Cinder found Rezu waiting outside.

It looked like the entire fortress had gathered around the circular grass field. There were about three hundred people living here. A third was infernals and the others were a mix of other races. A couple ogres even loomed over the crowd.

The ground was warm, soft and various shades of lush grass grew in concentric rings. This was impossible at this altitude and temperature, another example of the old tech.

Gwenyr stood at the other end of the field, in a matching leather outfit, with her wings in. A male infernal with dark grey skin stood beside Gwenyr. He was one of the largest infernals Cinder had ever seen. Gwenyr didn’t come up to his shoulder.

Cinder about choked when she saw Karimere walking to the middle of the circle in her Susneran form. A cloud of aerials carried the trail of a long, overly ornate, blood red dress. With Karimere here, anything could happen.

Karimere’s cheerful voice came from everywhere as she spoke. “Welcome Chosen. I am Karimere Lifeshaper. Today, we have, an honor challenge!”

Cheers erupted.

She continued. “We have two desperate females. One decided to put Life Eternal on a male who already carried a love mark.”

Hisses and jeers came for them.

She gasped, “Then the other did the same in return.”

The crowd roared and the infernals flared their wings.

“Now, they share the male, but they still want to fight like they are courting. So I say, let them fight!”

“FIGHT FOR HONOR! FIGHT FOR HONOR! FIGHT FOR HONOR!” The ground shook as all of them stomped and chanted.

Cinder sighed to herself. Karimere was milking her humiliation for all it was worth and the crowd was eating it up.

Once the noise had quieted down, Karimere’s voice came again. “We are using family rules. No biting, no clawing, and due to the nature of the contestants we are adding a rule. No arcane. Purple runes erupted from the woman’s feet covering the ground then a thin dome of purple energy enveloped the whole field. “If either of them uses arcane they will activate my ward and instantly fall apart. They will also be declared the loser.”

The runes dimmed, then vanished. They were still there, just invisible.

Karimere announced. “They will have two minutes to prepare.”

“Remember not to hit her stomach.” Rezu said.

Cinder had to consciously fight the reflex to backhand him with all the energy she could muster. “I hate you.”

“You did this.”

“You are forcing me to fight a pregnant woman.”

“You could yield.”

“I would be at her mercy. She could cast me out.” Cinder trembled.

“That would be against her word.”

“It’s possible.” Cinder said. “At best, I could hope to be a second.” Cinder shivered.

“Are you ok?” Rezu said.

“My lip is fine.”

“Are you ok fighting Gwenyr?”

“I will destroy her, like any other mortal.”

“She is not any other mortal. She is you wife.”

WIFE?! Cinder shook with anger. She took a few deep breathes then said. “I can divide up the days like Lilithana wanted. We each get two days each week. I don’t have to see her or talk to her or even know she exists.”

“What if he, or she, wants a threesome? It is a reasonable expectation.” Rezu teased.

“I…” Another thing she hadn’t considered.

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“Add Lili and you could have a four…”

“Stop it!” She hissed through her teeth.

He sighed. “Things are complicated. You cannot live like it is just you and him. You have to get along with the others.”

“Others.” She spat the word.

“You chose this.”

“I know. I’ve just had a lot to deal with lately.”

“You have had a lot to deal with? When I have the time, I would love to compare notes.”

Cinder shrugged and smiled. “I only have to tolerate them for a little while. Once we go to Geothae I will have him to myself.”

“That is the quickest way to get him to hate you.”

“Stop telling me how to live my life.”

“I am giving you advice, from experience. I am still your friend Cindy.”

“I don’t need advice. I am fighting a mortal, a slave who got a handed a soft bed. What do I have to fear?”

“You have barely recovered from your fight with Gessil. You can’t use arcane or weapons. When was the last time you really fought lik-”

“Shut up.”

“At least -“

“Silence!”

He gave her an exaggerated curtsey. “Yes Milady.”

Cinder closed her eyes, as she breathed deeply and tried to focus her mind. A buzzer sound and shattered that focus.

“Desperate women, to your marks.” Karimere announced.

Cinder walked with Rezu as the ‘FIGHT FOR HONOR!’ chants resumed. There was no honor here, just humiliation. She could not remember the last time strangers had seen her infernal face. But she had to admit, the chants got her blood pumping.

Gwenyr approached with her hulking escort. The Queen stood tall and looked confident.

