The pza trembled as Julianna unched forward, her silver bde raised like a streak of moonlight. Dominic met her head-on with a roar, both axes coming down in a brutal arc.

  Their csh rang like a bell, Julianna’s white light against Dominic’s raw, violet lightning. Sparks scattered into the air, the sheer pressure of their mana sending shockwaves through the rubble. Wind tore through the pza as they moved blindingly fast. Julianna spun midair, wings fshing once as she twisted past Dominic’s swing and raked her sword across his side.

  Steel bit into his flesh, but before she could press the opening, Dominic’s elbow smashed into her jaw, sending her reeling back. He came in low, axes sweeping, catching her shin and dragging her back across the stones. Julianna grunted, caught her bance in a crouch, and shot back up with a vertical ssh,

  Dominic blocked one bde, but the light burst around it, smming into his chest and sending him skidding across the pza. "Damn," he panted, wiping blood from his mouth, “Still got that bite, Queenie. You fight like you’re twenty years younger.” His eyes ran down her figure as she leveled her sword again. “And look it, too. Tell me—does your husband let you out often, or you just this pent-up naturally?”

  From the sidelines, Orsi flinched. Sylvia snarled. Evelyn calmly muttered, “Disgusting.”

  Julianna paid no mind. She surged forward again, wings fring behind her. Their bdes met midair, her sword against his axes in a flurry of strikes, feints, and parries. Dominic ducked low, pivoted, and brought an axe up toward her ribs, only for Julianna to vanish in a blink of light, reappearing behind him with a downward strike that shattered his shoulder and tore through muscle. He whirled, wild-eyed, but she was already in motion again.

  Dominic charged her swinging wildly now, but Julianna stayed calm, each movement elegant. She sidestepped, ducked, and countered with glowing sshes that carved through the air like ribbons.

  Dominic scored a shallow cut on her thigh. Julianna answered with a sword to the ribs. He hooked her leg. She rammed her forehead into his nose. They broke apart for a moment, breathing hard, their sweat mixing with blood. From behind the broken wall, Orsi watched with wide eyes—heart racing, yet awe flickering in his chest. His wife was holding nothing back. And neither was Dominic.

  Sylvia’s fists were clenched tight, ready to jump in at any second. “Mama’s not even serious yet,” she muttered, proud and eager.

  Evelyn nodded. “She’s reading him.”

  Back in the pza, Dominic bared his teeth, wiping blood from his lip again. “You’re still the most dangerous woman I’ve ever met,” he growled. “Makes me want you more.”

  Julianna didn’t answer, but her aura burned brighter.

  Dominic came in for the kill, roaring like a beast unchained. His axes spun with savage rhythm, left, right, and overhead blows that lit the air with violent arcs. Julianna ducked and blocked, her sword fshing like starlight against a storm. He decided to hit her with a feint, but Julianna didn’t fall for it.

  Instead, she stepped into the strike.

  Her wings fred wide, and her body twisted just enough to avoid the edge. His axe grazed her armor with a screech of steel, but then her elbow smmed into his temple. He was staggered, but it was all she needed. “Got you.” She muttered as she dropped low, swept his leg, and toppled him backwards. Before he could hit the ground, she shot up behind him with wings of light, spun her bde in a rising arc and drove the ft of it into the back of his neck.

  The impact cracked the stone beneath him. Dominic crashed down face-first, his axes skidding away. He groaned with one hand twitching, only for glowing chains of white light to snap around his arms and legs, locking him in pce with sizzling clicks. Julianna hovered above him, sword pointed down at his back, eyes sharp and unflinching.

  “I said,” she muttered, “Stay down.”

  Orsi rushed in and slid to his knees beside Dominic’s restrained form, pulling out a pair of mana-infused cuffs from his belt, designed to suppress magical output completely. “Hold still,” Orsi muttered, more to himself than Dominic. He clicked the cuffs onto Dominic’s wrists and the aura around the rogue adventurer dimmed instantly.

  Dominic gave a low, rasping ugh as his face hit the dirt. “Still weak,” he mumbled. “But a clever little healer, as always…” He then lost consciousness, his body falling limp.

  Guards in silver ptes burst onto the scene, weapons raised, but froze as they saw the scene. Several had clearly been watching from cover the entire time. One of them exhaled sharply and stepped forward. “Queen Julianna. Sir Orsi. We’ll take it from here.”

  Julianna stood tall, wings folding behind her, bloodied but victorious. “Make sure he doesn’t get loose again,” she said curtly.

  “Y-Yes Ma’am!” The guards swarmed around Dominic, hoisting him up as his head flopped around.

  Sylvia jogged over, sword now sheathed. “That…was amazing Mama!”

  Evelyn followed, hands csped around her closed grimoire. “He’s lucky you didn’t kill him.”

  “I’m gd you’re okay.” Orsi gave a tired smile, pcing a hand on Julianna’s arm as he watched the guards drag Dominic away. “Remind me never to spar with you again.”

  Julianna just smirked, brushing a lock of hair from her cheek. “Good. You bruise too easily anyways, Darling~.” Orsi couldn’t help but ugh, as he started healing his wife back to full health.