Page 312 of Elemental Becoming

I glance at Lyra, silently urging her to let it go. The tension lingers for another moment before she finally looks away.

As we turn toward the training mats, I catch Ardyn’s gaze drifting to my right hand. The sunlight streaming through the windows catches on the dark metal of the ring, drawing her eye.

For the briefest moment, something shifts in her expression. The change is subtle, but I see it all the same. Then, just as quickly, it disappears. Whatever emotion surfaced is tucked neatly away again, hidden behind the same flawless composure she wears like armor.

We head toward an empty mat away from Ardyn. I can feel Lyra’s frustration simmering just beneath the surface. She mutters curses under her breath, quiet but sharp enough to make me wince.

Rowena, walking just behind us, shakes her head as she listens, clearly entertained. Her gaze flicks to me, amusement dancing in her eyes.

“You’re not even trying to keep it down, are you?” she teases.

Lyra snorts. “No.”

I roll my eyes and give Rowena a look that clearly says,Do not encourage her.She chuckles in response.

Sighing, I tug at Lyra’s arm, urging her forward.

“Lyra, please. Forget her.” My voice is low but firm.

I steal a glance over my shoulder. Ardyn is still watching.

“Don’t let her get to you.”

Lyra grumbles something else under her breath, but thankfully allows me to pull her away. We have barely steppedonto the mat when Ardyn’s voice cuts across the room.

“Leaving already?” she asks. “Or are you afraid of what might happen if we spar?”

The three of us turn in unison, surprise flashing across our faces. Lyra’s expression hardens. Rowena shifts slightly, irritation sharpening into something more watchful. A knot forms in my stomach—I know exactly where this is headed.

Ardyn stands where we left her, her smile just a little too sweet as she waits for our attention.

Lyra takes a step forward, her lip curling, but before she can say a word, Ardyn lifts a hand.

“No.”

A sneer curves her lips as her gaze settles on me.

“I want to spar with the Spiritborn.”

A beat of silence stretches between us, just long enough to make everyone pause, unsure whether it’s a taunt or a genuine challenge. But the way Ardyn says it, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on me, tells me this is about more than a sparring match.

She wants to see what I can do. What I am.

Rowena’s voice slices through the charged silence, sharp and furious.

“No! What the fuck, Ardyn?!”

She steps forward, disbelief and anger etched across her face.

“I know you love the spotlight, but this is over the line. Have you lost your mind? You’re challenging the Spiritborn. The fate of the realm may rest on her shoulders, and you want to risk injuring her in a sparring match?”

Her eyes flash as she looks between Ardyn and me, clearly unwilling to let this go unchecked.

For a fleeting second, Ardyn’s smile falters, but she recovers quickly, her gaze flicking to Rowena with a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

“I’m not the one overstepping, Rowena,” she says coolly, her voice measured. “Amara agreed. And besides, this is the Fire Clan way, isn’t it?”

Rowena bristles, but I give her a small shake of my head, a silent plea to step back.