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Then the announcer goes over to Brooklyn and asks her a question. After a second, he laughs and then turns to the crowd. He introduces her as Princess Buttercup and they all cheer even louder than they did for Sir Jamie.
Sir Jamie wins the coin toss and so he elects to go first. He takes his axe and dramatically shows it off to the crowd before he lines up in front of the block of wood. There’s a big round target a good distance from where they’re supposed to stand and it’s shaped like a bullseye. Depending on where the axe sinks in, the closer to the middle, the higher the points.
He takes his time and breathes deep before he raises the axe over his head and lets it fly. There’s a quiet pause from the crowd before it erupts, and then Sir Jamie holds his hands out and bows to them. I look at the block of wood to see he’s just shy of the bullseye and earned ten points. The axe in the target is taken away and Sir Jamie’s points are recorded.
Suddenly I’m nervous for Brooklyn, but to my surprise she doesn’t look the least bit rattled. In fact, she looks as confident as ever as she winks at me and picks up her axe.
The crowd is quiet and Brooklyn doesn’t make any kind of show as she steps up to the line. She plants her feet and lifts the axe over her head, and I hold my breath as she launches it at the target.
With a loud thunk, it lands just on the inside of the bullseye, a hair closer than Sir Jamie’s, earning her twenty points.
I’m the first to throw my hands up and cheer, and she looks at me with complete shock and disbelief on her face. Her mouth is hanging open and I’m practically jumping out of my skin as everyone loses their minds.
All except Sir Jamie.
This time he loses the showmanship as he stomps over to grab an axe. The crowd barely has time to become quiet as he steps up and chucks his axe at the target. Bullseye.
Once he’s landed his mark he turns around and the crowd cheers. Maybe I’m biased, but it’s definitely not as loud as it was when Brooklyn got it. She looks over at me and I give her a thumbs-up.
“You got this, Buttercup,” I call out to her, and I can see her fighting a smile.
Sir Jamie gets a little too close for my taste as he walks past her. Brooklyn doesn’t let it affect her as she takes a deep breath and lifts her axe.
This throw isn’t as strong as the first, and the axe goes a little sideways. She manages to hit the target and it sticks, but just outside the bullseye. She gains ten points by the skin of her teeth and she and Sir Jamie are tied.
The announcer tells the crowd that each contestant has one final throw. I don’t miss the look he gives me when he tells everyone that in the event of a tie, the win goes to the reigning champion Sir Jamie.
Sir Jamie is once again playing to the crowd as he steps up to the line and holds his axe up for everyone to see.
“Yeah, we get it, you’ve got a fucking axe,” I say under my breath because I’m annoyed with this guy.
I hold my breath as he throws it and I hear the blade sink into the wood. The crowd cheers and I wait for the judge to call the points. He’s missed the bullseye by a hair and only gets ten points. Sir Jamie looks rattled for just a second before he covers with a smug smile. He cocks his head at Brooklyn and holds out his hand as if telling her he’ll allow her to go now.
I clench my fists and have to force myself to stay back because all I want to do is kick his ass for trying to intimidate my woman. But to my delight, Brooklyn ignores him and grabs the last axe on the table.
This time she turns to the crowd and holds up her axe just like Sir Jamie did and there are cheers as well as laughs because we all know what she’s doing. Sir Jamie looks pissed as he steps back and I cheer above the crowd.
She blows me a kiss before she takes her place, and in that moment, I know she’s going to beat him. Just like she knew she’d be good at this, I know with every fiber of my soul she’s going to hit that bullseye.
I cross my arms over my chest and watch as she plants her feet, draws back the axe, and launches it straight and true to the middle of the target.