Cinder walked as tall and proud as she could until she reached her mark. They were only twenty meters apart.

Karimere announced, “Do either of you yield?”

“NO!” Cinder. “Never!” Gwenyr.

“Escorts leave the field.”

They turned and walked away.

Cinder’s hands were sweating. Her limbs trembled as her stomach churned. She had a sinking feeling as she realized how difficult this battle would be. She was used to destroying her enemies. This would be more like an intense sparring match. She would have to fight her instincts and her emotions.

“Bow to your opponent.”

They did.

“Fight!”

Gwenyr came at her in a full run.

Cinder took a stance and readied for the attack.

Gwenyr’s body language was obvious as she jumped and kicked, high and left.

Cinder reacted. Her unpowered, worn out, body was incredibly sluggish but she had plenty of time to defend against a mortal.

Gwenyr pulled her knee back at the last moment and used her momentum to drive a downward punch.

Cinder managed to react in time to deflect it harmlessly in front of her. Then she was seeing stars as the edge of Gwenyr’s wing drove into her cheek. Cinder staggered back. Something caught her leg and she fell.

Gwenyr was on top of her, pinning her legs as her fists and wings pounded relentlessly.

The crowd roared as a rain of pain continued.

Cinder guarded her face as best she could as she leaned up enough to get her wings out. She wrapped them around her opponent pulling her into the cocoon of skin. She rolled, throwing Gwenyr off her to roll away.

Cinder shot to her feet. With a couple beats of her wings, she got some distance and a few moments to get her head sorted.

“Where are you going?” Gwenyr teased as she stood, panting. “Are you scared of me?”

“Nice move.” Cinder bowed her head, just a little. “It won’t work again. Yield and I will make you second.”

“I will never yield. I can fight you.”

“You got lucky.” Cinder huffed. This mortal had learned some decent moves but she was recovering from injuries as well. There were one, maybe two more attacks like that left in her. I just have to conserve my energy to win. In that moment Cinder realized that she could not bring herself to consciously attack Gwenyr. There were dozens of ways to defeat this woman but she had rejected everything but a purely defensive strategy without a thought.

Gwenyr moved towards her, slowly, with her arms in a basic defensive stance.

Cinder watched her body language closely but saw no threat. She didn’t use her mental powers. Even if they did not set of Karimere’s ward, random thoughts were often less than useless, especially in combat. Those powers were best used when there was more time to understand the person’s thoughts.

Gwenyr stopped, just a pace away, and lowered her arms. “Let’s end this and be equals.”

Cinder blinked. “Why should I? I can beat you in every way slave. Yield and I will let you be second. I swear it on my name. I will treat you fairly.” Cinder said.

“I was first. Zagreus didn’t even know what you did to him.”

“Yield mortal.” Cinder demanded.

“He saved my life. I owe him everything.”

“The only reason he is alive is because I damn near killed myself saving him, twice. Without me you would share a mark with a corpse.”

“I thank you, but I will not yield.” Gwenyr stood firm. “He has done more with me and he did it with me first. I will not be second.”

Cinder’s blood boiled. “You want to see what I did?!” Cinder held out her arm and spawned a power lance. It clattered to the ground, far too heavy for her to hold unpowered. It was bent, battered and still bloody.

The crowd fell deathly quiet.

Gwenyr seemed to deflate.

“I fought Gessil the Undying! What can you do mortal?! What can you possibly beat me in slave?!”

There was a sly grin as Gwenyr’s face. “Yes I was a… slave.” With a step and a smooth motion she had her hand around Cinder’s neck.

Cinder could have stopped her. Cinder should have stopped her, but her hesitation in hitting the woman left her vulnerable for a moment too long. The battle was lost as wet lips met hers.

The crowd went wild.

Gwenyr put a hand around her waist and pulled her close.

Cinder couldn’t move. Her body tingled.

Gwenyr broke the kiss. “I have never wanted to fight with you. I accepted you fully from the start. Let’s be equals.”

Cinder’s brain was not working. She managed to say. “But… you made an honor challenge.”

Gwenyr’s head tilted, “I thought you did.”

They both spun on Karimere then the world went spinning faster as their heads fell off.

“OH NO!” Karimere gasped as a dramatized announcement. “It looks like we have a tie. Just when it was getting good. I guess they will have to learn to share.”

Laughter surrounded them.

“Festivities are over for today. Everyone back to their duties.” Karimere announced. The crowd quickly dispersed.