Shadow and Bone

It was studded with what looked like pieces of bone. An
amplifier, I realized.
Things went from bad to dreadful when Zoya showed up at
our combat lesson. Botkin hugged her, kissed both of her
cheeks, and then proceeded to chatter back and forth with her
in Shu. Was there anything this girl couldn’t do?
She’d brought along her friend with the chestnut curls,
whom I remembered from the Grisha tent. They proceeded to
giggle and whisper as I stumbled through the drills with which
Botkin began every class. When we separated to spar, I wasn’t
even surprised when Botkin paired me with Zoya.
“Is star pupil,” he said, grinning proudly. “Will help little
girl.”
“Surely the Sun Summoner doesn’t need my help,” Zoya
said with a smug smile.
I watched her warily. I wasn’t sure why this girl hated me so
much, but I’d had just about enough for one day.
We took our fighting stances, and Botkin gave the signal to
start.
I actually managed to block Zoya’s first jab, but not the
second. It caught me hard on the jaw and my head snapped
back. I tried to shake it off.
She danced forward and aimed a punch at my ribs. But
some of Botkin’s training must have sunk in over the last few
weeks. I dodged right and the blow glanced off me.
She flexed her shoulders and circled. Out of the corner of
my eye, I could see that the other Summoners had left off
sparring and were watching us.
I shouldn’t have let myself get distracted. I took Zoya’s next
punch hard to the gut. As I gasped for breath, she followed
with an elbow. I managed to avoid it more by luck than skill.
She pressed her advantage and lunged forward. That was
her mistake. I was weak and I was slow, but Botkin had taught
me to make use of my opponent’s strength.