Four months had passed since the start of training, and Lelya had changed.

  She noticed it every morning in the mirror. Not outwardly — still the same redhead, freckled, with a generous mouth. But something in her posture, her gaze, the way she held her hands was different.

  — You move differently, — Roslava told her one day when they crossed paths in the corridor. — You used to walk like a student. Now — like a cat.

  — Is that a compliment?

  — An observation. — Roslava allowed a faint smile. — Lilith is running you hard.

  — How do you know?

  — I’m the Minister of Internal Affairs. I know everything that happens in this building.

  Roslava left, and Lelya stood in the corridor, mulling over her words. Roslava was the one who had found her in the café, who had seen her potential. If she was tracking Lelya’s progress, that was a good sign.

  Or a very bad one.

  In the training hall, Lilith was waiting — along with two unfamiliar mages.

  — Today we work in a group, — said Lilith. — This is Bozhidar and Bran. They’ll be your opponents.

  Lelya sized up her sparring partners. Both tall, dark-haired, with nearly identical faces — had Lilith picked them on purpose? Battle mages, judging by their aura. And judging by their smirks, they didn’t take her seriously.

  — Rules are simple, — Lilith continued. — They attack together. You defend. You can shift. You can use any techniques. Objective: survive three minutes.

  — And if I don’t?

  — Then you try again. And again. Until you do.

  The mages glanced at each other and stepped into the center of the hall in unison. Lelya followed.

  — Begin, — said Lilith.

  Both mages attacked at once — one from the left, the other from the right. Lelya barely dodged the first strike and blocked the second. The impact threw her backward, but she stayed on her feet.

  They’re working as a pair. One distracts, the other hits. Need to break the combination.

  She shifted into lynx form — fast, the way Lilith had taught her — and darted between them. Bozhidar tried to grab her, but she slipped between his legs and sank her teeth into Bran’s ankle.

  He cried out and went down. Bozhidar spun, but Lelya had already shifted back and driven a fist into his solar plexus.

  Twenty seconds. She’d lasted twenty seconds.

  — Not bad, — said Lilith. — Again.

  By the end of the session Lelya was wrung out completely. She’d survived the full three minutes three times — and lost about twelve. The mages looked roughed up as well: Bozhidar’s lip was bleeding and Bran was limping.

  — She bites, — he complained to Lilith. — Is that even fair?

  — There’s no such thing as ‘fair’ in a fight, — Lilith replied. — There’s only ‘alive’ and ‘dead.’

  — But she’s a diplomat!

  — A diplomat who bites. Remember that.

  The mages left, grumbling under their breath. Lelya remained on the mats, unable to move.

  — You did well, — said Lilith, sitting down beside her. — Three months ago you wouldn’t have lasted thirty seconds.

  — I still lose more than I win.

  — In a real fight, you don’t need to win. You need to survive long enough for help to arrive. Or to find a way to escape.

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  Lelya considered this.

  — And if help doesn’t come?

  — Then you kill everyone standing in your way. — Lilith looked at her. — Are you ready for that?

  — I don’t know.

  — Honest answer. — Lilith smiled faintly — for the first time since Lelya had known her, it was a real smile. — When you do know — tell me.

  Lelya stayed by the window, gazing at the artificial sun. Something was shifting between them — slowly, cautiously, like ice melting under a spring sun.

  Maybe it was friendship. Maybe something else.

  Six months had passed since training began. Lelya no longer counted bruises — they appeared and vanished like the seasons. Her body had grown accustomed to pain, learned to recover faster, to move with more precision. She still lost to Lilith — but now she lost with dignity.

  That day the session ended earlier than usual. Lilith halted the sparring after Lelya managed a proper counterattack for the first time — not merely defending, but striking back hard enough to make Lilith give ground.

  — That’s enough for today, — said Lilith, and there was something new in her voice. Not praise — Lilith never praised outright. But something close.

  Lelya sat down on the mats, wiping sweat from her forehead. The hall had emptied — the other fighters had dispersed, and they were alone.

  — Can I ask you something? — said Lelya.

  — You ask constantly.

  — This is a different question.

  Lilith sat beside her, legs crossed. Shadow-wings flickered behind her back — they always showed when she relaxed.

