Liden rose and approached Eliana.
She shook her head. “Both of you. And Efren if he’s up to it.”
Efren chuckled. “I think I’ll just watch this time and catch my breath.”
Eliana smiled. “Thanks for sparring with me. It was fun.” She sent Maarev an expectant look. “Well?”
Dagon caught Maarev’s eye and nodded. After watching her spar with Efren, he had no doubt she could handle herself well.
And she did, landing both seasoned warriors on their asses and doubling them over with swift, unanticipated strikes again and again.
“Now do the invisibility thing,” she told them.
They glanced at each other.
“What?” Maarev asked.
“Do that thing you were doing the first time I saw you sparring. Go invisible.”
Both men looked at Dagon.
He hesitated. Eliana was an amazing warrior when faced with larger opponents she could see. But with two opponents she couldn’t?
She turned to face him. “Ask me what I’m doing.”
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Learning.” She looked at every man who had laughed when she’d claimed Efren would not emerge the victor, then met Dagon’s gaze. “As are they.”
Yes, they were. Eliana was reminding every man present that they should never underestimate an opponent.
And yet he hesitated.
Silence fell as everyone awaited his decision.
“Commander Dagon?” she prompted, using his formal title and demanding his respect, demanding he treat her as an equal.
He nodded at Maarev and Liden. “Do it.”
The men went into full camouflage, their specially designed uniforms doing the same. The two essentially vanished from sight to anyone who was not Segonian and dropped their staffs.
Eliana held up hers. “Do you want me to forgo mine as well, or should I keep it?”
“Keep it,” Liden said.
Tense silence ensued as Maarev used the distraction of Liden speaking to circle around behind Eliana. As a Segonian, Dagon was able to sense the men’s locations, though he couldn’t see them. But Eliana lacked that ability. And both men moved without making a sound.
Every face along the benches sobered and filled with dread.
No man here wanted to see her felled, Dagon least of all.
“Begin,” he ordered.
Liden dove for Eliana, who ducked and swung her staff. Liden flickered into view momentarily, doubled over from a blow to his stomach. Then Eliana spun and swung again. A thud sounded. Maarev flickered into view, clutching his ribs, then vanished once more.
Mouths dropped open.
Had she been using her treasured katanas, both men would’ve been seriously injured.
Maarev and Liden tried a frontal assault, a side assault, struck from both sides at once, and from in front and behind. Each time, Eliana prevailed.
How the srul was she doing that? Even he had difficulty spotting the warriors and relied mostly on the unique sense that allowed him to feel when another Segonian was near.
Just as Dagon began to relax, Eliana tossed her staff aside and fought the men with her bare hands.
Her tiny, almost childlike, bare hands.
Which apparently struck like stones, because she still emerged the victor.
Until the cheering began.
No longer fearing for her safety, the other warriors present began to shout praise and encouragement, the roar almost deafening.
Eliana’s head suddenly snapped back, blood spraying from her nose as her feet left the floor and her small form flew backward.
Gasps cut off all yelling as she landed flat on her back with a thud.
Maarev reappeared, staring down at her with alarm. Liden flickered into view behind him.
Fury rolled through Dagon as he rose.
But Eliana was already sitting up. Her upper lip and chin glistened with blood. “Yep.” She dragged a forearm across her face, wiping away some of the crimson liquid and smearing what was left across one cheek. “That’s what I thought.”
Maarev had struck her in the face?
Dagon took a step forward, his hands forming fists.
Eliana shot him a warning look, then extended a hand to Maarev.
Clasping it, Maarev gently hauled her to her feet. “Forgive me.”
“For what?” she asked. “Hitting me?”
“Yes.”
“Why? That’s what you’re supposed to do when you train.” She laughed. “And I gotta say, you have one srul of a punch there, champ. I haven’t been knocked on my ass like that in a long time.”
Maarev didn’t seem to know what to say to that.
Eliana glanced around, then frowned. “What? Why does everyone look so freaked out? Don’t you guys ever train with women?”
“Yes,” Maarev answered.
Liden stepped up beside him. “But our women are significantly larger than you.”
Maarev nodded. “You’re far more delicate.”
Eliana stared at him a long moment, then burst out laughing. “Delicate?” she repeated, nearly folding over she was so amused. “As in I’m a delicate freaking flower? Dude, I kicked your ass. And Liden’s. And Efren’s. A delicate woman couldn’t have done that.”
Maarev’s shoulders relaxed. His face even lightened with relief as the corners of his lips twitched.
“And don’t forget the condition I was in when you brought me on board. You saw the injuries I suffered and can guess the pain I was in.” She pointed to her nose, which had already stopped bleeding. “This is nothing.” She held up a hand, palm out. “Although I should warn you—in case we find them—that I’m a bit of an aberration when it comes to Earthlings. Most of my friends would not fare well if you hit them. Only five of us are warriors. So keep that in mind if you spar with any.”
Maarev nodded. “Of course.”
“Good.” Smiling, she delivered a light punch to his shoulder. “Then let’s get back to it, big guy.”
Maarev looked at Dagon.
Dagon studied Eliana, who eyed him intently above her sunny smile. He could almost hear her asking him to trust her and back her on this. Seating himself, he gave the men an abrupt nod. “Proceed.”
Maarev and Liden seemed to disappear as they again assumed their camouflage.
The three began to fight again.
Somber silence eclipsed the room, broken only by the grunts Maarev and Liden emitted each time Eliana struck them. Once more she emerged victorious. Over and over again.
“Halt,” she called suddenly. Straightening, she turned a look full of exasperation on their audience. “Seriously? Now you’re silent?”
The soldiers glanced at each other.
Eliana groaned. “Come on, guys! If you’re quiet, I know where they are.” She motioned to Maarev and Liden with unerring accuracy despite their camouflage.
How? Dagon wondered. How did she know where they were? His men knew how to move soundlessly.
“If you’re noisy, I don’t,” she continued, which indicated that she could nevertheless hear them. “And battle is often noisy. I need to find a way to determine where you guys are when you’re camouflaged—which, incidentally, I still want to know how you do it—so I won’t accidentally kill one of you if we find ourselves fighting the Gathendiens together.”