Avery stood firm in the center of the dueling ground, her boots planted in the dirt as the knights formed a loose circle around her, their murmurs a low hum of anticipation.
Julie, Aisha, and Skadi lingered at the sidelines, their eyes fixed on her—Julie with a measured calm, Aisha with a skeptical frown, and Skadi clutching her notes like a talisman, her silver eyes darting with curiosity.
The air buzzed with tension, the weight of the bet pressing down on Avery's shoulders like a physical burden. She bit her lip, her grip tightening on her sword as she steadied her breathing.
'Don't take chances.' She told herself, her mind racing. 'This is the Young Master we're dealing with—he's not some fool to underestimate. Finish it fast, clean—don't let it drag.'
The thought of stripping bare before them all, her dignity shredded under Cassius's smirking gaze, fueled her resolve. She wasn't about to let a junior—any junior, turn this into a humiliation.
