Reborn as the Last van Ambrose

Grim’s instincts kicked in before his conscious mind could process the danger. He dove sideways, rolling smoothly across the stone floor as a blast of fire scorched the air where he’d been standing. Heat washed over him, intense enough to singe the edges of his white robes.

"Still as predictable as ever," he said, rising to his feet with Echo still secure at his side. "Twelve years, and you still think setting people on fire is an appropriate greeting you pyromanic bitch."

A figure emerged from the shadows, crimson flames dancing between her fingertips. Lianna stood before him, tall and athletic in a fitted tunic and breeches that emphasized her lean build. Her red hair was pulled back in a practical braid, freckles stark against her pale skin. The thin-framed glasses she wore did nothing to diminish the intensity of her green eyes.

"And you’re still a smug little nuisance," she replied, extinguishing the flames with a flick of her wrist. "Though not so little anymore, I suppose."

Grim eyed her up and down, his expression deliberately unimpressed. "You, on the other hand, are still as flat-chested as the day I left. Some things never change."

A flicker of genuine annoyance crossed her face before her lips curved into a dangerous smile. "At least I didn’t spend twelve years hiding like a scared rabbit, Water Boy."

"Miss me, did you?" Grim asked, leaning casually against the tunnel wall.

"Like a persistent rash," Lianna replied, but there was a hint of something almost fond beneath the sarcasm. "The palace was certainly quieter without your constant whining."

"And yet here you are, seeking me out before my match." Grim’s tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious. "Why the dramatic entrance? The finger snap was a bit much, even for you."

"Old habits," she said with a shrug. "I needed to make sure you were paying attention."

"To what? Your continued inability to properly ambush someone?"