"Learn magic for defence?" Aurana switched betrayed looks between Remus and Kaleeth. "But that would take a long time, wouldn't it? I don't want to be locked in any longer!"

"That will not be necessary for now," Remus opened his eyes halfway. "Aurana, tomorrow I am overseeing a training exercise in the Fighters Guild. I will introduce you to Yvonne, who will teach you how to string and shoot a bow with some other initiates."

Aurana shrank in confusion. She was being thrown in every direction by her father's words. "Father, I'm...How does that help, though?"

"Do you want to see the world or don't you?" Remus hinted at the edge of his patience.

"Yes! I do."

"Then you will do as I say."

Janius brought his fingers to the table. "Father, how do we know this isn't just a way to control her some more?"

Remus rotated his frowning face to Janius. "Because," he grumbled. "I have a meeting to attend in the Imperial City in two months, and she will be coming with me if I deem her capable."

At that, Aurana looked at her father as if he was a ghost.

[hr]
Lunise tried and failed to jump over the wave that washed over her legs. She stumbled back to a stop on the sand and balled her fists. "Don't be so confident, Argonian! Justicars must adapt to- damn it!" she swatted away one of the balls of water thrown at her and dodged to one side. The others splattered on the sand behind her.

Leaning forward and blocking the water with her arms, Lunise took steps back up to the water's edge. The spell she cast next was not anything Meesei could recognise from her distance away. It bathed Lunise in a bright green sheen that faded until only the light reflecting from her skin had a green hue to it. Faint curved lines could barely be detected connecting her fingers and fanning beyond them.

Lunise skipped and dove forward under the water. The water's refraction made it initially difficult to see where she was headed.

Out of the corner of Meesei's eye, a long yellow shape streaked through the water beside her, swimming as fast as a rushing shark. It couldn't have been Lunise unless she was swimming unnaturally swiftly. When the shape stopped and curled around, a magical charge preceded an angled geyser of sea water aimed at knocking Meesei over.