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“I’ll tell you what,” Brendan shouted. “Why don’t you just let me win and we’ll be allowed to finish?”

Ten minutes earlier, Karter had told the different pairs to move out of a practising stance and into an attacking mindframe. As soon as one person managed to overcome the other, the pairs could finish class for the day. It was an uncharacteristic offer from Karter, but his leniency was likely a result of him being unable see his students.

“Me?” Alex yelled back, ducking his fist. “Why do I have to lose? Why can’t you letmewin?”

She heard his faint snort over the cacophony of the rainstorm.

“Why is that funny?” she demanded, swiping her leg out towards where she thought he was. The rain was so blinding that she missed him by about three feet, and she heard him laugh even harder at her failed attempt.

“We both know you’re not going to beat me, Alex, and no one would believe us if we acted like you did,” he said. “Sure, you’re heaps better than you were, but I’ve been in Epsilon Combat foryearslonger than you. And I’m an apprentice, while you’re just a fourth year. You’re good, but you’re notthatgood.”

Normally Alex could handle the banter of the Combat boys, knowing they used taunts to throw off their opponents. But Brendan’s mockery just fuelled the fire that sparked from Alex’s exhausted state of mind.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to still her rising irritation, and her newly determined peace brought a sense of quiet that she’d only experienced once before. Alex suddenlyfelteverything around her. When she opened her eyes, she couldseeeverything so much clearer than before. She watched in amazement as single raindrops fell from the sky in slow motion. She could see the other boys in her Combat class who were spread around the Arena and fighting awkwardly due to their limited vision. It was like switching from a static video to high definition; the added detail was startling. And when she threw her hand out towards Brendan—whom she could now see with phenomenal clarity—he wasn’t fast enough to block her blow.

Another punch, an elbow to his stomach, a sideswipe of her foot, and a final roundhouse kick to his torso landed him on his backside with her standing like an avenging angel over his winded body.

“How—How—?” he stuttered, looking up at her in awe as the rain fell onto his mud-splattered face.

“Cat got your tongue, Labinsky?” she said, holding out a hand to help him to his feet.

As if knowing their fight was over, the rain began to ease slightly. Of course.

“How did you move so fast?” he asked when he was standing again.

She brushed a wet lock of hair behind her ear. “What are you talking about?”

“You were like a blur,” Brendan said, lowering his voice to a more normal level as the rain continued to lessen. “I barely even saw you move.”

“That’s because it was raining,” Alex said. “The water was so thick I couldn’t see you either.”

But despite her words, she couldn’t ignore the fear that prickled up her spine. At the end of their fight, she definitelyhadseen him. And she knew how.

“No,” he said, shaking his head adamantly. “I mean, yeah, the rain was thick and it made seeing you difficult, but I’m talking about the speed of your attacks. You were insanely fast.”

Alex felt her breath catch with his admission but she forced herself to remain calm, even when her memory flashed an image of the cuts and nicks she’d given Roka in their fight a week ago. Had she somehow managed to tap into not only the increased sight, but also the Meyarin attribute of speed during her fight with Brendan? That was definitely a dangerous path to tread. She would have to be very careful in the future.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Alex told him, faking indifference. “You said it yourself; I’m still not that great a fighter. I think the rain distorted what you think you saw and I just got a few lucky hits in.”

Brendan seemed to think about that as they walked to where Karter was waiting. Kaiden and Declan were already standing with him, but Nick and Sebastian had yet to finish their match.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Brendan accepted before they reached the others. “Maybe you did just get lucky.”

Alex tried not to look too relieved.

“Labinsky, Jennings, you’re done?” Karter asked gruffly, wiping the rain off his face. It was now only drizzling lightly and Alex had to force herself to not scowl up at the sky.

“Yes, sir,” Brendan answered.

“You hurt, Jennings?” Karter asked.

Alex turned to him. “Hurt?”

“Yes, hurt,” he repeated. “Injured. Wounded. Damaged in any way.”

She looked at him in bewilderment. Sure, she often sustained injuries during Combat class, but rarely did Karter ask her personally if she was okay unless it was obvious she was in a bad state. Otherwise it was just expected that she—and her classmates—would go and see Fletcher if necessary.Afterclass ended.

“No more than usual, sir,” she told him honestly. Just like after every Combat class, she was probably covered in bruises, but nothing more serious.