The aftermath of the unification and coronation had left the Empire of Morrian buzzing with excitement. The two days following the ceremony had been a whirlwind of diplomatic meetings, strategy sessions, and endless congratulations. Emory and Kane had barely had a moment to themselves, their new roles demanding their full attention. But today, everything would come to a head.

Emory woke up to a booming noise that vibrated through the entire tower. She bolted upright, her heart pounding. Kane was already on his feet, his eyes narrowed as he looked towards the window.

“Did you feel that?” she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“Hard to miss,” he replied. “It seems Aworyn is eager to start the day.”

Emory threw on a robe and joined Kane at the window. The sky was a deep, eerie blue, and the moon—a full Hunter’s Moon—hung ominously overhead. It was a sight that sent shivers down her spine.

“Aworyn’s subtlety is about as delicate as a dragon’s roar,” she muttered.

Kane chuckled “Let’s get you ready for this.”

They dressed quickly, Kane in a ceremonial armour and Emory in her battle suit. He’d spent the entire night last night training with her, pushing her to her limits. She could barely keep up with him, and it was clear that her mate was an incredible warrior. It would take her a while to reach his level, but she would. As they left their lair, the tower was already buzzing with activity.

After their initial reverence, their guards and wait staff followed quietly. Emory could see the worry on their faces, and she understood their fears.

Like Dairdat had explained two nights ago to her and the rulers of the other three provinces, if they lost this duel, Aworyn’s first act as supreme divine would be to bring war to the empire.

They made their way to one of the deliberation rooms, where Dairdat, Trey, and the other rulers were waiting.

“What’s the plan?” Trey asked, his eyes scanning the room. He had been incredibly upset with her when he found out about the duel. Somehow, she understood things better now, with a clarity and wisdom that terrified her. If she could have a do-over, she would not have agreed to a duel.

“We proceed as planned,” Kane replied, giving her hand a squeeze. “Aworyn isn’t one to play fair, but remember all I taught you and if all else fails, summon the power of the glyphs.”

“I guarantee that she will demand something before the duel begins. I want you to weigh the repercussions of her asks as long as you need to before you respond. The rules of the duel forbid us or anyone else from interfering,” Dairdat explained.

Trey stepped forward to her and those green eyes hardened on her. “You can win this, you hear me?” He placed his hands on her shoulders, his grip firm but comforting.

She chuckled softly. “I hear you.”

Kane’s arm slipped around her waist, pulling her into a hug. “No matter what happens, I am with you.”

She leaned into him. “I know.”

And she hoped it didn’t get to the point where he’d step in to save her because it would mean forfeit on her end. She needed to make sure it didn’t come to that. She noticed movement from Rahl and they both faced him as he approached with a big black box.

“A late wedding gift,” he said, handing it to her. “I figured it might come in handy.”

Emory smiled as she took it, her eyes lingering on him for a moment as she mouthed, “Thank you.”

She set it on the long table and gently unwrapped it to reveal a pair of exquisitely crafted blades. The sight reminded her of the silver daggers her brother had given her before she entered the Davelriden Forest. For the life of her, she had no idea where it had gone. But these blades were stunning, and she looked back at Rahl with a question in her eyes.

“They were given to the Wulric family by Aworyn. Blessed with her Luna powers, I figured they are just the weapons you need in this fight,” Rahl explained.

Her eyes widened. “But it belongs to your family; I cannot have this.”

“Eilir, it will come in handy, especially if fused with your fire,” Kane said, coming to her side. But that was not what she meant, and she sensed only Rahl knew it.

“It belongs to whoever I give it to, and I choose you,” Rahl answered. “Wield them as well as I know you can.”

She turned her attention back to the blades. Each one was a masterpiece, beaded with exquisite runes that glowed faintly at the edges. The hilts were wrapped in dark leather, providing a firm but comfortable grip. The blades themselves twinkled with a silvery-blue hue, proof of their divine enchantment. They felt both ancient and powerful, as if they had witnessed countless battles and returned victorious every time.

