"They've found us!"
"We've got to get to the boat-"
"No." Ian's voice rang out clearly. "We aren't going back to the boat. Not yet. I want two five-man parties scouting the beach. We don't know that it's them. There is no way the mentors could have already made it back this quickly. You saw them in the looking glass on the eastern bluffs, did you not? That's three miles from where we are now."
Just as Ella had predicted Ian split up his team, leaving only ten behind. The rest of the mentees left in search parties to scout the remains of the beach. Merrick and Ian were the only two Combat apprentices who had stayed.
"This is too good to be true," Ella breathed. "All we have to do is capture Ian and we end the battle right now. He's practically unguarded."
"Yes, but we have to make it past the others first."
"No, not if we do another casting close by – he'll be forced to send Merrick and some of the others to investigate."
"No, he won't," I said. "He'll never leave himself that exposed. He would wait for one of the other scouting parties to return."
"Fine. Then I'll reveal myself."
"Ella, no!" I whispered. "They'll catch you!"
"Yes, but you know Merrick won't be able to restrain himself from going after me. That second-year is as vain as his cousin. He'll want to claim first capture… And while he's chasing me it'll leave Ian unguarded. That's the best odds you could have!"
I thought it over. She was right, of course. This was our one chance to capture Ian while the other Combat mentees were away. And if Ian saw that it was me again… well he might just be too surprised to make the first move. "Okay, let's do it."
Ella took off, climbing along the crags until she was two hundred yards away. Then I watched as she threw a large casting in the direction of Ian's party.
Two Restoration apprentices collapsed.
Merrick immediately took off before Ian could stop him, and I swiftly made my approach.
Summoning a broadsword I leapt out from the rocky shadows to surprise the fourth-year. Something about my approach must have warned him, however, because Ian spun around with a heavy blade in hand, ready for battle. As soon as he saw me his green eyes widened but it did not cause him to falter.
The two of us immediately engaged – the loud clang of swords colliding as my casting met his. The rest of the Restoration and Alchemy mentees nearby rushed to help their leader, but Ian waved them off with his free hand. "This is between me and Ryiah," he told them.
"How kind of you," I gasped. I blocked the mentee's swing and cringed under the weight of his blow. There was a reason Darren had struggled so much in non-magic combat against his old mentor: Ian was the son of two blacksmiths. His experience was on full display in our duel.
"Where's your fearless leader?" Ian asked. He swung hard to my right.
I fell back just in time, panting. "What?"
"Where's Darren?"
I didn't want to reveal it was just Ella and I. "No one fell for your empty warship," I lied, "they are all waiting inside the cave."
"Interesting." Ian's eyes danced as we continued to trade blows. "Darren was never one to shirk from battle before." There was suspicion in his gaze.
"He thought I'd be the best one to catch you off guard."
"I see." Ian grinned and came at me with a low crescent sweep. I blocked with a wince as part of his blade grazed my thigh. "Still relying on my weakness for the girl with red hair." He gave me a disarming smile, one that made me falter just the barest second.
It was a second too late. I heard the whistle of metal and then something heavy and sharp crashed into the back of my shoulder - biting deep, deep into the flesh within. I screamed, falling against the limestone ground.
Merrick's head bobbed up above me.
"Byron should have given me a better mentor," the second-year drawled. "That was hardly a challenge."
I cursed as the boy dislodged the throwing axe and held it to my neck.
"You surrender?"
"Yes." I spat at his feet, glaring up at the bragging second-year with his white blonde locks and his cruel violet eyes that were so much like Priscilla's it was startling. I could not fight back: in a real battle I would have already been slain.
I had lost.
I huddled on the ground. My whole back felt like fire – excruciating, searing hot fire. Blood was seeping into my tunic and my body was alternating between tremors and shakes.
"If Ryiah made it down here the cave must be somewhere nearby," my mentee continued. He glanced at his leader. "The rules let us torture her for information, Ian. The regiment and our masters can't interfere while we do it."
Ian knelt down to where I was, shivering and cursing with pain. "Ryiah," he said quietly, "please don't make me let him. Just tell us where the cave is."