"RHIAN LOCKE VS. ANYA SLADE."
The name echoed across the arena, loud enough to hush the side conversations and draw all eyes forward.
Most of those eyes flicked past Rhian and landed on the girl who stepped forward, her presence magnetic in the crowded space.
Anya Slade walked calmly to the center of the ring. Her hair was a deep brown, tied back in a tight braid that ran down her spine.
But what really caught everyone's attention were her eyes, one an icy blue, the other a warm, fiery orange.
She was striking, but not in the fragile way some pretty girls were. Her shoulders were set with quiet confidence, and even the small smile she offered Rhian seemed more like a challenge than a greeting.
Rhian watched her carefully as she approached, his own expression steady and unreadable. He remembered her from the expedition.
She had been part of Justin's team, and if the rumors were true, she was one of the few dual-elemental carriers at the academy.
