Kael
Lucien did not give me time to admire the tied score.
He came straight through the middle, his guarded point close to the line I needed to protect. I turned it aside and moved without letting the hand leave before the foot.
The change had become work now.
Every tired part of me wanted the old, easier return.
Lucien touched the edge of my guard, withdrew and came back lower.
I met him.
No call.
We stayed inside the exchange.
He was trying to make me retreat far enough that the boundary would choose my next movement. I had spent too much of the bout there to need the lesson again.
I moved across instead.
The bruise pulled as my shoulder turned. I lowered the angle a little and kept the blade between his weapon and the panel.
He followed the change.
The clock passed ten seconds.
I could see the numbers above his shoulder whenever the movement gave me a moment to look.
Looking cost a moment too.
I kept my eyes on him.