Emory picked up one of the blades, feeling its weight and balance. It was perfect, as if it had been made just for her. She could almost sense the energy within it, a potent fusion of Luna blessing and something else—something wild and untamed.

“Thank you, Rahl,” she said softly. She knew the significance of this gift, and it meant more to her than she could express.

Rahl nodded. “Use them well, Emory.”

She strapped the blades to the sheaths on her back as the others watched. She wasn’t afraid to fight Aworyn; in fact, she looked forward to fighting at full strength as a well-trained hunter and the dragon queen. Kane had mentioned fusing these blades with her fire. Her plan was to start in her human form, wielding her blades and fire, and if that didn’t work, she would shift to her hunter form, where her fire burned even hotter.

With a final nod to them, they made their way to the courtyard, where the duel would take place in an arena in the sky. The blue glow of the Hunter’s Moon cast an otherworldly light over the entire empire. It was a fitting backdrop for the showdown that was about to happen.

Aworyn was already up there. “Finally decided to show up?” she sneered, and her voice echoed down into the courtyard, dripping with contempt.

A doorway opened in front of Emory. She took one last look over her shoulder at everyone before stepping in. The arena felt like another world, suspended in the sky, with shimmering walls that gave the impression of an immense aquarium.

Emory stepped forward to Aworyn. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“I demand that the stakes be raised,” Aworyn announced. “If I win, I not only take the throne but also claim the lives of both you and your mate.”

Emory’s eyes narrowed. From this height, the people below looked like tiny black dots, barely discernible. “And if I win?” she wondered.

“Then I will relinquish my claim to the throne and acknowledge you or whomever you choose as the rightful ruler of the timeless yonder,” Aworyn replied arrogantly, as if victory was already hers.

Emory took a deep breath, weighing the repercussions of Aworyn’s demand. There was a possibility that Aworyn might have the upper hand, considering she had created her. Her eyes roamed over the goddess, who hadn’t even bothered to change out of her celestial gown into a fighting suit. Was she out of her depth here?

“You are no longer hers to control, and she will find out in the most gruesome way,” the golden dragon’s voice echoed in her mind, and Emory’s eyes widened. “Once you passed your trial and ascended as queen of the fold, your link to the gods severed. Accept her terms and give her yours.”

Give her mine? I have no demands.

“When you win, she and the Timeless Yonder will be expelled from this realm, with no power over any of its people.” the golden dragon told her.

“I agree to your demand,” Emory said. “But I don’t need you making mine for me. When I win, you and the timeless yonder will be expelled from this real, with no power over any of its people.”

A murmur of surprise and apprehension rippled through the gods and goddesses observing the duel from afar. Aworyn fell silent for a moment, eyes calculating as she stared Emory down.

Then her lips curled into a sly smile. “I accept. Let us begin.”

Emory drew her blades. The blades hummed with a latent energy, ready to be unleashed. She saw the reflection of the divine golden dragon on the steel, eyes hard and scary as he nodded to her, and suddenly she didn’t feel quite alone any more.

Aworyn’s form shifted slightly, her celestial gown rippling as she raised her hands. Light began to gather around her, forming shapes that danced across her skin. Emory took a deep breath, centring herself and focusing on the fire within her. She let it build, feeling the heat spread through her veins.

They circled each other. Emory’s heart pounded in her chest, but she kept her eyes locked on Aworyn. The goddess made the first move, launching a beam of radiant light toward Emory. She dodged nimbly, rolling to the side and coming up in a crouch.

With a flick of her wrists, Emory ignited the blades with her emerald fire. The green flames licked along the steel and she lunged at Aworyn, the blades slashing through the air with deadly precision.

Aworyn countered with a shield of light, blocking Emory’s attack and sending a wave of force back at her. Emory staggered but quickly regained her footing. She felt the fire flowing through her glyphs, driving her forward.

She attacked again, this time with a combination of swift strikes and bursts of fire. Aworyn parried and dodged. The two moved in sync, their powers clashing and intertwining with no opening to strike.

