Page 54 of Unseen Eye
Izzy bursts out laughing, her eyes lighting up. “Oh, Theo,” shesays, shaking her head. “Will you ever learn not to piss off the cooks?”
I watch the two of them for a moment, realizing how much more I’m starting to like Izzy. Her laughter is infectious, and I can’t help but feel a little lighter in her company.
“Now come on,” Theo says, his expression turning serious. “Your training starts now.”
Theo tosses me a sword, which I catch with ease, a practiced move. “Since I missed yesterday’s spectacle, I need to see where you are in your training. Izzy says you’re a natural, but that’s not saying much,” he adds, receiving a sharp glare from Izzy, who now also has a sword in hand.
“I’m sparring with Izzy?” I ask, slightly surprised, glancing between them.
“Duh,” Izzy replies, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Why else would I be out here instead of in bed?”
Theo rolls his eyes. “Izzy doesn’t train as much as the rest of us. So, if you’re as good as she says you are, it should be a fair fight.”
“Hey!” Izzy protests, clearly not thrilled with being called out. “Whose side are you on?”
Theo half-grins and shrugs, clearly amused by the sibling dynamic. “Sorry, sis, just telling it like it is. And remember,” he adds, a touch of seriousness creeping in, “no affinity, just swords. Let’s keep it fair.”
“I’ll show you fair,” Izzy mutters under her breath, and before Theo can react, a gust of wind blasts him, knocking him flat on his ass.
“Showoff,” Theo grumbles, rubbing his elbows as he struggles to get back up. “Now, begin.”
Izzy and I raise our swords, circling each other. The pressure growing every second to prove myself. Izzy starts off on the offense, quick and confident. I block her first few strikes withease, but she’s fast—faster than I expected. My instincts take over, and I counter with a combination I learned from Kendry’s lessons. His voice echoes in my mind, “Find your center, Eva.”
The clang of our swords rings in my ears, a steady rhythm that’s almost calming. It’s like I’ve slipped into a different mode, where my body moves on instinct and my mind drifts, detached—a rhythm that feels effortless yet completely unshakable. I feel the tension in my body relax just enough to let me move fluidly, like I’ve done this a thousand times before.
“Good,” Theo calls out, his voice a mix of approval and challenge.
Izzy uses Theo’s praise as a distraction and attacks again, aiming low. I barely manage to block in time, forcing her to stumble forward. Seizing the opportunity, I go low and sweep her feet out from under her, sending her crashing to the ground.
“Atta girl,” Theo remarks.
Izzy springs back up, her eyes narrowing. We begin circling each other again, the intensity ramping up. She feints left, and I instinctively move to block, but she quickly pivots and strikes right, catching me off guard. The impact reverberates through my arms, and I barely manage to parry her next flurry of strikes, each faster than the last.
In the midst of our exchange, my elbow clips Izzy’s cheek. She grits her teeth, retaliating with a sharp jab to my jaw. Pain flares as her hit lands, leaving a bruise that I know will be visible later. I stumble slightly but always keep my eyes on her.
I spot an opening as she overextends on a swing. I sidestep and bring my sword down in a controlled arc, stopping just short of her shoulder. Izzy freezes, acknowledging the hit with a nod.
“Good job, ladies,” Theo says, slipping into his general voice. “Now, again.”
We spar for a while longer, our movements growing sharper with each exchange, until Theo finally calls it. He handsus water, taking a moment before switching back to his authoritative tone. “You both have things to work on.”
He turns to Izzy first. “You need to work on your defense. You’re too focused on attacking, which makes you vulnerable.” He adds, “I know I trained you better than this,” earning a hard look from Izzy, who opts for a drink of water rather than listening to Theo’s critique.
Then he turns to me. “Eva, your form is solid, but you need to be quicker with your counters. You hesitate too long, giving your opponent time to recover. And work on your footwork. You did well sweeping Izzy off her feet, but you need to stay light and ready to move.”
Izzy smirks at Theo. “Any other tips, oh wise General?”
Theo grins back. “Just one. Don’t let your temper get the best of you. It’s a sparring match, not a war.”
Izzy rolls her eyes but smiles. “Yeah, yeah. Good fight.”
“Thanks,” I reply, catching my breath. “You too.”
“Now can we please go eat breakfast?” Izzy asks. “I’m starving, and if you expect me to be a happy trainer, I need food.”
“Let’s go,” Theo says, taking both our swords and returning them to the rack.
As we walk through the halls toward the dining room, curiosity gets the better of me. “Theo, what’s your affinity? Are you an air bender like Izzy?”
