An Understated Dominance (Dustin Rhys)

At the peak of Embercrest Hill, inside a quiet old temple, Grace stepped out of the hidden chamber just as a female guard rushed in.

“Your Highness, we’ve got a situation. A powerful intruder is breaking through the outer gates,” she reported

“Who is it?” Grace asked calmly, as if she’d expected this would happen.

“Judging from their appearance, they look like elite fighters from the Hall of Gods, or royal gods,” the female guard replied gravely.

The defensive and offensive formations around Embercrest Hill didn’t stand a chance. Both shattered on impact, as if they’d never been there. Only someone at the royal god-level could force their way in like that.

“They got here faster than I expected,” Grace muttered, eyebrows knitting with concern.

She hadn’t left the temple, but she already knew who it was. At a time like this, the only ones who’d come to Embercrest Hill were Zeus and Hera.

Grace had been keeping tabs on the situation in Oakvale.

At first, she’d figured Nathaniel’s plan to divert the threat would spark a clash between Zeus and Matthias’ forces. That way, Matthias would be too tied up to go after Dustin. But things hadn’t played out the way she’d hoped.

She suspected Matthias had slipped out clean and sidestepped a major disaster. What was supposed to be his problem had landed squarely in her lap.

“Your Highness, the Hall of Gods is still pushing through the defenses. Should we step in to stop them?” the female guard asked.

right away. Instead, she asked, “How

Hall of Gods’ fighters will reach the mountain peak within an

the barrier to buy us

Highness,” the female guard replied

steeple from her pocket. At first glance, it looked ordinary-only a

murmured an incantation and

Caught by the wind, the steeple swelled in size. Within seconds, it was taller than

continued to rise as it expanded tier by tier.

formed a hand seal and

slammed onto the peak of Embercrest Hill. A second later, it

let out a slow breath. “Let’s hope

built for defense and said to be

might hold. But if

do now was hope Dustin would finish absorbing

collapsed and the steeple failed to hold, it wouldn’t just be her problem but a disaster

some tea. There was nothing left to do now but

from the base of the hill-a reminder that the enemy was hammering at the

time. She’d called in every favor she could,