Ariana’s POV
The first punch did not come with a warning.
There was no shouted challenge, no formal call to spar, no chance to step back and prepare myself the way I usually did during training. One moment I was wiping sweat from my neck at the edge of the clearing, focused on keeping my breathing even and my presence small, and the next, instinct screamed through my veins.
I twisted just as the blow came.
Pain exploded across my shoulder, sharp and blinding, forcing a gasp from my lungs as my feet skidded across the packed earth. Dust kicked up around me, and the sudden movement drew startled reactions from the few students who had lingered after training.
My heart hammered violently in my chest, not just from the impact, but from the realization that this was no accident.
I straig
