Evelyn's voice rang through the training grounds, sharp and unyielding. She stood with her arms crossed, her piercing gaze locked onto me as I faced Camille.
"You need to anticipate her moves—predict what she's going to do next. How will you defend yourself when there comes a time where you won't be able to rely on your teammates for help?"
I gritted my teeth.
She had a point. I knew she did. But that didn't make it any less frustrating.
Across from me, Camille stood poised, her stance relaxed but ready, like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"Tsk," I muttered under my breath, dodging her incoming right hook. She was fast—faster than I gave her credit for.
The worst part? She was enjoying this.
A smirk tugged at Camille's lips. "You better focus up."
"Whatever."
I barely had time to breathe before she was already closing the distance, her movements fluid and calculated. I dodged another strike—then another. But she wasn't slowing down.
She was testing me.
I could see it in her eyes—the glint of amusement as she pushed me further, waiting for me to slip up.
Evelyn's voice cut through the air again. "Stop reacting—start predicting! You're too defensive, Sera. If you stay on the back foot forever, you'll lose before the real fight even begins."
I scowled. Easy for her to say. She wasn't the one sparring against a literal human icicle who seemed to enjoy making my life miserable.
Still, I couldn't argue.
I needed to change my approach.
As Camille came at me again, I did something different. Instead of dodging outright, I stepped forward.
Surprise flickered across her face.
I caught her wrist before she could land a hit, twisting just enough to redirect her momentum. Using her own speed against her, I maneuvered her to the side, forcing her into an awkward stance.
Camille blinked.
Then, she grinned.
"There we go," she mused. "Now we're getting somewhere."
Evelyn hummed in approval. "Better."
I exhaled, keeping my grip firm but careful. I had actually managed to throw Camille off balance—if only for a second. A small victory, but a victory nonetheless.
But before I could celebrate, Camille suddenly shifted.
I barely registered what was happening before she had me pinned—my back hitting the dirt, her weight pressing down just enough to keep me from moving.
Oh. Crap.
Her face hovered inches from mine, her ice-blue eyes practically glowing with mischief.
"Not bad," she murmured, her voice carrying a teasing lilt. "But you let your guard down."
I could feel my face heating up.
I struggled against her hold, but she had me. And judging by the way Evelyn was watching us with thinly veiled amusement, I wasn't getting any help.
"Alright, alright, you win," I huffed.
Camille smirked, but she didn't move right away. Instead, she leaned in just a fraction closer, enough to make my breath hitch.
Oh no.
Not here. Not now.
Evelyn finally sighed. "That's enough for now. You both need a break."
Camille grinned as she pulled away, but not before ruffling my hair in a way that made my heart lurch for some godforsaken reason.
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "I hate this."
Evelyn smirked. "You'll hate it less when you stop losing."
Evelyn's words were accompanied by that ever-present smirk, one that made it very clear she was enjoying this way too much.
I groaned, brushing the dust off my uniform as I sat up. My muscles were already aching, and we weren't even halfway done.
"Everyone, take a short break!" Evelyn called out, her voice ringing across the training grounds. "In thirty minutes, we'll switch it up. This time, we'll be applying magic. Don't hold back against your partner. If something bad happens, I will step in, so don't worry."
I didn't know if that was reassuring or terrifying.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Camille plop down beside me. She stretched her arms lazily before reaching for her water bottle, her usual confident smirk still in place.
She wasn't even sweating.
Meanwhile, I was sitting there like I had just fought for my life.
Unfair.
"You good?" Camille asked, taking a sip of her water.
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and sighed. "As good as I can be after getting tossed around like a training dummy."
She chuckled. "I'll give you credit, though. You actually managed to throw me off for a second back there."
I rolled my eyes. "Wow, what a generous compliment."
She smirked, her ice-blue eyes gleaming. "Want to see something interesting?"
I gave her a skeptical look. "That depends. Is it going to embarrass me?"
Camille laughed. "No, no. Just watch."
