The combat assessment was held on the sixth day.
Maren explained the structure with her characteristic efficiency. Paired sparring, observed and assessed on a range of criteria that she listed in full and that Fenix immediately understood were not the real criteria, the real criteria being whatever could only be seen in the doing and not named in advance. She read from the pairing list without editorial comment. When she reached his name and read the name beside it, Riven's eyes moved to Fenix's face from across the room with that deliberate economy that characterised everything he did.
