"My mother could do it," Eve said, and her voice carried layered harmonics that were pure Seraphim royal power. "She taught me. Even if I didn't consciously know it until now."
They clashed again, and this time it was even.
Not Eve dominating.....Katerina was still too skilled, too experienced, too powerful for that. But even. A genuine fight between two capable combatants rather than a slaughter.
Eve landed a solid hit to Katerina's ribs.....felt the warrior's breath explode out, felt the satisfaction of finally, finally connecting.
Katerina countered with a knee that Eve barely blocked, the impact still driving her back several feet.
They separated, circled, reassessed.
Fifteen minutes had passed since the bell. Eve was bloodied, battered, running on power she'd only just learned to access. Katerina was breathing harder now, a bruise forming on her ribs where Eve had landed that hit, her expression shifted from contempt to genuine combat focus.
