There was a wildness in Maeve’s eyes her father was likely unfamiliar with. Admittedly, Maeve was unfamiliar with it too. She felt Mal suppressing a smirk next to her.
Ambrose looked at his youngest daughter questioningly, but she gave him a small nod. Ambrose was, undoubtedly, confused by her eagerness to duel Arianna, given Maeve’s record of defeats.
“We’re in the middle of dinner-” started Clarissa, but Arianna smiled sweetly at her mother and cut her off.
“No worries, Mummy,” said Arianna, turning to Maeve with a scowl. “This won’t take long.”
Maeve didn’t give her sister the satisfaction of a response.
Clarissa tossed her fabric napkin on the table with a grand flourish and a look of disgust on her face. She refused to look at her husband as he stood up next to her.
“Gentlemen,” said Ambrose. “If you would accompany us down the hall, it appears my daughters are eager to prove themselves in front of such impressive company.”
Maeve followed Arianna out of the Dining Hall.
The Dueling Hall at Sinclair Estates was empty except for a settee and a small gold bar. Clarissa and the rest of the wives placed themselves around the settee while the men helped themselves to more dragon brandy.
Three floor-to-ceiling windows lined the far wall and opened up to the balcony over the gardens. They were covered in white sheer drapes that were as still as Maeve in this moment. She was calm and collected, her arms folded across her chest.
Maeve found Mal’s eyes and took his ring in her hand. She inhaled sharply as she felt his energy pulsating at her chest.
Only the two of them knew what was coming.
Maeve could feel his pride for her somehow. It resonated into her fingertips. She stood like the champion she was, eager and ready to claim her prize. And they both knew that she would. The only question was how far she would go in her victory.
Maeve had played this scenario over in her head many times in the past few days.
“Are you ready, little sister?” Taunted Ariana.
Maeve took two steps forward, bowed at her sister without a word, and waited for Arianna to do the same.
Once both of the girls finished their formalities, Arianna raised her arm and sent Maeve a stunning spell with three pointed fingers. The spell was strong, as Maeve expected. But Maeve was stronger.
Maeve blocked the spell with the faintest flick of her wrist. Magic blasted back towards Arianna. Arianna’s Magic was weak compared to Mal’s. Maeve had been training with a Supreme with Dread Magic in his veins. Her sister’s strongest spell might as well have been a light breeze of wind, especially with Mal’s Dread Ring around her neck.
To the human eye, it would have seemed Maeve hadn’t moved at all when she blocked Arianna’s spell. A small strand of hair had escaped its place in Maeve’s barrette in the pulsation of the spell. She tucked the hair into its proper place and gave her older sister the most wicked look. Arianna’s face fell flat.
The room was frozen, all eyes eagerly watching Maeve.
“My God,” whispered Ambrose as Maeve reared back, two fingers extending from her hand. She exerted a full-force blow on Arianna that shook the windows and sent the curtains whipping violently.
The new, cool Magic that spiraled through her whole body felt as though Mal was next to her, feeding her Magic. It was exhilarating and refreshing and-
Maeve moved so quickly and with so much force, that the whole room was uncertain of what happened. She held nothing back.
Arianna lost control and was unable to block the blast. She was down on all fours, trying to breathe. Maeve need only signify that her next strike would be fatal, effectively winning their duel with one spell.
But she wasn’t satisfied.
“Get up,” ordered Maeve.
This was the moment she had dreamed about for years.
She had pictured it every time her knees hit the hard floor when Mal had struck her with all his strength.
He had made her stronger with each blow. With every bruise. Every mark. And now, with a part of him around her neck, she was going to beat her sister as hard as she beat Maeve in the past.
Maeve looked to Mal, who was looking at Ambrose. They were both curious if he would allow his daughters to continue.
