People all around us started chanting, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Sage’s mouth stretched into a happy smile.
“This is ridiculous!” Lord Halsey sneered, and for the first time, he looked out of his depth, and frightened.
“My Lord, you don’t have to fight if you don’t feel like it.” Sage inclined his head to Tynan in a gesture that looked like fake sympathy.
“You can’t do this. There has to be another way.” I gripped Tynan’s elbow.
“There is no other way,” he responded and his eyes met mine.
“You’re bleeding.”
Tears streamed down my face and I did not care if the others could see it. Nothing mattered compared to this pain and there was nothing I could do to stop the inevitable.
“Don’t worry,” Tynan whispered, taking my hand and placing it to his lips.
“If you win, you’ll be the ruler of the black clan and you will get your bride,” Sage said in a calm voice. “If you lose, Tynan will take your place as a leader of your clan, but clearly?—”
“That’s not going to happen.” Rutherford finished.
“You are right, milord. Impossible.” Sage shook his head.
“Let’s get this over with,” Tynan said.
The clan warriors cheered all around us and their voices echoed in my head making me dizzy. Tynan was going to fight for his people, for me. He was going to put everything on the line to protect me. I wrapped my hands around his torso, dreading the moment I had to let go.
I can’t let you go!
“Do you trust me?” he whispered in my ear.
“Yes. Gods, yes.” I touched his face, his cheeks, not willing to part.
What if this was the last time I could hold him in my arms? What if he never comes back to me? What if it was my destiny to lose everyone I loved?
Soon, all too soon, the crowd formed a circle.
Rutherford stepped in the center. Everything about him showed that he was confident that he could defeat Tynan. He paused, turning toward us. His face was blank, like a warrior mask.
The very last minute I had left with Tynan had come to an end.
“Please,” I whispered, but I had no idea what I was asking.
“I’ll take care of this.” Tynan placed a light kiss on my forehead.
“I can’t let you do this.”
“Alina . . .”
“No.” I shook my head.
“I have to.” His voice was soft, tender.
“I’m not . . . leaving you.”
“You have to trust me.”
Someone pulled me to the sidelines and when I turned my head, I saw Denis’ face.
