Ella's POV (TW; torture at the end)
"Again."
Christian's voice rang through the clearing, low and amused.
I wiped the sweat from my brow, my arms burning from the sheer number of times he'd knocked my blade aside. "You said that five swings ago."
"And yet here we are." He said with a shrug, spinning his dagger between his fingers. "Still waiting for the Guardian to land one real hit."
I narrowed my eyes. "Maybe you are just annoying enough to dodge by sheer force of sarcasm."
Christian smirked. "Oh, she bites. Good. Maybe now you will fight like you mean it."
I gritted my teeth, adjusted my stance, and charged.
/the clash of blades echoed through the trees. Steel kissed steel as I tried again and again to break through his guard, but Christian was fast, unfairly so. Every time I t
