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My silence is telling. "Nathan, I—"
He turns towards me, but instead of the anger I'm expecting, I see... kindness. "It's okay, Elva. I know you're used to taking care of yourself." He reaches down and grabs my hand, pulling it to his lips to kiss. I’m greedy and don’t wish to let him go. "Let me take care of you this time. I will see you after. I promise."
Magic tingles between us as he makes a vow. I know he can feel it too. The screams are louder now, the sounds echoing through the tunnel we're in as a timer counts down in the arena.
How in the hell did they get so many people in twenty minutes?
"Come back to me," I say, pulling him for a deep kiss before releasing him. "Remember, the left side."
Nathan nods with a grim look in his eyes. After another kiss, he turns and swims away from me.
I stand in the tunnel and watch, clutching my fist to my chest. I can't bear to turn away even for a moment. A swishing of water alerts me to someone's presence before I hear Helena's soft voice.
"I'm sorry, Elva," she murmurs.
I nod, my eyes never leaving the Summer Fae fighting for my honor. "Me too." Helena has been mistreated more often than I have by her family. She has been hurt, abused, and just plain ignored. It’s one of my greatest wishes that she finds someone who can bring the fire out of her like Nathan has for me. When she starts fighting back, she’ll be a sight to behold.
Together, we stand vigil as the two males, Fae and Mer, pick their weapons. Henrick chooses a three-headed mace, while Nathan goes for a sword. I hear the crowd booing his choice of weapon, clearly hoping for a better show.
A buzzer goes off, declaring the beginning of the dual, as screams echo through the arena. Mer are blood-hungry folk, and this is right up their alley.
Come on, Nathan. Remember your training.
For the first few minutes, the males simply circle each other, their gazes locked as they assess their enemy.
"I pray that your Fae wins," Helena breathes beside me.
I shoot her a look of surprise. It’s treasonous to support someone other than her brother.
"What?" she says. "It's not like Henrick has ever been kind or decent towards me. I'd like to see Nathan win."
Before we can unpack that statement further, the sound of metal hitting metal fills the arena, and my gaze is drawn back to the men fighting for me. My stomach twists as I watch them dance in the ring.
Reaching out blindly, I grasp Helena's hand, squeezing tightly as we watch Nathan pull his sword out of the mace's chain. The sound of metal against metal rings through the arena. The crowd is growing wilder by the second, and their energy is practically pulsing through the water.
Henrick cackles, the sound booming through the arena. He whirls the mace around his head, the water swirling like a tornado.
Faster than should be possible underwater, he darts and swings the mace around in a circle. It's as though I'm watching in slow motion as the weapon approaches Nathan.
I scream, the sound ringing in my ears, and try to swim out to him, but Helena yanks on my arm. She pulls me back, wrapping powerful arms around my middle. "Stop," she hisses in my ear. "You know the laws. You can't go in there."
The one she’s referencing is bright in my mind, pulsing as I fight against my instincts to go to him.Once a duel has been called, no member of the Northern Court may interfere. If they do, their lives are forfeit.
"Damn Northern Court laws," I whimper, struggling against Helena’s grip. "That's my... He’s... Nathan." The last word comes out as a plea as I stare at him.
The first swing misses, barely. But Henrick is still advancing. Half the crowd is silent in anticipation, while the other half shouts advice. Henrick swipes again, and it lands right in his opponent’s side. Nathan doubles over, crying out, as a stream of bright red blood floats into the water.
"Nathan!" I scream.
He turns ever so slightly and locks eyes with me.
Please.
I don't know who I'm begging, I just know I need him to be okay.
Even though he's wounded, Nathan seems to be still moving well. He's dodging Henrick’s attacks and appears to be doing everything he can to pull Henrick around the arena.
He's trying to tire him out, I realize suddenly.
