Try as she might, Kagome couldn't stop the anticipation from building as she strode toward the glade. She could walk the path blindfolded, having trained with her mother for hours on end when she'd first shown signs of her own power, but she wasn't sure if the prince would keep his word and needed to stay on alert.

Her fingers brushed the foliage as she breathed in the fresh air. Something about this place felt otherworldly, and it wasn't just because the trees filtered out the smog from the village.

If the flow of customers had been regular enough, or if she managed to regain her mother's workload, she would set up shop here. Away from the sneers and condescending marriage proposals from the villagers wanting to put her in her place.

Her jaw clenched as she remembered the most recent one. Kouga was the newly appointed prince of the Eastern wolf clan and had been a friend for years, but he'd gotten it in his head that his childhood promise to her parents about keeping her safe meant mating her. She'd laughed it off the first few times since her parents' death, but his proclamation in front of his tribe had gone too far, and she'd had to put him in his place.

Apparently, that had just cemented her role of 'sister' in the eyes of his generals, but she'd made it clear to Kouga that she saw him as nothing more than a friend. He'd been sore about it, though that might've been from the reiki burns and singed fur, but he'd told her his oath would remain regardless.

It had been over a month since she'd seen him, so Kagome knew his feelings had gone beyond friendship, but he'd come around eventually. Wolves were loyal like that.

Wolf youkai were one of the few that mates for life, so there hadn't been any doubt in her mind that if she had accepted his suit, she would've been happy in that aspect. Kouga had spoken up against the soldiers when they sneered at her offer about making their weapons, but it was one voice to their many and had eventually been drowned out.

But loyalty wasn't the only thing she wanted in a partner—that being the key word. As his mate, she would've been respected, but he treated her like a princess, which was not what she wanted. She didn't want to be left behind while he hunted for the pack or be smothered in jewels and compliments without earning them outright.

She was just as good a hunter as him and a much better fighter, so the idea of being cooped up in his caves while he ran things made her claustrophobic.

Kagome sighed. She knew it was wishful thinking—what male in their right mind would allow their mate to outshine them?—but her mother had found that kind of match in her father, so it wasn't entirely out of the realm of possibilities, right?

The air around her shifted, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from smirking. So, the prince thought to start his test early by shielding his aura? She almost rolled her eyes. He'd been following her for a while, but since he was alone, she assumed he was just making sure she was staying true to her word.

She'd heard stories about him, mainly from the mouths of swooning women of the court, but he was well respected by the soldiers and had never caused bloodshed without reason.

She stifled a snort. If that was the case, they should've chosen a better name than 'the Killing Perfection".

She stepped into the clearing, keeping her strides even and her reiki suppressed. If he wanted to play games, he would quickly discover she took her victories very seriously. It was why she'd dressed in full armour. She could beat him just as easily in the simple tunic and slacks from earlier, but the test gave her an excuse to flex her muscles.

Without bothering with a greeting, Kagome flared her power, sending a glowing projectile into the trees. She'd intentionally missed him, using it as a warning, and smirked when he emerged. "Normally, such an action would be considered treason."

She put her hands on her hips. "It's your fault for skulking around the entire time I've been out here," she countered.

Amber eyes widened in surprise. "You were aware of my presence?"

"You weren't exactly being subtle about it." He quickly schooled his features, but she raised her chin. "I don't make weapons for dishonourable people, so sneaking up on me isn't a great start."

Youki sparked, and she smirked. At least he wasn't completely unfeeling. She half expected him to walk away in a huff, but he finally rolled his shoulders and got into a defensive stance. "I take it you will not complain of any injuries incurred by this altercation?"

Kagome almost laughed. "Let's see if you land a hit first." She stood there, nonchalant, hands still on her hips as she watched him. She could feel his youki searching, probing, and she eyed the sword strapped to his hip. They'd each brought one, but she wouldn't draw hers until necessary.

