Page 52 of Seaborn and the Seven Seas

I searched for her until my eyes set on Fraya.

Fraya had her arms crossed, jaw set, eyes on me, the wind catching loose strands of her red hair. When our gazes met, she gave one short nod, saying, You will prevail.

Her faith surprised me. But I regretted not asking her to train me during our time on board.

Beside her, Ranis had his arm around Jina’s shoulders. Jina had one hand pressed over her mouth, her eyes red, her whole body tight with the effort of not falling apart. Her lips moved beneath her fingers, counting, the same way she always did when she couldn’t bear to watch. Ranis spoke low near her ear, but her eyes didn’t leave me.

And Theron.

He sat apart from the others, arms at his sides, watching me with an expression that gave nothing away. Just those steady ocean eyes, unreadable as they had always been.

The crowd’s applause died back down as the queen settled into her seat.

Somewhere on the opposite side of the arena, chains rattled. A figure appeared through the gate. I couldn’t make out who it was, but she was dressed like me—same suit, same braided hair, a sword in her hand.

She walked out the same way I had, taking in the crowd, the walls, the sky. Then her eyes found mine and went wide. Minha? She couldn’t be. Could she? Leaner, but unmistakably my friend.

“Sis?”

“Minha!” I ran toward her.

A chain rattled somewhere, echoing. We both halted, the reunion dying mid-step. We would talk later. If there was a later.

A guttural growl filled the arena. Then the gate on the far wall exploded open, and the boarox charged. The ground trembled, dust rising in its wake.

Nothing could have prepared me for this creature.

It was massive, the body of a pig, easily the height of three men stacked and three times as wide, its hide so thick it looked less like skin and more like armor, the surface rough as cracked stone. The other half of it was ox with two horns that curved outward from its head, each one as long as my leg and sharp enough to split bone.

Its dark beady eyes, nearly buried beneath the folds of that hide, swept the arena. When it found me, the creature charged. Air pushed out in great heaving huffs, each one closer than the last. Above me, the crowd surged to their feet, roaring. In front, Jina covered her eyes.

Oh gods. What do I do?

My muscles trembled, my feet planted on the ground wouldn’t move… until Minha screamed a war cry from across the arena, charging toward me with her sword raised.

I tightened my grip on the hilt and rolled my shoulder. Don’t go for the neck. The hide is too thick. Go for the underbelly. Wise words from a kind woman.

Minha fighting beside me gave me strength and courage. Whatever would happen in the arena, I wouldn’t be facing it alone. We would either kill the boarox or die trying. Together.

Just as the boarox reached me I rolled to the side, swinging my sword low for the ankles and missed. The creature was faster than anything that size had a right to be, its bulk carrying past me in thundering hooves.

When Minha finally reached me, we grabbed each other tight, one fierce second, no words needed. Then we let go. We had never battled before, never held a sword, but we stood back to back as if we had rehearsed it many times.

“Go for the belly,” I said, my feet shifting, ready to pounce.

“How do you know?” she shouted.

I didn’t have time to explain. It charged after Minha. Instinct guided me and I ran, legs pumping. I leapt, letting gravity take me, and landed on the boarox’s back. The crowd erupted. Even the mothers leaned forward. Ranis pumped his fist. Theron went still.

I almost fell off but drove my sword into its hide near the neck. Too thick. The blade didn’t go through, but a thin line of blue welled up where the weapon had bitten in.

I tumbled off, landing with a thump, dust clouding around me.

“My turn.” Minha dropped to one knee, swinging for its belly and missed.

With one hind leg it kicked us both in the chest. We tumbled apart, pain searing through my bones. I got a quick glance at the royal family. Pierre laughed, leaning forward in his seat. Lucian said nothing but his eyes were sharp and hungry. The queen looked bored.

Get up. Get up.