  — Ask.

  Lelya paused, gathering her thoughts.

  — You told me about your people. About why you came to Monolith. About wanting to protect yours from the inside.

  — And?

  — And I believe you.

  Lilith turned. Her black eyes were unreadable.

  — Why?

  — For one simple reason, — said Lelya. — Over six months you could have killed me hundreds of times. During training, during that mission in LakeLand, or just because you were bored. You didn’t.

  — Maybe I’m waiting for the right moment.

  — Maybe. — Lelya shrugged. — But I don’t think so. I’ve seen you fight. I’ve seen you protect people. I’ve seen your face when you talk about your people.

  She turned to Lilith, looking her straight in the eye.

  — You serve Monolith sincerely. Not because you were forced, not because you have no choice. Because you believe it’s the best way to protect those you love.

  Lilith was silent for a long time. The shadows behind her back thickened, then dissolved.

  — No one believes me, — she said at last. Her voice was steady, but Lelya caught something like bitterness beneath it. — Not even Svarog, under whose command I serve. He simply prefers to keep the enemy close. I gave him plenty of grief in my time.

  — Svarog isn’t me.

  — Svarog is one of the first mages. Six thousand years old. He’s seen more betrayals than you can imagine.

  — And that’s why he doesn’t trust anyone?

  — That’s why he doesn’t trust me. — Lilith smirked. — I killed three of his people. Personally. He was there; he saw it. That kind of thing isn’t forgotten.

  Lelya weighed her words.

  — What about the others? The other mages in special forces?

  — Some are afraid. Some hate me. Some just keep their distance. — Lilith shrugged. — I’m used to it. You can get used to anything in a few centuries.

  — That’s not fair.

  — It’s logical. — Lilith looked at her. — I was the enemy. I killed their comrades, their friends. The fact that I switched sides doesn’t erase the past. To them I will always be the one who cut the heads off Monolith commandos.

  — And to me?

  The question hung in the air.

  Lilith was quiet for a long time. Then she said:

  — You’re a strange one, diplomat. You don’t carry centuries of memory. You have no reason to fear me for things I did before you were born.

  — That’s not an answer.

  — It’s the only answer I have. — Lilith rose and walked to the window. — I don’t know what I am to you. Teacher? Partner? Something else?

  Lelya stood too.

  — What do you want to be?

  Lilith turned. On her face was an expression Lelya had never seen before — something like bewilderment.

  — I haven’t thought about what I want in a long time. Only about what I have to do.

  — Then maybe it’s time to start.

  They stood by the window, looking out at the underground garden of the Alnar. The artificial sun was sinking toward sunset — someone in the technical department liked to simulate the natural cycle.

  — I don’t know how to be a friend, — said Lilith. — I forgot. Or maybe I never knew — I can’t remember anymore.

  — I’m not great at it either, — Lelya admitted. — Before my awakening I had no friends. I was the one nobody noticed.

  — And now?

  — Now I’m the one who gets beaten by a Higher Vampire every day. — Lelya smiled. — But oddly enough, it’s better.

  Lilith snorted — almost a laugh.

  — You are definitely strange.

  — You’ve said that.

  — I’ll say it again. For emphasis.

  They were quiet for a moment. Then Lilith said:

  — Tomorrow we start working on combination attacks. Shifting plus weapons. It’ll be tough.

  — I’ll manage.

  — I know. — Lilith turned to her. — That’s why I’m telling you.

  She headed for the exit but stopped at the door.

  — Lelya.

  — Yes?

  — Thank you. For believing.

  And she left without waiting for a reply.

  Lelya stayed by the window. Beyond the glass, the artificial sun finally set, and the garden sank into soft twilight.

  Six months ago she had come here to learn how to fight. To stop being weak, helpless, invisible.

  She had gotten more than she bargained for.

  Tomorrow there would be new training sessions, new bruises, new lessons. But today — today she simply stood watching the fading light and felt something close to peace.

  She had found a friend.

  A strange, dangerous friend, with shadow-wings and centuries of killing behind her. A friend whom even her own commander didn’t trust. A friend who had forgotten how to be one.

  But a friend all the same.

  It was a beginning.