Luna managed to slam her fist into Catriona's cheekbone with lightning-quick reflexes while she was mid-shift.

Usually, her first instinct was not to fight when she's not on the receiving end of someone else's ire, but she couldn't leave Lady Clarence, a vulnerable human, alone to fend for herself against a were-leopard. At least her involvement could make this fight even.

Physically, she'd been waiting for this forever.

This was a chance for her to release all of her pent-up anger and frustration for being detained as a consort in this Kingdom against her will and being treated like a lowlife by this self-entitled bitch.

The warrior general would be lenient should he decide to punish them if he knew Catriona had attacked first. They had witnesses.

Catriona's head snapped as she was thrown to the side.

Clutching her head, she righted herself and glared at her.

Catriona's gaze never shifting away from Luna; she used the back of her hand to wipe the blood trickling from the cut on her lower lip.

"Any last words before I take you out of the Concubine List just like you planned for Lady Clarence?" Luna smirked as she ran a hand through her precious silver hair.

They couldn't afford to look weak here, not when these females were looking for every chance to bully them, especially lower ranks like her.

Sneaky High Consorts never played fair.

"Get out of my face, Silver Hair. I'm better at this game than you are. " Catriona huffed. "Don't mess with me."

"Oh, but I want to. I don't care if you kill me right now. I'm going to teach you a lesson. The lesson that it would be best if you learned to respect the other harem girls despite their rank. I'm going to teach you a lesson," Luna replied. "I'm not letting you get away with this."

"You marred my face on the day of the Blood Moon Banquet. I'll tell Vali what you did to a Concubine Candidate!" Catriona shrieked, and it sent Luna's ears ringing.

"I'll replace you as the Concubine Candidate then," Luna suggested sarcastically.

"You disrespectful bitch! You are just a Consort." She flushed red with anger as she pointed the finger at her.

Catriona continued smugly, "I'll suggest that you be demoted to a blood slave for the trouble you have caused."

"I'll tell Vali you poisoned me!" Lady Clarence said as she stood a couple of feet closer to Luna. "I haven't told him about it yet because I was giving you the benefit of the doubt. I'll have you interrogated for your sins if you don't quit your threats."

Guilt flashed, quickly gone.

Catriona's eyes looked completely crazed when she said, "Nobody deserves the Empress' throne except me. It's fucking time for everyone to realize it!"

"Is that so?" Luna shot back.

It was obvious Catriona wasn't right in the head.

She was too obsessed with the throne.

It's no wonder she was behind Lady Clarence's poisoning.

Without warning, Luna kicked out her leg and nailed Catriona in the stomach.

Breath whooshed out of her lungs, and Catriona skidded backwards from her onslaught.

"You are going to regret this, bitch." Catriona growled as she straightened.

Her large eyes flashed dangerously as pink flushed the exotic slope of her cheeks.

"What you have done to Lady Clarence, poisoning her drinks, shifting into a were-leopard, and attacking her behind her back, is underhanded and wrong. Someone needs to punish you, and I'll happily volunteer."

Luna heard the harem girls in the room clap as they muttered to themselves.

Catriona's chin lifted, and, hell, she never appeared to be more superior. "I'll defeat you."

"Bring it." Luna waved her hand. "And don't shift. Instead, prove your strength to everyone by showing them that you can defeat me fair and square."

Catriona lunged at her.

Amid the chorus of female cheers and giggles and the eunuchs' sincere pleas for them to stop, they slammed together and tumbled backwards. Luna hit the floor, and Catriona's weight slammed into her.

Catriona straddled Luna with her knees, pinning her shoulders.

She struggled to breathe.

Catriona punched her nose with her left fist.

Luna yelped.

She hadn't expected that from her.

Catriona's right hand nailed her in the jaw.

Snarling, Luna struggled for her freedom.

Blood dribbled down Luna's lip and chin.

There was no hair-pulling and scratching in this fight.

They fought like men.

The laughter faded, the muttered jokes stopped and turned concerned.

No one dared approach them for fear for their lives.

As Catriona reached back to punch Luna with her knuckles, Luna worked her legs between them and kicked Catriona.

She flew backwards and landed on her ass.

Luna was already on her feet, and Catriona swiftly jumped up.

Both were panting and glaring.

"Can't stand a little competition, Cat?" Luna taunted.

Several of the eunuchs braved their furies and approached.

Catriona's eyes slowed green like a cat's, her teeth lengthened into sharp fangs, and she snarled at them, her leopard almost taking over.

Luna widened her legs into a fighting stance and fisted her hands, ready for any attack.

She held her ground.

Catriona was in her face a heartbeat later as the wind whipped between them.

Luna hooked her foot around Catriona's ankle and shoved her chest.

Catriona fell.

Gasping, she rolled to the side and tried to shift into a were-leopard again, this time successfully.

The leopard advanced toward Luna, stalking her like prey, intending to destroy her.

Luna stepped back.

Suddenly, someone tackled Catriona while she was distracted, throwing the leopard to the ground and pinning her.

Five male eunuchs pinned her down.

Catriona struggled and kicked and roared.

"Are you alright, Luna?" Lady Clarence was suddenly behind her, patting her on the back with concern.

Catriona sprang for Luna again.

Through wide eyes, Luna watched her as she closed the distance, fists drawn back.

One of the men dove for the leopard, knocking her down again before she reached Luna.

The High Consort scrambled forward to work her way free from her captors' grasps.

"Stop!" a familiar masculine voice commanded.

Cederic.

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Edited by RedPandaChick