Brutas's mace swept toward Ronan's legs.
From Elara's view, it looked like Ronan had finally made a mistake.
Elara stood halfway from her seat without realizing it, fear gripping her chest.
The attack was about to connect.
Then Ronan turned toward the mace instead of away from it.
Elara froze.
For one instant, she thought he had lost his mind.
Then Ronan burst into flames.
His body blurred into fire, leaving behind a flame afterimage exactly where Brutas's mace struck.
The mace tore through the burning image, and Brutas's strike continued through empty air.
The crowd went silent.
Elara's couldn't understand what had happened.
Ronan appeared behind Brutas somehow. Some kind of deception technique? From the Ashbourne family? She'd never seen anything like it.
Ronan was already behind him.
Before Brutas could turn, Ronan pulled a narrow blade from his sleeve. Something small and practical, designed to be hidden and used at close range.
