Ingrid breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling as the heat of the battlefield began to dissipate. The air still trembled with the remnants of their energy, and the ground, riddled with fissures, smoked in small spots.
She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her thumb, straightened, and looked at Katharina with that crooked smile—the kind of smile only someone stubborn enough to defy hell would wear.
"Admit it," Ingrid said, her voice hoarse but filled with pride. "You couldn't beat me in a fight to the death."
Katharina raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. The fire around her slowly faded, leaving only the smell of ash and the sheen of sweat on her skin. "I know."
Ingrid blinked, slightly confused. "What?"
"I know," Katharina repeated matter-of-factly, wiping the blood from the cut on her arm. "That's why we stopped, remember? I'm not here to die because of an inflated ego."
