Gates of Thread and Stone: EXTRAS

Bonus Scene: training with Avan

"Remember: don't hold back."

"Are you sure about this?" Avan asked for the fourth time. I gave him an irritated look as I scratched the toe of my boot over the floor of the great hall, creating streaks in the dust.

"I'm not going to get better if you go easy," I said. We weren't speaking very loudly, but the hall was large and mostly empty, and our voices echoed up into the rafters, disturbing the cobwebs.

"You should at least let this heal up a bit first." Avan's knuckles brushed over the bruise that discolored my jaw.

"Focus," I snapped. Before he could argue further, I swung my fist.

He blocked with his arm, continuing only to defend himself as I pushed him back. I wasn't strong enough to overpower him, so I had to be fast. My sore muscles and various other bruises ached, but Irra's words rang through my head.

Prove to me how much you want this.

I would.

"Hit me," I demanded, attacking harder. I ducked low and then threw out my hands to block Avan's knee from striking my chin. The force of the blow jolted me back. I stumbled. Avan reached out to steady me, but I knocked his hands away.

Frowning, he pushed his fingers through his hair and shifted his weight on his feet. "I feel like a jerk hitting you. How does G-10 do this?"

I shook out my arms. "G-10 doesn't underestimate me."

Avan's face grew tight. I had a second of warning in the way his body tensed and then my mind leaped for the threads. His elbow stopped inches from my cheek. Good thing my powers were faster than my physical reflexes. I sucked in a deep breath, smelling the must of wood rot and the stale air of a room that had likely never been used. Then I released the threads.

Avan's forearm met my crossed wrists with a jarring smack. He smirked. "That's cheating."

"You caught me off guard," I said, immediately blocking his next hit to my stomach. I kept my arms close, watching his body language, anticipating his strikes.

"You won't be able to use your powers in the arena."

"Oh, now you're taking this seriously."

His leg knocked me off balance, but I gripped his shirt and twisted, dragging him down with me. We hit the floor, pain shooting through my shoulder and hip. Teeth clenched, I wrestled to push Avan onto his back, grappling with his longer limbs and digging my elbows into his ribs. But without the advantage of my speed, I couldn't match his strength.

A moment later, he'd captured my wrists and pinned me down with little more than the force of his weight. I glared at the amused tilt of his mouth and tried to wiggle free, but he held me fast. We were pressed chest to chest and thigh to thigh. Every breath rocked through both of us. It took only a beat for the hot rush of my indignation at being so easily defeated to transform into something altogether different. I swallowed.

Avan had gone still, a curious intensity in the way he looked down at me. Weak light from the lanterns that hung overhead cast a faint glow around his hair, but left most of his face in shadow. My heart hammered against my ribs. I wanted very much to ask him what he was thinking.

Before I could speak, his weight lifted from me. He stood, regaining his feet in one smooth motion. I pushed up onto my elbows, staring at his feet and feeling awkward and self-conscious.

"We can try again after dinner," I said, not yet ready to give up. Learning how to fight properly was more important than this brief moment of embarrassment, no matter that my burning face was trying to convince me otherwise. Avan held out his hand, and I gratefully took it.

"Later then?" he said, helping me up.

I met his eyes. There was a question there, and I couldn't help but feel that it had nothing to do with our sparring.

I nodded anyway. "Later."