The roar of the crowd was a physical force, a wave of sound that beat against the walls of the VIP booth. On the balcony overlooking the sand-swept arena below, Mirena Veilstorm stood bathed in the glow of a dozen gas lamps, a microphone in her hand, her tall, powerful frame exuding an aura of absolute command.

  "Ladies and…" she paused, a smirk playing on her lips as she surveyed the thousands of cheering women, "...well, I guess just ladies, and those trying to be ones!"

  A wave of laughter rolled through the stands. It was an old, tired joke, a relic from the Great Calamity, but Mirena knew how to deliver it.

  "Thank you all for being here tonight!" she boomed, her voice echoing through the arena. "And a special thanks to her highness, Elodie Petalcrest, for providing us all with fresh fruit and… not-so-fresh wine!"

  Half the crowd roared with laughter, the other half with genuine appreciation for the free drinks. Mirena raised her arms, soaking in the adoration. "Let the games begin!"

  A deafening gong sounded. The gates slid open, and a hulking, muscle-bound warrior armed with a massive war hammer stomped onto the sand. From the opposite side, a much smaller woman with bright orange hair and nothing but a round shield skipped into the ring.

  "How is this a fair fight?" The voice beside Mirena was sharp with disapproval.

  Mirena turned from the balcony, a look of amusement on her handsome face. "It's not supposed to be fair, my dear. It's supposed to be fun." Her guest, a severe-looking woman named Lady Constance, did not look pleased.

  "We need to talk business."

  "Business?" Mirena protested, gesturing to the arena. "But that's one of the Torqueburn sisters down there! And the winner of this fight gets to face the legendary Blaze Reddington. You don't want to miss this."

  But Constance had already turned and walked back into the opulent interior of the booth. With a sigh, Mirena followed. Business first, then pleasure.

  Inside, the booth was a den of luxury. Velvet couches, a fully stocked bar, and private entertainment. A woman in a shimmering, seductive green outfit was dancing in the corner, forming a ball of fire with her breath. Her name was Agni. Besides Lady Constance, the other guests were a young woman called 'Princess' Oriel, and a stoic named Pilot Kai. Oriel was seated while Kai remained standing.

  Mirena poured herself a drink, playfully mocking their titles. "Lady... Princess... Pilot. My, my. You three sound desperate to be seen as one of the Noble Families."

  Agni danced closer, her movements sinuous, and blew a soft plume of warm air that caressed Mirena’s cheek. Mirena winked at her before turning back to her guests.

  "That's why we're here," Lady Constance said, her tone all business. "We need a noble family to back our ambitions. We own the market, but we wish to expand. We want to invest in the arena."

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  Mirena's eyes flickered to Kai, whose hand rested near the hilt of her blade. "Pilot, eh? You look more like their personal bodyguard. I'd say you belong down there in the sand."

  Just then, another gong sounded from outside, followed by a muffled, triumphant roar from the crowd. "See?" Mirena said, gesturing vaguely towards the balcony. "We're missing all the fun."

  "Will you take this seriously!" Princess Oriel suddenly snapped, her voice high and strained.

  Mirena smiled, a slow, predatory smile. She watched Agni inhale deeply and exhale a massive, rolling fireball that lit up the entire room, before turning her gaze on Oriel. "Is that even your real name, Princess?"

  Oriel went rigid. "What do you mean by that?"

  Mirena leaned forward, the low cut of her tunic exposing a scandalous amount of cleavage, a deliberate power move. "I mean," she purred, "you aren't by any chance related to one of the old Eastern Families, are you?"

  Oriel flushed a deep crimson. Kai took a half-step forward, her hand now firmly on her blade, but she never saw the attack coming. In a flash of green silk and coiled muscle, Agni sprang from her dance, tackling the much larger pilot and pinning her to the floor with a dagger at her throat before Kai could even draw her weapon.

  "Ladies, ladies," Mirena chided, unfazed. "No need for such theatrics. If you want to fight, take it down to the arena below."

  The atmosphere was thick with tension, but Mirena remained the picture of calm. She walked to the bar and pulled out a dusty, unlabeled bottle. "Here, let's have one of Vinalia's most expensive vintages." With a flourish, she uncorked the bottle, the rich scent of dark berries and old oak filling the air. She poured three glasses, the deep red wine catching the light like liquid rubies. She handed one to Constance and one to Oriel, keeping the third for herself. Agni remained on top of Kai, a silent, deadly statue.

  "I don't mind if you have eastern blood," Mirena said, taking a delicate sip. "The Veilstorms were originally on your side, after all." She swirled the wine in her glass, her gaze fixed on it. "Until your family betrayed us. Now you come here, to an arena built on Petalcrest goodwill, and expect me to help you." She took another sip. "This Merlot is quite exquisite, isn't it? A gift. The Petalcrests also give me tons of spoiled wine to keep the crowd happy, on the house. It makes them very popular."

  "Yes," Constance cut in, seizing the opening. "You've made them popular. We want you to do the same for us. For Princess Oriel. This arena has captured the heart of the city. You have the power to influence who it loves. Make it love her."

  Mirena scoffed. "The people will never love a sisterless."

  "That's why we want your family to adopt her," Constance countered, her eyes gleaming. "Princess Oriel Veilstorm. We have the funds to invest heavily in your family. Make it official. Then, we can make our play for the palace."

  Mirena rolled her eyes and gestured lazily at Agni, who immediately released Kai. The pilot scrambled to her feet, looking furious, while Agni seamlessly returned to her fire dance as if nothing had happened.

  "Even if you had the heart of the people," Mirena stated, "the Petalcrests wouldn't give up the palace without a fight."

  "We have an army," Princess Oriel blurted out.

  Constance shot her a look of pure venom, but the words were already out. Mirena's interest was piqued. "An army? Where?"

  Ignoring Constance’s silent fury, Oriel leaned forward, her eyes shining with a fanatical light. "Let's just say," she whispered, "zombies aren't the only thing in the wastelands the Petalcrests have to fear."