CHAPTER 123: THE STARTING LINE AND THE FINISH LINE

Aegis inhaled slowly.

She lifted a cheap rapier she’d bought in Rosevale, testing its weight. A few feet away, Rosanna watched with that half-smile that usually meant she was about to make Aegis’s life difficult.

"Not bad," Rosanna said, circling slowly. "Your stance is almost correct."

"Almost?"

"Your back foot needs to be another inch to the right."

Aegis adjusted.

"Better. Now—how will you open?"

Aegis wasn’t sure. The ghost queen looked relaxed, hands clasped behind her back, but Aegis knew better. She’d seen Rosanna move when she wanted to.

[Fuck it. When in doubt, go hard.]

She charged.

Rosanna sidestepped at the last second. Aegis’s blade whistled through empty air.

"Predictable."

Aegis spun, slashing horizontally. Rosanna leaned back just enough that the tip missed her by a hair.

"Better, but you’re telegraphing."

"G-Got it." Aegis launched an Aether Whip at Rosanna’s legs while thrusting high with the rapier.

Rosanna hopped over the whip and tilted her head away from the blade in one fluid motion.

"You’re thinking too much," she said.

Aegis tried Aether Step, blinking behind Rosanna. Her blade was already moving when she materialized.

Rosanna wasn’t there anymore.

"Behind you."

Aegis whirled. Rosanna stood five feet away, examining her nails.

"How?"

"Experience." Rosanna’s robe slipped off one shoulder. She didn’t fix it. She’d made a habit of not fixing her wardrobe malfunctions. "Again."

They went six more rounds. Aegis mixed magic and swordwork, tried feints, attempted to predict Rosanna’s movements. Nothing worked. The queen dodged everything with minimal effort, occasionally offering corrections mid-fight.

"Drop your shoulder less when you thrust."

"Your footwork is still sloppy."

"That combination would work if you committed to it."

Finally, gasping for breath, Aegis lowered her sword. Sweat soaked through her shirt, making it stick to her tits uncomfortably.

"I can’t touch you."

"Even if I wasn’t a ghost, you wouldn’t." Rosanna moved closer. "But that wasn’t the point."

"What was?"

Rosanna’s finger pressed against Aegis’s forehead.

"You started predicting my patterns by round four. By round six, you nearly had me."

"Nearly?"

"Nearly." Rosanna smiled. "You pass."

"I didn’t hit you once."

"Reading your opponent matters more than landing hits. You can’t defeat what you don’t understand." Her robe slipped further. "Though your concentration needs work. You kept staring at my chest."

"Y-Your tit’s literally out."

"Is it?" Rosanna glanced down. "How careless."

She still didn’t fix it.

[Okay, you... exhibitionist!]

... Not that Aegis minded too much.

---

The next morning, Aegis sat on her bed counting coins while Talia watched from beside her. Not next to her—practically on top of her, thigh pressed against Aegis’s, occasionally reaching over to straighten a stack.

The cute part was, it seemed like Talia hadn’t even noticed the closeness.

"Three thousand, two hundred gold." Aegis set down the last coin. "Not bad for two weeks."

"You need quite a lot more for minor nobility." Talia picked up a gold piece, running her thumb over the royal seal. "That’s just the entry fee. Then there’s land, a house, servants—"

"One step at a time, princess."

"Don’t call me that."

"Why? It what you are."

"Unfortunately."

"And it always gets you wet."

Talia’s face went red.

"It does not."

"Want me to check?"

"Absolutely not—"

Aegis’s hand was already sliding up Talia’s thigh. Talia grabbed her wrist but didn’t push it away.

"You sex-crazed fool. We’re supposed to be scheming."

"We are." Aegis’s fingers found the edge of Talia’s panties. She didn’t pull them off. Rather, she just teased that she could. "I was just wondering if you wanted to take a break."

The door opened. Lune walked in carrying her art supplies, took one look at them, and sighed.

"Have you two even had breakfast yet?"

Talia jerked away so fast she knocked over a stack of coins. They scattered across the floor.

"We weren’t doing anyth—I was just—financial planning!"

"Yes, yes." Lune set up her easel. "Don’t let me stop you."

"I’m leaving." Talia stood, smoothing her skirt. Her face was still red. "Aegis, focus on the tournament. You need to win if this plan has any chance."

"Have some faith in your future wife."

"You’re not my—" Talia stopped. Took a breath. "Win first. Then we’ll talk."

She left, slamming the door.

Lune started mixing paints.

"You know she’s going to marry Darius if you lose, right?"

"I’m not going to lose."

"The confidence is respectable, but you’re going to be fighting people who’ve trained since birth. Your magical ability is rapidly improving, but are you sure you’ll be able to go all the way?"

Aegis scooped coins back into her pouch.

"Well, I have other advantages."

"Hopefully you understand your penis doesn’t count as a combat advantage."

"It does when I’m fighting sexually frustrated teenagers."

Lune paused mid-brushstroke.

"That’s... actually not a terrible strategy."

"Right?" Aegis stood, tying the pouch to her belt. "Speaking of which, I should go practice. Scarlett wanted to spar."

"She’s outside with that grey-haired girl."

"Kanna?"

Aegis grinned. This she had to see.

