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“We’ll share our tales later. Now is not the time nor the place.”
Finally, he released me. I stepped back and wiped the tears from my eyes. My heart felt like it was beating out of my chest. He was alive. And my demon mate and Dyf didn’t seem to mind that a third guy might be joining our group.
In fact, Dyf was chatting to him as if he’d met him before, and Daeary was so high on life force, he was high as a kite, seeming to float with a satisfied grin on his face.
I wasn’t fooling myself. We’d been lucky to survive round one. Somehow, we’d found a place at the edge of the arena that had protected us from being overrun. Others hadn’t been so fortunate. Wherever I looked, there were bodies lying motionless, some with gruesome wounds. The stench of death pervaded the air, and my mind flashed back to the nightmare last night until I wiped it away angrily. We were together, still alive. That’s all that counted.
Another announcement rang through the arena. “The surviving warriors have thirty minutes to the next round. There will be medics for those who need them, food and drink.”
“Fucking finally,” I muttered.
Than led the way. He pulled me against his side as we walked, and with my head barely grazing his shoulder, I clung to him. I still couldn’t believe he was here. Had I imagined his screams as the dogs tore him apart?
As we moved from the open arena to the enclosed tunnel, I scanned his arms, his face, for any obvious injuries. There were none. I didn’t want to spoil the reprieve with difficult questions, but Dyf had no such qualms.
“Beth told us you were killed by the Fae and their hounds. How did you escape?”
Than chuckled darkly. “I didn’t. If I had, I wouldn’t be here in these abominable trials.”
Dyf didn’t give up. “So, why are you still here? Do you not know humans cannot join the Eryr Eyra?”
“I have no choice. When I came to after my capture, I found myself in a cell under the arena. Every day, I’m out here, killing whoever they pit me against. Murderers, traitors, sometimes innocents.”
He dropped his gaze, swallowing hard. Then his gaze found mine. “Beth, I’m so sorry I left you behind. I feared you were dead. So I never tried to escape. It seemed a fitting punishment to fall under a Fae sword after failing you.”
I squeezed his hand. “You didn’t fail me. And I’m so glad you’re alive. I thought—”
Emotion choked my voice to nothing, and I took a deep breath before I could speak again. “I thought I’d lost you the way I’d lost Bleddyn and Daeary.”
“Is he the incubus you were telling me about?” Than regarded the demon with suspicion.
“I am,” Daeary confirmed easily.
We’d reached the same room from earlier. Less than half of the original number of contestants milled around a giant table with refreshments. Some of the warriors were injured, and I paled as I watched a medic sew up a nasty cut wound without any numbing.
Dyf went off and returned with four tankards and sandwiches for our group. While Daeary and Than ate and drank, I only sipped on the warm, brackish water. There was no way I’d be able to force food into my roiling stomach. Keeping my eyes lowered and ignoring the smells was the only way to stop myself from throwing up.
The men continued chatting as if they’d met in a bar and weren’t involved in a stupid trial to the death. What had I been thinking? After spending all this time in the Fae realm, what possessed me to do something that stupid? To think that joining the elite fighting forces would involve a competition instead of a trial by combat? My dad had often chided me for acting before thinking, but this? This was the stupidest thing yet.
Dyf tapped my forehead with a sharp rap. “Stop it. You look like you ate something rotten.”
I glared at him and moved my head aside before deflating. “I’m thinking how sorry I am for dragging you into this. All of you.”
“You did not drag us here. We should have insisted you leave us to it. It is our fault your life is in danger.” Daeary stretched out his hand as if to take mine, but flinched back before touching me. I knew why he was reluctant.
His reservoirs were full, and now he had the opposite problem from this morning. He wouldn’t drain me, but a touch would likely push me into a full body orgasm in front of everyone.
Even from a distance, I could feel his power. I was sure the males close to me could smell my arousal as I soaked the crotch of my pants. With an apologetic shrug, Daeary moved away from our group, and the embarrassing heat between my legs receded.
“Thank the Goddess,” Dyf muttered, throwing a sharp look Daeary’s way while he adjusted himself.
Than placed his hand on my cheek and said, “Your demon filled me in. You have spunk, girl. Your plan is utterly idiotic and dangerous, but it might just work. When I don’t fight, I keep my head down and listen—many in this town already have doubts. If you address them, many would follow you.”
Chapter thirty-two
BETH
Iwasn’treadyforanother round. But nobody asked my opinion. I had no choice but to follow along as the much smaller group of warriors returned silently to the arena.
