Chapter 52: The Test III
Hours had passed since Orion issued his challenge and her arms burned, her breath ragged, yet the blade remained stubbornly locked in its scabbard. She tugged again, her knuckles white, but the steel only scraped faintly, mocking her efforts.
The warriors who'd gathered earlier, drawn by the spectacle of the outsider facing Orion's test, had long since dispersed, their murmurs fading as they returned to their sparring and drills. Sophia caught their sidelong glances, a mix of pity and amusement, as they swung swords or wrestled in the dirt. She gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with defiance. She wouldn't let them see her break, not Orion, not the pack, not herself.
Unbeknownst to her, a quiet betting pool had formed among the warriors, coins clinking in a leather pouch held by Eldric, the pack's historian.
