We skidded apart again, dust and stone scattering from the sheer speed of our previous exchange.
My chest heaved, sweat slicking my black track suit against my skin, and yet, despite the exhaustion, Belle's calmness struck me in a way that almost made me forget how spent I was. She stood a few feet away, scabbard in hand, ponytail flicking in the light. Her stance was relaxed, deceptively so, like a predator about to decide whether to toy with its prey.
"You're improving," she said, voice light but edged with that quiet authority that always made my stomach tighten. "Faster, sharper, but there's still… something missing."
I blinked at her. "Something missing? You're the one who can erase me from existence with one thought, and you think I'm missing something?"
She smirked faintly, but it didn't reach her eyes.
She didn't need it to. "Not that. I mean flow. Timing. Rhythm. Control. Let me show you."
