Flashback ( PDFDrive )

“I get it,” Grizel told her. “This isn’t your thing. But like I just
reminded Fitz: If someone’s trying to kill you, an injury isn’t going to
stop them.”
“I know.” But the thought of throwing a weapon into someone’s
skull—someone’s brain . . .
She could imagine the sound it would make.
The way things would splatter.
“Your enemies aren’t going to show you any mercy,” Grizel warned.
“They don’t deserve yours.”
“I know,” Sophie repeated.
But she couldn’t help worrying that this was exactly what the
Neverseen wanted—why Vespera had spent years experimenting on
humans before she ended up imprisoned, and why she’d abducted
Sophie’s human parents and used them to lure Sophie to Nightfall for
a brutal test. Vespera believed that if the elves didn’t learn to be
ruthless, it was only a matter of time before their treaties collapsed
and one of the more violent species overthrew them. And Keefe’s mom
was just as bad. She’d exposed Ro to a fatal dose of soporidine right
before she’d had Ruy use his ability as a Psionipath to breach the force
field around Atlantis—all to teach Sophie and Keefe that they needed
to learn to make hard choices.
And here Sophie was, deciding how violent she was willing to be.
“Battle skills are simply another tool,” Grizel reminded her.
“Adding them to your arsenal doesn’t mean you have to use them. But
if you need them, you’ll be glad you’re prepared.”
“I guess.” But Sophie’s arm still shook as she tried to line up a
deadly aim.