Tirel blinked and when next she opened her eyes again, the world seemed to snap into sharper focus. The sounds of sparring in the background faded into a low hum as her gaze locked on Jae, who was standing directly in front of her.
His Dragonfire blade was angled downward, steady and unshaking, the shimmering tip hanging just inches from her chest.
There was no wasted movement in his stance, his posture was loose, almost casual, but the quiet certainty in it told her everything. He could end this spar in the next heartbeat if he wanted to.
A faint smirk tugged at her lips despite the thrum of exertion in her limbs. "I surrender," she said, lifting her hands in a gesture halfway between mock defeat and grudging respect.
Jae's mouth curved in amusement. The tension that had been coiled in the air between them dissolved with a flicker of light as he released the dragonfire blade.
