The sound of boots against polished stone echoed as Jesse stepped back into the heart of the Lorian envoy—head held high, shoulders squared, every motion composed. The duel hadn't ended with blood, nor with victory. But in the court's eyes?
She had won something far greater.
Recognition.
A wave of nods, murmurs, glances—some surprised, others quietly respectful—rippled through her peers as she returned. Whispers stirred among the younger soldiers in their crisp uniforms, their eyes wide with something close to awe.
"Did you see her footwork?"
"She held her ground against him."
"No hesitation. Not even for a second…"
Jesse said nothing. She kept walking, the burn still low in her lungs, the sting of his gaze still clinging to her skin like an aftershock. But there was no shaking in her steps. No falter.
Only when she came to stand near Adrian did the voices fall to respectful silence.
He didn't smile wide. That wasn't Adrian.
