Garron charged again. This time I waited until the last possible moment. When his arm came forward, I let the power inside me rise. The world slowed for a breath. The sound of his boots crunching in the dirt stretched long and clear. I moved before I thought.
My body turned silver at the edges, the glow faint but sharp. I slipped past his swing, grabbed his arm with both hands, and used his weight to pull him forward. His balance failed, and he stumbled toward the ground. Before he could recover, my foot connected with his chest.
He hit the dirt hard, the air leaving his lungs in a grunt. The shock rippled across the watching crowd.
I stepped back, holding my stance. “Get up.”
Garron’s smirk faded. He got to his feet, slower this time. I could see the frustration in his eyes. H
