The Ebony Gang had put on a decent show of force when they first lined up across the clearing. Shoulders squared, weapons held ready, the whole crew acting like they could stare down anything that came rolling out of the trees.That attitude lasted right up until the full Gambino column came into view. The change was immediate and complete. One by one, guns and knives hit the dirt without anyone giving an order. Hands went up in surrender.These men had never been soldiers willing to die for a cause. They had thrown in with Benny for the promise of steady pay and the company of women. Dying in a real fight had never been part of the arrangement, and none of them saw any reason to change that calculation now.Sophia and Valery were out of the lead vehicle almost before it had fully stopped moving. They crossed the open ground at a run, their faces tense."You reckless fool!" Sophia said the moment she reached Leonard. She caught his sleeve in one hand, her grip tight enough to wrinkle

Leonard led his small group through the winding streets of Tertia, the rest of his men left behind to set up camp outside the walls under the watchful eyes of the sentries.On either side, tall women of every age paused in their work to watch the strangers pass. Some leaned from the windows of stone houses, others stood behind market stalls piled with woven baskets, fresh olives, and dyed cloth.Children peeked from behind their mothers' skirts. A few older women muttered to one another, their eyes never leaving the group. Ahead, the royal palace rose on a hill, its white marble columns catching the late afternoon light like a beacon above the red-tiled roofs of the city.Only fifty had been permitted inside. Donna had made the limit clear at the gates, her tone leaving no room for argument. The rest of the army remained outside, setting up tents in the open ground while Tertia's guards kept a close watch. Leonard accepted it without complaint. Pushing harder would only make things wo

Hippolyta's question hung in the air, but Leonard did not answer. The playful edge that had lingered in his stance all this time disappeared.The young man's chest wound closed over in seconds, leaving only a faint white line across his skin.His eyes turned cold and focused, the way a man looks when he has decided the time for testing is done, and the real fight has begun. He rolled his shoulders once, settling into a stance that left no room for doubt about his intentions.Hippolyta and the women watching from the stands fell into stunned silence. The legendary Shield of Achilles had not only appeared in his hands but had blocked an attack no ordinary weapon could withstand.On top of that, Leonard had healed from a blow that should have left him dying. Whispers spread quickly through the crowd, growing louder with every passing moment.Was this man something more than human? Could he carry the blood of the gods as well, just as their own queen did? The possibility sent a ripple of

A force of a thousand soldiers stood assembled along the border where Tertia met the unknown stretch of land that led towards Quartia.The Gambino troops were in their dark tactical vests and heavy boots, forming disciplined ranks. Interspersed among them were the Greek women warriors from Hippolyta's tribe, their bronze breastplates and greaves catching the light.Leonard stood beside Hippolyta at the front of the combined force, scanning the ranks. "You didn't have to bring the entire army out here," he told her, keeping his voice low so only she could hear.Hippolyta glanced at him, a faint smile touching her lips as pride flickered in her eyes at the sight of her people standing ready. "It is your army now as much as mine. Have you forgotten you are the King of Tertia?""You know what I mean, wife."She chuckled softly, the sound carrying a note of amusement. "The tribe insisted on seeing their king off. That's all there is to it. But I doubt you will manage to set foot in Quartia

Leonard, Mira, Aquilla, and Iris stepped forward into the overwhelming roar of the crowd that filled the vast amphitheater. The space stretched out before them like an endless sea of stone and humanity, its towering tiers rising higher than any structure Leonard had ever seen back home.Each level was packed with spectators whose cheers and shouts blended into a single thunderous wave that vibrated through the stone under their feet. Pavilions loomed overhead like massive buildings, their banners fluttering in the warm air.Leonard glanced around, wondering how so many people had gathered in one place, their numbers seeming to stretch into the millions as faces blurred together in the distance, cheering wildly.The host stood at the center of the arena floor, a broad-shouldered man whose frame carried a certain heaviness around the middle yet still projected an air of undeniable authority. He was Agamemnon.His voice boomed out across the vast space. "People of Quartia! Welcome to the