Tezya dropped my grip and pushed his way through the crowd toward his sister. It wasn’t until he pressed a hand on Dovelyn’s slim shoulder that she leaned into his touch and the rambling stopped entirely. I couldn’t hear what he said to her, but I watched as Tezya disappeared, cradling Dove in his arms as he led her back toward his tent.
My bare feet were glued to the spot in the grass where I was standing. Everyone around me was clearing out, slowly getting back to their day as the commotion died down. But I couldn’t move. I didn’t have it in me to be bothered by the glares I was receiving from my lack of clothing. My mind kept stewing over what Dovelyn had said, and the three words that now haunted me…
He will die.
TWENTY-THREE
SIE
“Are there any other takers?”
A crowd had gathered around me, but no one stepped forward. My chest wheezed from exertion, and it was an effort to steady my breathing enough to talk. I’d been in the training rings for the past three hours, fighting whoever would challenge me.
The only thing I was thankful for right now was that the rings never closed. They were positioned far enough away from the communal sleeping tents that anyone could train anytime they wanted.Electric users scattered lanterns around the area, casting the rings in a dim glow. Not that it was needed tonight, the moon was so bright it felt more like dawn than dusk.
The only issue was, I was nowhere near done letting out my aggressions, but I had already made a dent on the Advenians who called this camp their home. I was running out of willing fighters.
It felt strange to spar people from both Lux and Tennebris. I still couldn’t wrap my head around how they’d been living in peace in their own made-up society without anyone ever knowing.
“I can go again,” Peter said. He’d spent the entire time by my side, even though I knew he was beyond exhausted.
“Are you sure—” I started to ask, but Peter already stepped into the ring. There was a circle drawn into the earth, partially from a ground user, partially from an air user. The two powers worked together to protect anyone who watched from the outside—which was a shit ton of people. I was surprised so many Advenians trained and used the rings.
I smiled as soon as his fist collided with my arm. This was what I was built for. This was what I was good at. What my father had trained me to do. Kicking. Punching. Fighting. Zoning the whole fucking world out. My father’s old phrase came back to me,“Once you’re the king, people will only seek you out because of your status, so get comfortable with being alone. Build a shield for yourself and never let anyone breach it. Love will leave you broken, and fragility makes you weak.”
I never fully understood the meaning of his words until now. My father had lived through what he preached to me all those years ago. I always thought he was just bitter. But now I could see it was his own way of protecting me. He’d experienced heartbreak. I always knew he didn’t love my mother, that what they shared was only a mutual agreement to breed. I just never knew he’d fallen in love with a Luxian before her, and it just had to be the fucking Fire Prince’s dead mother.
I was more pissed off at myself for not heeding his advice. That despite knowing what my father told me was true—love would only hurt me—I still wanted it. I thought I had it with her.
She completed the blood bond with Tezya.
I just barely dodged Peter’s kick, and only missed his counter punch because I teleported out of the way. My body ignited in golden spirals as I called to my abilities. I felt my reserve dwindle, knowing only rest would replenish them, but I didn’t care. I needed to clear my head, and I was nowhere near done.
He’s my brother. My fucking brother.
I grunted as Peter slammed his foot into my ribs with more power than he normally possessed. He usually stood slightly smaller than me, but he used his ability to shift and transform into me again. The first time he did it I freaked on him. “I don’t want to look at my reflection right now,” I spat. But then I realized he was challenging me to an even match, giving me what I really wanted.
I had just walked in on the two of them fucking. My worst nightmare from the prison was coming true…
Peter transformed out of the spitting image of myself and turned into a bear for a split second. His claws slashed my shoulder before he quickly shifted back into me, saving me from the brunt of the damage.
Tezya had the fucking nerve to lecture me, telling me I hurt Scotlind. It felt like a sick joke.
I screamed as I lunged toward Peter, my anger having no outlet but this. I didn’t hold back my throw as I went right for his jugular. He staggered before falling over on his ass. His hands were wrapped around his throat as he was forced back into his own body. He went into a coughing spell before spitting up blood. Everyone watching around the circle simultaneously backed up.
Shit. Shit. Shit. I thought he saw me coming. I thought he was going to dodge. “Are you okay?” I asked as I rushed to help him.
“Just peachy,” he rasped, but he looked anything but. It was his fifth time fighting me, and it showed. He stepped in whenever others hesitated, and each time he shifted into a version of me, so I could have a fair fight. But all the transformations were dwindling his reserves. Not to mention I found some sick pleasure in beating the shit out of myself and kept forgetting it was actually my friend.
He gestured to begin again.
“No.” I shook my head. “You can barely stand up straight. Fuck, Peter, I’m sorry.”
“I’m fine,” he lied. “I’ll let you know when I need to stop.” But he wasn’t shifting back into me again. He was too drained. His blonde hair was stained darker from the coating of sweat that lingered, and his hands were shaking beneath his scabbed knuckles.
“No, I’m not fighting you anymore.”
Peter opened his mouth to protest when a female voice called out, “Mind if I have a go?”
