But here? The fires organize under Raith, and I only know of two who have died since we arrived. Meanwhile, more than thirty waters have died and half as many airs. The earths also have only had one or two deaths, and they've organized themselves under the leadership of a pair of twins named Otho and Vireena. I can see them with their glowing green marks training in the distance.

Both the earths and fires act more like a cooperative team than competitors. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t cursed Bastian a few times for not simply suggesting I disguise my mark and join the fires or earths. But then I wouldn’t have Mireen or Ambrose.

"What was that about?" Mireen asks, joining me with a spear in her hands.

"I have no idea," I admit, still fighting the urge not to stare and watch as Raith moves between the fires, correcting form and barking orders.

We spend the next hour working with our blunted practice weapons. The idea is apparently to reduce fatalities as we’re training, but I have no doubts a determined student could still kill with these. I'm also pretty sure Malakai would have no problem using his giant, double-bladed axe to chop someone’s head off, blunted or not. Thankfully, he's training with his people instead of trying to go for a kill at the moment.

Small victories.

My weapon—a rapier, as Blackstone calls it—suits me better than I expected. What I lack in strength, I make up for in speed and precision. By the end of the session, even Blackstone seems grudgingly impressed by my progress.

"Not entirely hopeless," he concedes, which from him is practically a love letter.

As we leave the training yard, I catch the tail end of Raith's sparring match. He's using a two-handed sword that's bigger than my body, and he whirls through the air in a deadly dance of slashing training steel. It slices through the air with a thick whistle, and he shows perfect control, pulling his strikes against the guy he's fighting so he doesn't actually hurt him.

He freezes with the blade at his opponent's neck. They both pause a moment, then relax, clapping hands and patting shoulders. I can see Raith is giving him instruction now. The fire he’s working with is thinner and more sleight than the average offering, and I can see how he’s looking up at Raith with unmasked adoration.

I shake my head as we leave for the showers. I may not understand the guy, but I can't deny he helped me pick what feels like the perfect weapon. In his own way, Raith may have just helped me survive.