I remained standing over her, my fist still clenched tight, my shadow falling across her small, trembling form. She writhed weakly and spat another spray of blood into the dirt, the metallic tang sharp in the night air.
"You brought this upon yourself, fox," I said, my voice flat, without triumph or pity. "I wouldn't have resorted to this if you hadn't dared to threaten my clan."
Her head tilted up, eyes swimming with pain but not surrender. The molten gold of her gaze still burned, unyielding, as though pride alone could shield her from what I'd already proven true.
Even broken, even beaten into the dirt, Ariel glared at me with that same stubborn defiance.
She hadn't learned.
I raised my fist, intent on ending it, but before I could bring the blow down she lashed out with one last surge of will. From where she lay broken, Ariel released a desperate burst of blue flame, the fire rolling toward me in a furious wave.
