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With a huff, Braz looked over Nica’s head at me. “Not an argument.”
Nica snickered. “If you say so.”
Theon took a step forward and turned to look at all of us. “Well? What was the argument about?”
Braz sighed. “I thought you didn’t want me, angel, and I was… jealous of how easy it seemed for these two to be with you.”
Theon’s face morphed from playfully demanding to completely enamored in a matter of seconds. He went to Braz, lifting up on his toes to wrap his arms around him and kiss him soundly on the lips. “I’ve always wanted you.”
“I know, angel.”
They smiled at each other a moment before Theon’s gaze tracked over all of us. “I love you. All of you. So much.”
“And we love you, precious.”
He went to Florin next, kissing the fae and resting their foreheads together for a moment. Braz told me they’d trained together in Safire, both learning to defend against each other and work in tandem. The plan today was for them to stick close together. Florin had proven himself an elusive and deadly warrior even before his fae power emerged. Now, with his magic at hand, he honestly may have been the most formidable of us all.
Florin released Theon, who moved to Nica for more kisses. Our tiger rubbed his cheek along Theon’s, making him smile before he pulled Nica back to his mouth.
Theon finished kissing Nica and came to stand in front of me. The crowd above us was working up to a fever pitch, so I knew the match would be ending soon.
Drawing my sword with one hand, I pulled him to me with the other. “Stay close, my love.”
He smiled up at me, a small private thing, and whispered, “Always. I love you, Wey.”
Leaning in, I took his sweet mouth. He buried his fingers in my beard, whimpering when my tongue swept against his. The crowd roared, and I pulled back, my heart pounding in my chest. “As I love you.”
I set Theon on his feet just as the gate began to lift.
He went to Florin and took his hand. They disappeared from sight.
I moved forward, and Braz and Nica stayed in step with me. The three of us walked out onto the sands together one last time. The rightness of us all together, fighting together, slotted into place in my chest. Behind us, the new Resistance charged out onto the sands.
For one shocked moment, the crowd was silent. Wind moved through the banners adorning the tops of the arena walls. Then a cry rang out, “Stop them!” and all hell broke loose.
Nica’s tiger swept past me, jumping up and colliding with a mage leaping down from the stands.
Running forward, Braz and I attacked the guards pouring onto the sands. From above, fire and lightning and orbs of magic rained down. I glanced behind me, not worrying about me and mine with the amulets around our necks, but worrying over the warriors we’d just freed.
Above our heads, dome-shaped shields appeared in bursts of blue and purple magic, intercepting every single shot. Theon and Florin. They’d protect the Venerits. Seph, in his bear form, plowed into a pair of mages as they advanced on an empty bit of wall. He stayed there, guarding that space against anything that drew near. I’d bet my life Theon, Florin, and Cedric were cloaked and positioned right there with the wall at their backs.
Turning back to my own fight, I sliced into a mage’s arm as she raised it, a ball of fire growing in her palm. She screamed and clutched at her elbow, leaving herself open for my sword across her throat.
Nica and Braz weren’t far from me, each locked in combat with more than their share of enemies.
“Weylyn!” Kasper yelled my name from above. He and Jedrek, along with their men, were taking the king’s box.
Turning, I found Kasper and what had made him call me. The old king was on the back of a large griffin—huge brown feathered wings, twice the size of mine, an eagle head with a beak made for splitting heads from bodies, and a lion body with fierce claws. He was flying the king away from the arena. Kasper was pinned down, fighting furiously with the king’s guard.
“Weylyn!” Kasper yelled again. “Don’t let him leave the city!”
My wings snapped open just as a small hand slipped into mine.
“I’m going with you!” Theon said, stepping into my space until our chests brushed together.
“Precious—”
“I’m coming with you.” There was a fierceness in his blue eyes I’d never seen before.
