"…You did fine."
It wasn't quite a compliment. More of an obligation. But there was the faintest stiffness in her voice—like something about the way he said it had nudged her just a little off balance.
Damien tilted his head, eyes narrowing with lazy amusement. "That sounded forced."
Elysia, in response, straightened her posture further, as if willing her body to fall back into routine. Her voice regained its neutral calm.
"You should focus on your flexibility now."
"Flexibility…" Damien echoed, wiping the sweat from his jaw with the back of his hand. "Right. Of course."
"Yes," she said simply.
He exhaled, rolling out his shoulders, then offered a small shrug. "Okay. Show me."
Without another word, Elysia stepped forward.
She closed the distance between them, not with hesitance, but precision. There was no performance in her movements—just the efficiency of a blade returning to its sheath.
