After nearly igniting both the house and surrounding forest, Emiliano decided it was safer to take me to the nearby lake. A solid layer of ice stretched across its surface, forming an ideal, isolated training ground. He’d let me warm up and eat first, but he didn’t wait long to resume my training. I hadn’t bothered to change out of my damp shirt and sweatpants, bracing myself against the cold that, despite its discomfort, sharpened my senses and made me feel more alive than I had in months.
Emiliano guided me to the lake's center, then retreated to the shore, leaving me in the middle. With careful precision, he melted a circle of ice around me, isolating the platform where I stood. The ice wobbled beneath my feet, tilting slightly, and I felt that familiar surge of heat stir inside me. Ju
