From the very moment Percy had challenged him to a duel weeks ago, Liam had known this was never going to be just a simple test of skill or rank. Percy hadn't been subtle about his intent. He wanted to see it. Not just Liam's strength, but the true scope of a dark mage's arsenal—what lay beneath the surface that so many feared yet understood so little. Percy's curiosity had been sharp, deliberate, and unmistakable, and because of that, Liam had begun planning long before this day ever arrived.
Even knowing that defeating Percy would require dipping into the heavier end of his abilities, Liam also understood something equally important: unleashing his strongest spells against someone restricted to fifty percent of their power would be excessive. Wasteful. Revealing too much for too little gain. Because of that, he had already trimmed his options down, selecting only a narrow slice of his dark magic—just enough to secure victory without laying his entire hand bare.
