Chapter 50
Vanya
Metal clashed against flesh.
Or more accurately—my dagger clanged uselessly against Kross’s bare arms as he blocked me with nothing but muscle and reflexes.
We were in the sparring grounds of Thalvion. This wasn’t a test of brute force—it was a tactical round, a weapon fight. He had none. I had two.
And yet… somehow, I was the one losing.
“Focus, Vaughn,” he growled as he parried my strike with a twist of his wrist. In one fluid motion, he locked my arm, and clang—one dagger slipped from my hand, skidding across the dirt.
I hissed and twisted away, barely dodging his next move. My fingers clenched tighter around the remaining blade, sweat pouring down my temple.
But he was faster.
And in seconds, my second dagger flew from my grip too, leaving me disarmed and defe
