Sweat clung to his brow, trailing down his cheeks like the memory of effort. The wooden training sword felt heav

've improved. But your movements are still too refined-almost calculated. Swordplay i

th, adjusting his sta

oice calm but firm. "But you won't be. Not always. Sometimes, you need t

let go of that mindset. For most of his life-his past one in

ving him a small clap on the back. "Yo

sked, already kn

in the library for nearly half an hour.

ight. I'll go-uh

r him with a chuckle. "She'll probably

and books thick with leather covers. Magic runes glimmered faintly across the spines, giving the air a

at a long table stacked with books

their last names. Today, she wore her usual fitted robes, violet trimmed with gold, hugging her body in just

without looking up, quil

his neck sheepishly. "S

as they took him in. Then her lips quirked up slightl

"Is that...

e today," she replied, standing and

intimidating and alluring. She was a woman of high knowledge and high standards, and

aid, producing a small orb of light between he

light poured from his fingertips, taking shape like molten glass. Gabby observed car

ntal core," she said. "You're siphoni

ht that

your spellwork will be brute force instead of elegan

owing in concentration.

dy pressed lightly to his back, and Floyd's breath caught

ear. "Like a river. Let the natural core feed the glyph

noring how close she was-how her chest pressed softly against h

rmured. "Now sta

. He felt it like a song in his veins,

whispered, stepping back, th

ply, his hands

ll need discipline. I want you to review the Sigils o

nked. "Al

k sweetness. "Unless you'd r

ored. "No, I'l

tly, her eyes gli

on glyphs, however. They drifted to Gabby-her touch, her instruction, the way she challenged him with

ed someth

iked

eared to be one. She expected greatness from him-not because he was sp

over a diagram. There was so much more to lea

in through the windo

the moon

's mind burne

st gettin

-