"We're having a lesson before we leave," Tarion announced when Morana returned to their campsite.

    He'd directed her to a shallow stream flowing throughout the village ruins so she could have some time to sort out her thoughts and refresh herself following their confrontation. It had given him time to think too, and now that he'd seen Morana's powers in action, he had a clear view of what he wanted to teach her first.

    Morana crossed her arms and waited expectantly for him to explain. "I want you to sharpen your senses with your magic and learn to shield yourself like I mentioned. I shouldn't have been able to put my dagger at your throat like that. You should've been able to sense my moves and counter them, or at the very least concentrate a shield where my blade was."

    "All right. So how do I do that?"

    "Learn to listen to your magic. It's as much a living thing as you are, and just as capable of perception. It will tell you everything that happens around you if you let it."

    Morana gave a small nod. "I think I know what you mean. There's been times when it seemed like my magic wanted something in particular. Like to protect me, or just recently, to incinerate you."

    Tarion just smirked. "For the shields, try to focus your power at one particular point on your body for now. It will be like casting regular shields, but instead of covering your whole body, you reduce it and move it wherever you need it. You'll also be able to split it into multiple shields at different areas."

    "Handy if there are arrows flying at me I suppose," Morana replied. "So that way I don't have to worry about one strike shattering the only shield around my body."

    "Exactly. Although you seem to have a little bit of protection from that." He gestured to her stays with a finger. Her vambraces were likely a part of the enchanted gear too. "Where did you get those?"

    "From a new friend. He said they belonged to his wife and are enchanted with runes so that no blade can pierce them."

    Tarion's eyes lightened with approval. "Good. Then for this session, try to focus your shield on one of those three places. That is where I'll land my blows."

    "What?"

    Tarion had already waved a hand, plunging their surroundings into a shadowy darkness with just a hint of red in the mist that rose. "Trust me, Phoenix. This is the best way to learn."

    "No, absolutely not, you bastard!"

    "Ready?" Tarion called.

    "No! Don't you dare. Durga spare you, Asshole!"

    "Be her harbinger." Tarion fell silent and drew his blades.

•༻☽☾༺•

    Why? Why her? Why had the gods deemed it necessary to place her with this infuriating and insolent prick? Morana silently fumed to herself as she backed away from the space where Tarion had been. She couldn't see anything aside from black clouds and a faint red mist now. Nor could she hear anything. It was as if her surroundings had been smothered by a thick blanket.

    It seems I don't have a choice in this. Morana squared her shoulders and drew a measured breath. She was tempted to close her eyes, but some of her very first lessons had instilled the knowledge within her that doing so was a crutch and would hinder her more than help her.

    Instead, she kept her eyes peeled for any signs of movement and turned her other senses inward. Tarion had said her magic was as much a living creature as she was. That meant it resided somewhere within her. She'd always felt that her magic was slumbering when not in use. She just never took it literally.

    Morana curled her hands into fists and raised them in defense even as she probed around herself for any sign of her magic. She felt it right where she had expected. It was nestled behind the mark on her chest, resting almost like a cold ember. She merely had to blow on it to coax it into a flame.

    Morana continued measuring her breaths and felt when they brushed through her chest, awakening her power. Show me where he is, she thought silently, still watching her surroundings.

    Mist curled in the corner of her eye. Morana spun, but there was nothing there. Almost at once, magic jolted her senses towards something behind her. She began to form a shield, but a heavy blow thudded off her back and sent her sprawling on her face. Morana gasped for air and let out a harsh groan.

    "Asshole!" She hollered when she had enough air to spare.

    Tarion's low laugh echoed around her. Morana pushed herself onto her hands and knees. Magic blared a warning just before a slender blade hooked around her guarded wrist and jerked her back down.

    Something cool, either the leather hilt of a dagger or a pair of fingers, touched the back of her exposed neck and Tarion's voice whispered from the mist, "Are you even trying, Phoenix?"

    "Stop toying with me!" She spat, this time leaping to her feet.

