Tris stared at the glove thrown down in front of him, unable to react for a moment.
It wasn't that he didn't know it meant a challenge to a duel. He simply hadn't expected a pretty girl like Pheobe to challenge him over a disagreement.
Seriously? For someone whose country still hasn't cleared the Eiffel Tower dungeon, aren't you a little too fond of dueling?
"Pick up the glove and duel me like a man." Seeing Tris standing there in a daze, Pheobe assumed he was frightened and immediately began taunting him.
"Or are you scared?"
"I certainly am." Tris nodded.
Pheobe froze, not expecting him to admit it so readily.
Was Tris scared? Of course not. He was just going to mouth off at her.
"I'm afraid I'll make you cry, and people will say I'm picking on a girl." Tris shook his head.
"Fine. Fine, then!" Pheobe's chest heaved with anger. No one had spoken to her like this in years. "Draw your wand. Let's see if your skills are as tough as your mouth."
"Hey, my mouth definitely isn't the hardest part of me," Tris said, tossing out the dirty joke without a shred of restraint.
Unfortunately, Pheobe didn't understand it. She had already drawn her wand.
Tris didn't act immediately. Instead, he glanced at the bookstore clerk beside them.
The clerk had turned away from the street and was watching them with keen interest, showing no intention of intervening.
His expression seemed to say, Come on! Hurry up and fight!
Of the major wizarding schools, dueling was most widespread at Koldovstoretz in the far north. Beauxbatons came next, even ahead of Durmstrang, which championed dark magic.
For wizards who attended Beauxbatons, male or female, drawing their wands to duel over a disagreement was perfectly ordinary.
Whenever