Elsie's POV The moment the whistle blew, Harding swung his wooden staff with a slice through the air, aiming for my ribs. I leaned back quickly, the wood missing my chest by a fraction of an inch. I didn't have the luxury of hiding my true fighting style anymore. I slid my hand down to the very base of my shorter stick, spinning it rapidly in my palm. Harding lunged forward, using his reach to push me back toward the boundary lines. He brought the staff down in a fierce, overhead strike. Instead of dodging, I stepped into his space, bringing my stick up at an angle to parry the blow. The impact vibrated violently up my arms, but I held my ground. I used the momentum to slide my stick down the length of his staff, barking the wood painfully across his knuckles. He grunted, dropping his grip with one hand for a split second. That was all the opening I needed. I dropped low to the dirt, sweeping my leg out in a kick that caught him behind his good ankle. He stumbled, his massive
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