart was still racing. For the first time, she felt like she belonged.