Emory could feel the strain of the fight, but she pushed through, drawing on every ounce of her training and strength. She let out a fierce cry, channelling her fire into a powerful blast aimed directly at Aworyn’s chest. The flames roared toward the goddess, engulfing her in a searing inferno.

For a moment, everything was silent. Then, through the flames, she saw Aworyn’s form, glowing with Luna light. The goddess stepped forward, her eyes blazing with fury. Emory snarled. That bitch wouldn’t go down easy.

“I see Rahl gifted you my blades,” Aworyn taunted. “Trust me, they will not be enough.”

“We’ll see,” Emory sneered as she lowered into a stance with the blades behind her.

In a blink, she launched herself, her flames engulfing her as she pursued Aworyn. The goddess moved with blinding speed, but Emory matched her, their forms a blur of motion. Finally, Aworyn conjured a large Luna blade, and their swords clashed, sending a wave of blue and green fire through the arena.

Emory’s blades held hers in a criss-cross, brows furrowed as they glared at each other. For a moment, the goddess gained the upper hand, pushing her blade with such inconceivable strength and forcing Emory down on a knee.

“I will snap you like a twig,” Aworyn snarled.

“You just had to open your big mouth!” she growled. Her entire body caught on fire and she thrust the goddess down with sheer power. Aworyn slammed into the floor with a groan, blood the colour of water slipping from her lips. As her blades went in for the kill, the goddess still managed to kick her off. Emory tumbled across the arena and slowly regained her bearing, wiping the blood from her lips.

“You know,” Aworyn rose to her feet, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “I’ve got to say your human form isn’t as measly as I expected. But it’s time to end this.”

Standing with a groan, she returned her blades to the sheath on her back. “I couldn’t agree more.”

With a roar, she summoned the full power of her dragon fire, her body morphing in a blaze of light. Golden scales replaced her skin, her form expanding into a magnificent dragon. Her scales shimmered with emerald flames, burning brighter than ever.

Aworyn’s eyes widened, but she quickly recovered as she took a step back. Her Luna light intensifying as she prepared her final attack. The air crackled with the colour of both their energies as they prepared for the ultimate showdown.

“You cheat! Is this how you defeated Raius? Answer me!” Aworyn growled, summoning an enormous Luna orb between her palms.

In her dragon form, Emory saw how Aworyn’s orb drew its power from the hunter’s moon, weaving and undulating like a fluttering wind.

“Cheat? Did you forget you challenged the queen of the dragons?” Emory roared. “I carry the judgment of the divine dragons and this is your verdict!”

Emory lunged, her claws slashing through the air. Aworyn met her with a blast of Luna light, the two powers colliding in a blinding explosion. The shock wave rocked the arena, but it barely dented Emory.

She wasted no time, gave Aworyn none to recover as she lunged yet again with a speed usual for dragons. Aworyn tried to defend herself, but her relentless assault left her no room to breathe. With a final, powerful roar, Emory unleashed a vortex of green flames from her mouth. Aworyn summoned an enormous Luna orb, but it was no match for her dragon fire. The orb shattered, and Aworyn’s scream echoed through the arena as the flames consumed her.

Her emerald flames wrapped around Aworyn, suffocating the goddess’s power, consuming her entirely. The Luna light in Aworyn’s eyes dimmed, replaced by sheer panic and disbelief.

“Did you think I’d be easy?” Emory snarled. “I quite like the taste of your blood on my fangs.”

Aworyn’s form flickered, her celestial gown tattered and burning. She tried to muster another attack, but her energy was waning.

But Emory made no attempt to use her fire this time. She opened her mouth and her large fangs snapped close around the goddess” waist, snapping her in half, then she snorted her flames and the goddess’s form disintegrated into ashes, scattered by the force of Emory’s power. The hunter’s moon now cleared from the sky and a blinding sun rose in its place.

The arena fell silent, the only sound being the crackling of dying flames. Emory shifted back to her human form, her body covered in sweat and soot, but her eyes still glowing with the aftermath of her transformation. She panted as she looked down at the remnants of Aworyn.