ROYAL DARKNESS (MASKED)(18+)

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO

Lyra smiled to herself, taunting, "Aren't you tired of being a failure already?" Jamari's anger grew stronger, lifting the sword to strike again, but once more, Lyra dodged, causing Jamari to accidentally dig the sword into the ground.

"I expected you to have made a run for it, but it seems you do want to die at my hands after all," Jamari pulled her sword from the ground, panting and trying to catch her breath. Corvus shifted his position from where he was perched, giving Jamari a better view, and even the bird grew uneasy.

Reagan watched the fight, trying to maintain his calm composure. This seemed to be the only way out; there was no other option.

"What, are you not going to attack me again?" Lyra questioned Jamari, who held her sword tightly as her chest heaved up and down, sweat running down her forehead.

"This isn't going to work," Jamari said, dropping her sword to the ground. Everyone gasped in shock at this sudden turn of events, while Reagan readjusted himself in his throne, wondering what she was up to.

"What are you doing?" Lyra inquired as Jamari began to remove the heavy armor she was wearing.

"I happen to have a very strange husband who insisted I get covered in this armor," Jamari explained. She paused for a moment before continuing, "He did it because he doesn't want me to get hurt, but what is a warrior without scars?" She asked as she peeled away the heavy armor one piece at a time.

"You have a husband?" Lyra asked, her eyes traveling over Jamari with a look of disgust on her face.

Jamari ignored the question and continued, "He is a rather unusual man. He doesn't want me to get hurt, yet he puts me in situations like this. I can't blame him, though; it's for the best." Reagan sighed, hearing her words, while Kira briefly stared at him before focusing back on the match.

"What nonsense are you spouting this time?" Lyra asked, clearly confused. Jamari removed every piece of armor from her body and continued, "I'm not just a fly you can easily squash. If you think this will be easy, you're mistaken. If you want a barehanded fight, then so be it, an equal match, right?"

"Facing me is already an unequal battle, you lowly Vedan," Lyra scoffed, her irritation showing. ""It infuriates me how arrogant you are, knowing full well you'll meet your end at my hands," Lyra sighed and continued, "Very well, no weapons. Let's see how far you can get."

Jamari clenched her fists and assumed a fighting stance, prepared to attack. She charged toward Lyra, hoping to land a solid blow, but Lyra once again dodged her and swiftly delivered a hard strike to Jamari's face, causing her to stumble backward.

Reagan shifted uneasily in his seat, and Kira gulped. General Cedrick, on the other hand, patiently waited for the king to give an order to end this madness, but no such command came. They all continued to watch the fight.

Jamari clutched her bleeding nose after Lyra's blow, while Lyra smiled to herself and remarked, "It would be a shame to destroy that pretty face of yours."

Jamari wiped the blood from her nose and charged at Lyra again, but once more, Lyra deftly dodged her and kicked Jamari in the leg, causing her to lose balance and fall flat on the ground. Lyra smiled and teased, "At least make this a bit challenging for me."

Jamari stood on her feet and ran towards her, ready to land another blow on Lyra, who expertly dodged it by bending slightly and retaliated with a powerful punch to Jamari's stomach, sending her sprawling to the ground while clutching her abdomen.