Shadow Heir
Her eyes were bright, reflecting the firelight like shards of ice.
“Then let’s test what kind of decision you’ll make,” she said.
The hall shifted. Warriors moved aside to clear the space. Someone handed her a wooden practice blade, its edge wrapped in leather. Another offered one to Eolan.
“This isn’t about winning,” she said, taking her stance. “It’s about knowing which part of yourself you’ll spend first—the steel, or the shadow.”
Eolan took the weapon, weighing it in his hands. The fire roared between them.