He'd also changed since she'd last seen him, now sporting a complete set of armour. Spikes lined his chest and shoulders, attempting to draw her eyes away from the expensive sash and blindingly white pants. She'd have chastised him for wearing the colour to a fight if she weren't so busy tracking his movements. He better not complain about grass stains later.

She was tempted to taunt him, but she wasn't sure how much of a sense of humour he had, and even if he had one, he could've used it all up in their previous conversation. His stance told her he was a skilled warrior—he likely trained with the soldiers—but it took more than a few flashy moves to control one of her weapons, and she'd meant it when she'd told him he would need to pass the test before she'd make him one.

"This won't be over quickly," she warned.

The edges of his mouth quirked. "I would hope not." She barely had the chance to raise an eyebrow before the first attack came, youki trying to lock her feet to the ground as the tip of his blade shot past her ear.

Kagome spun away before he even got close, pulling her own weapon free of its scabbard and hitting him in the back with the hilt. She was rewarded with a soft grunt before he tried to repeat the move. His sword clanged against hers as she protected her spine, shifting her weight as she kneed him in the side.

The prince stood his ground, claws reaching for her, but she only smirked, reiki crackling along her blade and forcing him back. He tried to recapture his balance and land another strike simultaneously, but she spun low, wrapping her skirt around his feet and sending him flying.

Quick reflexes stopped him from ending up flat on his back, one hand helping him to stay upright. She kept expecting him to call it off—weren't royals obsessed with pride and appearance? Now that she thought about it, his clothes were different from before, too. He still had the fur but had forgone the well-kept boots, the ones adorning his feet scuffed and worn.

He was actually taking the fight seriously.

Her smirk turned into a smile, and she launched herself at him, a shield of reiki forming around her arm as their blades clashed. The force of his youki increased, though, for the most part, it swirled around him and not the physical weapon. It was overwhelming; at least, it would be to someone less skilled than her, and she was surprised he hadn't used it from the start.

It was perfectly controlled, extending his reach every time he swung his sword, but the metal shook with the force of it, and she could sense how much he was holding back.

No wonder he'd asked her for a weapon. Whatever his sword was made of, it was nowhere near strong enough to balance his skill and power. She didn't want curiosity to be the sole reason behind granting his request, but the thought of making him something that could not only handle a daiyoukai but be an effective conduit was too much to pass up.

Mind made up, she decided to end the match, as reluctant as she was to do so. She was chagrined to admit she enjoyed sparring with him—it had been a while since she'd found a worthy opponent—but she'd called him out here to be tested, and though he hadn't bested her, he was serious about his craft.

Kagome stepped back, allowing him to think she was on the defensive, almost pouting when he took the bait. She sidestepped, and his sword went for her side, her fingers wrapping around his wrist as the edge of hers came within an inch of his throat.

His eyes widened as reiki locked him in place, succeeding where he'd failed and sending his weapon clattering to the ground. She felt him struggle and held him for a moment longer to prove her point, waiting for him to yield before releasing him, sheathing her sword to signal the end of the test.

"You are skilled in more than one field," he acknowledged, grabbing his and doing the same.

"Thank you," she said, not bothering with bashful pleasantries. She knew how good she was; what was the point in pretending she wasn't?

"Perhaps there is more I can learn from you."

"I doubt your teachers would let you fight some lowly swordsmith on a regular basis," she snorted. "Besides, I have other orders to—"

The prince immediately shook his head. "It will not be happening again anytime soon."

Kagome hid her disappointment by crossing her arms. "Too afraid to get beaten?"

A low chuckle sent butterflies whizzing through her stomach. "Hardly."

"Then why—"

He caught her hand, golden eyes gleaming as he pressed his lips against her skin. "You are too distracting. I cannot focus on retaliating when your smile is so radiant." Her mouth fell open, words failing as he sheathed his sword. "Until next time, my lady."

He hadn't asked how long the sword would take, or about the cost, but considering how much he'd paid for the fight, he couldn't be worried about it.

And Kagome couldn't pretend she wasn't looking forward to their next encounter.