“Good morning, my lady. Are you ready to practise some magic?” Clearly enjoying the attention, Ramin dipped into an elegant bow.

Pushing away her half-eaten breakfast, Torvia jumped up from the table. Levan had departed with Ademir, but Charla was in the next room, and could still argue with Ramin’s plan. “Do we have somewhere to practise?”

Ramin bobbed his head. “We have a room several floors down.”

As predicted, Ramin’s voice brought Charla out. A frown formed on her face as she focused on him. Torvia’s heart stopped. Would she remember?

“Yes? What do you want?”

Ramin bowed deeply. “The king offers the use of an empty room for Zeela to practise her magic.”

Charla drew a finger along her lip. “That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

Without hesitation, Ramin assumed the perfect imitation of confusion. “Prince Ademir requested it himself.”

Losing her patience with Charla, Torvia put her hands on her hips. “I’m here to study, aren’t I? I can’t practice in here.”

“I’ll come with you then.”

“You don’t need to. I’ll be in the palace.”

Charla strapped a sword to her side – a pointless object in a place like this. “I must. Ademir has entrusted me with your safety.”

Rolling her eyes, Torvia turned to Ramin. “Lead the way.”

As big as their entire guard chambers, their practice room was devoid of furniture, aside from a faceless wooden mannequin. The navy walls and gold border suggested this room had seen far more peaceful functions. Torvia glanced doubtfully at the finely embroidered silk curtains. Hopefully, they wouldn’t be using fire.

Unconcerned, Ramin swept into the centre of the room as Charla leaned against the wall, watching him with suspicious eyes. “Shall we see what you’re capable of first?” With an exaggerated flourish, Ramin adopted a combative stance. “Well?”

“You want me to attack you?”

Ramin’s shoulders dropped. “Do they not duel in the south?”

“Not like this.” It had taken years of special training before she was allowed to cast spells at people, and only at those with similar training. Ramin knew nothing of her abilities, nor she his. What if she hurt him and got kicked out of the palace?

“I see. Can you cast fire?”

Torvia snorted. “Every mage can cast fire.”

“Then cast fire at me.” A smirk lifted the corner of his lip. “Don’t worry, you won’t be able to hurt me.”

Mildly irked, Torvia flicked her wrist and sped a fireball at him. The whirling conflagration crashed into his shield with a bright flash, fizzled out, and shot sparks across the room. With a little concentration, she summoned the fire back into life and wrapped flame around Ramin’s sapphire shield, engulfing him completely.

“Good, but you’ll have to try something else to penetrate my shield.”

His calm tone getting the better of her, Torvia struck with crimson lightning, pummelling his shield over and over, but still it held.

His magic was strong. Annoyingly strong.

As she took a breath, Ramin looked at her curiously. “Rumour has it the Royal Mage used crimson lightning before learning to refine it.” He ducked another of her strikes, but couldn’t shake the fire.

“To defeat a shield, you need a different spell.” As the blaze fizzed away, Ramin sent a dark cloud towards her, drifting slowly through the air. Smokey wisps reached out and clung to her shield. The sapphire wall dimmed and flickered, straining her magic. In places, the darkness seeped through.

Her blood running cold, she focused on strengthening the gaps, but tiny slithers had already slipped through and latched onto her skin like cool kisses, draining away her magic. Numbness spread wherever the wisps touched. She gasped, until tendrils wound around her neck.

The sensation was not pleasant, but not as horrifying as the thought that she might be defeated. Her first duel with a northerner and she was losing.

Heat coursed through her and she let it free, dropping her shield so the blaze could burn away the cloud. The inferno carried on, slamming into Ramin and hurling him against the far wall with a loud thump.

Charla laughed and slid down into a sitting position, finally accepting that Torvia was not in need of rescuing.

Staggering upright, Ramin straightened his tunic. “Prince Ademir was correct. You do possess impressive magic. With the right training and improved spells, you could be a formidable mage.”

Charla snorted. “She already is.”

“It will take more than a lucky spell to defeat a fully trained mage. And that spell must have cost you much of your energy.”

Torvia pursed her lips. She felt fine. And perfectly ready to do it again.