She twisted the cap off her water bottle, and before I could ask what she was doing, she held her palm over the open top.
A moment later, a soft shimmer of frost swirled around her fingertips.
Within seconds, tiny, perfect ice cubes formed in the water—smooth, crystalline, and cold.
Magic.
Casually, as if she hadn't just performed one of the most useful tricks known to mankind, Camille swirled the bottle in her hand before taking another sip.
I stared.
"Are you kidding me?" I finally blurted out. "You've had this ability the entire time, and you didn't think to share?"
She smirked. "Oh? You want some?"
"Obviously!" I held out my own water bottle like an offering. "What kind of person hogs such an important life hack on a day like this?"
Camille laughed, placing her fingers over the opening of my bottle. The familiar chill of her magic brushed against my skin, and in mere moments, I had ice-cold water.
It was beautiful. A gift from the heavens.
I took a sip and nearly melted on the spot.
"This," I declared dramatically, "is the greatest thing you have ever done for me."
Camille grinned. "Oh? Just wait. Maybe I'll show you even cooler tricks someday."
I narrowed my eyes. "Are they going to be actually cool, or just ways for you to mess with me?"
She placed a hand over her heart, feigning offense. "Sera, you wound me."
I scoffed, shaking my head. "Unbelievable."
Across the training grounds, I saw Lillian talking to Diana, their expressions serious. Claire was casually stretching near the shade, while Tessa sat against a nearby tree, eyes closed as if she were meditating.
In just thirty minutes, we would be back at it again—except this time, magic would be in play.
And something told me that sparring Camille was going to be a whole different nightmare once she could freely use her ice magic.
I sighed, taking another sip of my gloriously chilled water.
"Well," I muttered. "Might as well enjoy this while it lasts."
Camille, still lazily twirling the cap of her bottle between her fingers, shot me a curious look. "Sera, you can use both fire and ice magic, can't you?"
I nodded, "Yes."
Her ice-blue eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "Then why didn't you just make your own ice cubes?"
I blinked.
Ah.
"That's… a really good point." I muttered, feeling vaguely stupid.
Camille smirked. "It didn't even cross your mind, did it?"
"Not at all," I admitted, shaking my head. "I guess I just instinctively use fire magic more than ice. I don't think I've ever relied on ice magic unless I really had to."
"Hmm." Camille tilted her head, observing me like I was some sort of puzzle she was trying to solve. "You should use it more often. I have a feeling you'd be great at it."
I gave a small, noncommittal nod, but my mind was already drifting elsewhere.
Camille wasn't wrong.
The original Sera Vandren had been terrifyingly gifted. A prodigy in both fire and ice magic, she was a force to be reckoned with—not just in sheer strength but in intelligence and cunning. She was powerful, strong-willed, and completely merciless in battle.
And that was exactly what scared me.
Because if I kept using magic—if I kept honing my skills—what if I became her?
Not just in ability, but in essence?
It was one thing to live as Sera Vandren, to try to rewrite her fate. It was another thing entirely to become her, to have her raw talent seep into my bones, to start thinking like her, acting like her, losing myself in the process.
I didn't want that. I wanted to stay me—not the villainess, not a monster, not someone capable of destruction.
But did I even have a choice anymore?
If the monsters near North Gate were becoming more of a threat… if the world itself was shifting from the original story's script…
Would I be able to hold back forever?
Would I even have the luxury of restraint?
"Seraaa," Camille's teasing voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. A soft flick to my forehead followed.
"Ah—huh?" I snapped out of it, blinking up at her.
She grinned, tilting her head slightly. "You looked like you were thinking way too hard about something."
"I was just—" I hesitated, then shook my head. "Never mind, it's nothing."
Camille didn't look convinced, but she didn't push. Instead, she offered me a hand, effortlessly pulling me to my feet.
"Come on, silly. It's time to train again."
Right.
Whatever storm was brewing in my mind… whatever fears I had…
For now, I had to focus on the present.