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They shot through the air like bullets. I couldn’t track any of them.
But somehow, Razai managed to catch all three.
Cole’s eyes widened in shock, but Razai didn’t fling them back. Cole sent blast after blast of fire. It didn’t matter what shape or speed he used to form it. Razai maneuvered around them all with ease.
Sweat poured down Cole’s face and body. His chest heaved with effort, and unless my imagination was acting up, his fire attacks were getting smaller and weaker.
Magical energy didn’t last forever.
As Cole ignited his fist again, going in for another punch, Razai did the last thing I would ever expect.
He caught it in his open palm. The fire flared and then died completely. With a sweep of his leg, Razai knocked Cole’s foot out, casting him off-kilter. Though Cole used a blast of fire to put himself on balance again, Razai caught the back of Cole’s head and used the forward momentum to knock him forward and kick his other leg out from under him.
Cole face-slammed into the wet earth with the force of a hammer. Razai’s knee dug into his back, the tip of a steel star pressing a dimple into his throat.
It was over. Just like that. Without using any outright power or weapons, Razai had beaten Cole like it was nothing. He wasn’t even out of breath.
With a friendly grin, he patted Cole’s head like he would a dog. “There we have it, Highland! Satisfied? We’ll have to work on your combat strategy, won’t we? You’re much slower than I expected. And remember, flashy doesn’t mean effective.”
Cole roared like a trapped beast.
The barrier diffused, and the chatter of the class rose high.
“Did you see how fast he was?”
“It doesn’t matter that he’s missing an affinity. The professor is brutal. But how did he avoid getting burned? He touched the fire.”
“And he didn’t even hurt Cole! That’s skill.”
“Wow, I can’t believe we’re learning from that scary man. Did you see him smile? Creepy.”
Razai got on his feet and extended a hand. “Still, good work, Highland. I’m sure we can make a fighter out of you yet.”
Cole shoved himself up and stumbled, but Razai was already walking away, giving instructions for pairing up for combat training to a crowd brimming with new respect.
Another throwing star slid into Cole’s hand.
The shout was on my lips, but too late.
The star flew through the air, aiming right for the back of Razai’s neck.
I blinked. That’s how long it took.
The class went silent once more. Out of shock or fear, I couldn’t say.
Razai hadn’t turned around. The star had met its mark.
Or, almost did.
He had the weapon pinched between his pointer finger and thumb, the tip brushing his spine. Razai kept statue-still. Hair swept across his cheekbones, but I didn’t need to see his expression to sense the rage. In a quiet, cold voice, he asked, “Highland, didn’t your parents ever teach you it’s rude to attack someone when their back is turned?”
He turned his head, one eye flashing to meet the student. “Or are you just naturally a coward?”
Shivers ran down my spine. The breath paused in my lungs as if caught in ice. The way Razai looked at him somehow proved that he’d held himself back during the fight. That he’d dispatched Cole in the most humane way possible. That, if he wanted to, he could have defeated Cole in a second.
Cole took an uneasy step back. I doubted he even realized he’d done it. “Don’t talk like you know me.”
Razai straightened. “I’ve seen you fight. That shows more about a person’s soul than anything else.”