    "You're so easy to infuriate. Maybe we should work on that instead."

    Morana rounded on the sound, bringing her foot up in a powerful kick. Only clouds swirled in her wake. A tongue clicked behind her, but when she turned again, there was still no sign of Tarion. "You're supposed to be shielding. What are you going to do with your foot?"

    "Bend over and I'll show you."

    Tarion laughed. Morana frowned, then shook her head and inhaled, savoring the air and letting it mingle with her magic. His scent was there, fresh spring water, earthy clay, and a metallic tang. She let it engulf her magic and drowned herself in it, then began dissecting the other scents around her, searching for where his was most prominent.

    Magic curled around her ears, bringing out the sounds Tarion's power had muffled. He still moved with a practiced silence, but Morana's magic formed a compass pointing directly towards him.

    If it was correct, he was standing to her left. There was a hush of wind when he moved. Morana stepped to the side and behind him. Tarion was there long enough to meet her gaze over his shoulder and she saw the smirk in his eyes.

    His blade cut an elegant arc through the air, aimed right at her face. Morana raised a leather clad arm to block it. The beginnings of a shield fizzled over her vambraces, but it wasn't formed before his blow connected. Morana staggered backwards and magic whispered another warning. He was coming at her from the same side, but a different angle.

    She ducked beneath this blow and caught a glimpse of Tarion's heel as he spun and doubled back. Morana caught his next sweep with her other arm, but her shield still didn't form. She gritted her teeth as shadows swallowed the male up again.

    She got the sense that he was still toying with her, but in a way, they were performing some version of a waltz. And with that, Morana realized that she knew exactly what to do.

    Magic turned her palms red and she envisioned it spanning her body at four points instead of three. Both of her vambraces, her chest, and her back. A diamond. A pattern of four steps. Not a single line taking up all of her energy, but multiple connected ones that could flow effortlessly into the next, just like the steps of a dance.

    When she heard Tarion closing in again, she was ready. She didn't dodge his blows or try to catch them. She just let them fall. The first one connected with her vambrace and glanced off a glistening diamond-shaped shield. Its center burned with the light of a star and the edges of it crackled like fire, but it held its shape and Tarion's blade did not pass through it.

    The next blow touched her back, where it was again thwarted by such a shield. Morana began to move. Tarion stepped and so did she. His dagger reached her. Her shield blazed to life and caught it. Tarion tested each of her shields only once, then threw himself at her faster and faster.

    Morana managed to catch each stroke, still whirling around to meet him head on. His movements came to her like a whisper on the breeze that only she could hear. Rapid and concise. They might as well be dancing now.

    Tarion emerged from his shadows in a whirl of steel. Morana met him toe to toe, her shielded arm the only thing between their chests and her other arm raised over her head to catch his blade. He stepped back and she followed with a step forward. He twisted around her and his dagger caressed her back. Morana slipped her own dagger into her palm.

    It was coming much easier by the minute. Step, block. Spin, reach out. Dodge, leap back. Arm up, spin, arm down. Other arm up. Twist. Step by step. Stroke by stroke. An effortless push and pull. So effortless that she seemed to know each move Tarion would make before he made it.

    Magic hummed to her of his next strike and Morana greeted it with another shield, bringing her face to face with Tarion. He was grinning at her. Morana returned it. Just before he moved again, she caught her foot behind his ankle and jerked him off balance.

    He tipped backwards but caught himself with an effortless spin. Morana wasn't fast enough to move out of his reach. Her leg yanked out from under her and Morana careened towards the ground.

    She was caught by an arm around the waist. Tarion pulled her upright and removed his arm so fast that she wasn't sure it had even been there to begin with. "Like I said, you're a fast learner. You can practice more on the way. We should go now."

    The shadows surrounding them had dissipated as he spoke, fully revealing him. Morana watched as he headed back to their campsite without another word, then trailed after him. She allowed herself to feel a hint of pride, and it lingered long after they'd left the abandoned village and started back through the Vidar.