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It's a great strategy, really. Brilliant. One I wish I had thought of myself. The large Ice Mer is almost double the size of my Summer Fae, and he is already flagging, the weight of the mace much heavier than Nathan's sword.
But he isn't injured.
I feel every single second, every moment, as though it was me out on the sand. My heart is beating so fast, it’s moments away from exploding. Helena’s arms are still around my middle, her tail brushing up against me every so often in comfort.
Remaining still, I tune out the shouts, trying to focus solely on Nathan.
Eventually, Henrick seems to lose his calm. He roars and surges forward, his teeth bared as he lunges for Nathan.
Quickly, faster than I knew he could move, Nathan spins around and swings his sword. My hand goes to my mouth as I watch it cleave through the water before slicing into the side of Henrick's neck.
Silence.
Bile rises in my throat as I watch Nathan pry the sword from the Mer's body. Blood taints the water as Henrick screams, his hand loosening on the mace. Even from here, I can see his face paling as he looks down at his neck.
"Impossible," he gurgles as blood streams from his mouth. He lurches towards Nathan as if to attack him with his bare hands. His head rolls grotesquely to one side as he moves, exposing the horrible wound to the arena.
Nathan stares at Henrick for a moment, his lips moving in a wordless prayer, before he lifts his sword and drives it through Henrick's heart. The Mer jerks once before his eyes roll back in his head, and he floats limply before my lover.
Nathan seems to be frozen in place. His sword is still gripped in his hands as blood trickles out from his side.
A stern-faced Mer who must work for the arena swims out from a hidden door in the heart of the Coliseum, their blue tail swishing as they approach Henrick's body. They check for a pulse, one of the most preposterous things I’ve ever seen, before shaking their head.
"The challenger has won," the Mer announces, his voice magicked to echo through the arena. The crowd has fallen silent, their gazes locked on Nathan.
Shit.
Shit.
"The Crown Prince is dead "
Suddenly, roars erupt around us as the Mer begin thumping their tails on their seats. The sound echoes through the stands as the entire building begins to shake. I know what happens next. I realize that I really didn’t expect Nathan to win, not against someone like Henrick. I’m filled with so many emotions I can hardly breathe–fear, gratitude, relief. I will never doubt him again.
"We have to get both of you out of here," Helena says quickly, unwrapping her arms from around my middle. I look at her, pale and clearly in shock.
She is the future queen now.
Her voice is desperate as straightens her spine. "Let me help you."
Chapter31
Is This Becoming A Habit?
NATHANIEL
My eyes are locked on Henrick’s lifeless eyes, but it’s like I’m half a second behind it all. I watched the spark of intelligence fade from his eyes. I sag, and clutch the wound at my side. I feel weaker, but I’ve already begun healing. Blood is still floating around me, both mine and his.
Death forces me into duality, and I am staring at him but also watching my life flash before me. I throw myself into the images, the pictures of every hope and dream I’ve ever had, the person I wanted to become back then. The Summer Court is not violent. My father once thought me unworthy of his attention, and I believed him. University, teaching, all the things I had wanted to do were floating around me like the bubbles containing Henrick’s last breaths.
The word “murderer” bounces around my brain, trying to get me to own up to the title. I consciously avoid looking at it, acknowledging it.
I should own it. I did murder the person in front of me. But I did it for Elva.
When Henrick came into the dining room, I saw how Elva changed. The confident, powerful female all but curled into a ball. I saw the emotions parade across her face. Shock, fear, a hint of agony, and then pure, unadulterated rage.
What had the male done to them? To make two females that were perfectly capable of protecting and defending themselves... It made something primal stir inside of me.
Killing the Crown Prince was the right thing to do. I can feel it in my very bones and the sting of the saltwater on my skin. But I know it will come at a heavy cost for me and this court.
