The test had already begun.
Ayla knew that.
Yet somehow, she still wasn't prepared for what happened next.
The moment she attacked, Rowan's chosen opponent moved.
Fast.
Far faster than she expected.
He wasn't Rowan Nightbane, but he was one of Moonveil's elite warriors—a seasoned fighter chosen specifically to evaluate her abilities.
Ayla blocked his first strike.
The second.
Then the third.
But the fourth came from an angle she didn't anticipate.
The wooden staff slammed into her side.
Pain exploded through her ribs.
Before she could recover, another strike connected with her shoulder.
Ayla stumbled backward.
The crowd blurred.
The warrior didn't stop.
This was a test.
Not a lesson.
Not training.
A test.
And he intended to push her to her limits.
Ayla gritted her tee
