Chapter 17 A Miracle

• ARIA’S POV
• The training yard bustled with the usual tension, but today, something felt different. My opponent was a petite woman; she seemed delicate, but her eyes held a fierce determination that made me cautious. She moved with a surprising agility, her strikes precise and swift, just like me. Unlike the others, she didn’t radiate hostility, and that made the fight fun for me. I unconsciously enjoyed sparring with her.
• We circled each other, the clash of our training weapons echoing through the yard. She was so good, challenging me in ways the others hadn’t. It was a tough fight, but in the end, I managed to gain the upper hand. After we were done, I sat down, catching my breath as I gulped down my bottle of water.