Averic led her into an abandoned warehouse, the walls coated in shadow that seemed to lean closer as if listening. "Here," he said. "You will learn to fight—not just with your hands, but with what you feel. Focus. Every emotion, every heartbeat… channel it."
Marin swallowed hard, glancing at him. "I… I don't know if I can do this."
"You can," he said firmly, stepping close enough that she could feel the cold radiating from his body. His silver eyes locked onto hers, intense and hypnotic. "Because you are tied to me. And your strength comes from that connection."
A group of shadowy figures moved forward, faster than her eyes could track. Averic didn't flinch. He moved fluidly, intercepting attacks and guiding her movements with a gentle but firm hand on her back or arm. Every brush of his skin made her pulse race, her heart hammering in ways that had nothing to do with fear.
"Trust yourself," he whispered close to her ear. His breath was cold, sending shivers down her spine. "Trust the bond… and trust me."
Marin closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling sharply. The fear remained, but beneath it surged a strange exhilaration. The tether between them pulsed, stronger than ever. For the first time, she realized the danger wasn't just around her—it was inside her too. A dangerous, intoxicating pull toward him that she couldn't resist.