She found them by the training grounds. Scarlett had one hand on the wall beside Kanna’s head, trying to look casual while flexing everything she could flex. Her biceps strained against her shirt sleeves.

"So then the, uh, Crystalback Bear charged," Scarlett was saying, "and I grabbed it by the tusks—bare-handed—and threw it into the ravine."

"Wow." Kanna’s voice was completely flat. Aegis wondered if she was imagining it, but there was the faintest hint of a smile on Kanna’s face.

"Nearly died. Blood everywhere. But I couldn’t let it hurt the village, you know?"

"That’s fascinating."

"I, uh, could show you sometime. My technique, I mean. For throwing large animals."

"Okay."

"Really?" Scarlett’s voice cracked.

"Sure." Kanna shrugged.

Scarlett’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. No words came out.

"Well... That’s... I..."

Aegis walked over and patted her shoulder.

"Breathe, buddy."

"I’m breathing!"

"No, you’re not. You’re just opening and closing your mouth like a fish."

Scarlett sucked in air with a gasp.

"Fuck. I mean—shit. I mean—"

"Are you alright?" Kanna tilted her head slightly. "Your face is very red."

"Perfect! Great! Never better!" Scarlett’s voice went up an octave. "I should go. Training. Very important training. Bye!"

She practically ran away.

Kanna watched her go. Then, those seemingly cold eyes fell on Aegis.

"Is she always like that?"

[Gotta wingwoman here, eh?]

"Only around women she likes."

"Oh." Kanna considered this. Again, that barely-there smile. "That’s sweet."

She walked away, leaving Aegis trying to figure out if Kanna was the most oblivious person alive or just fucking with everyone.

[Probably both.]

From here, Aegis went to her first class of the day.

Nazraya’s office was on the third floor of the academic building, tucked away where students rarely ventured. Aegis knocked once and pushed the door open.

Then immediately regretted it.

Nazraya had Sister Mirabel pressed against the desk, one hand definitely up the priestess’s robes, tongue definitely in her mouth. Mirabel’s legs were wrapped around Nazraya’s waist, her fingers tangled in black hair, making these desperate little sounds that—

[Oh fuck. Oh no.]

Aegis started backing up.

The door creaked.

Mirabel’s eyes snapped open. She looked directly at Aegis over Nazraya’s shoulder.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then Mirabel shoved Nazraya away with both hands, face going from red to purple.

"UNHAND ME, YOU DEVIANT!"

"Deviant?" Nazraya wiped her mouth, lipstick smeared across her cheek. "You’re the one who grabbed my dick through my skirt."

"LIES! SLANDER!"

"Your hand is literally still on it."

Mirabel looked down. Her hand was indeed still pressed against the obvious bulge in Nazraya’s skirt. She yanked it back like she’d been burned.

"This is—I was—spiritual counseling!"

"Is that what we’re calling it?"

Mirabel made a sound like a teakettle and vanished. Not walked out—literally vanished in a flash of divine light, leaving only the smell of incense and sexual frustration.

Nazraya fixed her robes, tucking herself back into place.

"Well. That’s inconvenient."

"Should I come back later?"

"Don’t be ridiculous. Sit." Nazraya gestured to the chair across from her desk. "Though perhaps not on the desk. It’s... damp."

Aegis sat in the chair, trying not to think about why the desk was wet.

"So." Nazraya settled behind her desk, crossing her legs. "How’s the twin situation?"

"Ugh." Aegis slumped in her chair. "Mei’Lin didn’t try to kill me yesterday, so that’s progress."

"Indeed."

"But they’re still so defensive. Like, Kai’Lin hisses at me in the halls. Literally hisses."

"Have you considered why?"

"Because I stopped them from completing their assassination contract?"

"No." Nazraya leaned back, steepling her fingers. "You have to remember, dear: they’re nineteen-year-old mercenaries surrounded by attractive people they can’t touch without risking expulsion. They’re isolated, frustrated, and clearly very attached to each other."

"Okay?"

"Sexual frustration makes people vulnerable, pet. Especially when they’re already emotionally compromised."

Aegis’s brain caught up.

"Professor, are you suggesting I seduce them?" Aegis grinned.

"One of them. The other will follow. Twins are predictable that way."

"That’s manipulative."

"It’s prac-ti-cal~" Nazraya said in a sing-song voice and damn if it wasn’t cute as hell. Which was crazy, since "cute" wasn’t a word she’d normally associate with this sex demon of a woman.

She stood, walking around the desk.

"Besides, you’ve already noticed how they look at each other, haven’t you? The lingering touches? The fact that you caught them making out?"

"That’s different from—"

"Is it?" Nazraya’s hand landed on Aegis’s head, fingers running through silver hair. "They want connection. Give it to them."

"By fucking them?"

"By understanding them. The fucking is just a bonus." Her grip tightened. "Now, since you’re here and I’m already worked up from Mirabel..."

She pulled Aegis’s face toward her crotch. The bulge was obvious through the fabric.

"Seriously? You just had your tongue in—"

"And now you’ll have yours in mine. Open."

Aegis rolled her eyes light-heartedly.

"it always ends this way with you."

"What good is a pet if I can’t play with you when I want?"

[Fair enough, I guess.]