Without a word, Asher leaped into the air with a calm, effortless ease, his figure slicing through the atmosphere in a clean arc before ascending onto one of the towering beam poles. His landing was feather-light, perfectly balanced upon the narrow surface, and his purple eyes shifted toward Instructor Elowen, who still wore a wide, almost mischievous smile.
"I'm ready," he said, his voice steady and composed.
Her smile widened into a grin, the kind that revealed both her anticipation and her amusement. "I will be setting the timer for thirty minutes," she replied. "I wish you fewer injuries." There was no fear in her tone, no hesitation. If he were to face critical danger, she could simply intervene, swiftly, decisively, without difficulty. That certainty allowed her to smile as though nothing here posed a genuine threat.
