{Elira}
~**^**~
"I'm trying!" I shot back at Lennon breathlessly.
"But not hard enough." He darted forward again, and this time, my foot slipped on the mat. I went down hard, and my palms stung.
Then he crouched in front of me, smirk infuriatingly bright. "You are adorable when you are flustered, you know that?"
"Shut up."
"Make me."
Heat flushed my cheeks, and I scrambled to my feet again with a clenched jaw. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of quitting. But every muscle in my body was already screaming.
Zenon's voice cut through the sparring, steady as steel. "Focus, Elira. You won't outpace him yet, but you can still learn from this."
I bit down on my frustration and nodded, forcing myself back into position. I dragged in another breath, sweat already clinging to my back.
