Chapter 177: Power to Power

ELRETH

As if he heard Elreth's fearful thought, Tarkyn feinted a thrust, then dropped, swinging his foot out to attempt to sweep Aaryn's leg.

Aaryn leapt and Elreth danced back, pulling her skirts up to stay out of the way as the fight shifted while both tried to find their centers again—but she hadn't realized one of the females who'd submitted to her still knelt behind her. Elreth's skirt caught on the female's shoulder, shifting her weight so that she stood on the poor woman's foot, and gave a frustrated cry as she tumbled to the dirt, catching and rolling as she'd been taught and was back on her feet within a second—just in time to see Tarkyn snap his head, startled, to check her, and Aaryn take advantage of his distraction to sweep his leg, then pin the Captain to the ground and abort what could have been a knife-hand to his throat.