you. Where you are headed, death would have been a blessing. You aren’t going to last a week, but every second, you are going to wish I took pity on you and let you die.”
The harsh grating of the gate opening sounded through the arena. I could hear the mob’s excited shrill in my ears as they clamored for someone’s blood to make them feel more alive in this death hole.
“Are you ready?” The guard spoke softly. “They just picked the lotto number of the prisoner fighting you.” I was the warmup act. I didn’t even qualify to fight other winners.
My teeth dug into my bottom lip, a wisp of a whimper clotting my throat as I stepped forward.
“Give them glory in your death or in your killing.” The guard’s sentiment halted me for a moment, my gaze snapping to the fae. For the first time, I really noticed him.
The horse-shifter, Zander, stood there, his chocolate brown eyes staring into mine. “Let their energy and your fear feed you, not starve you.” His gaze remained intensely on me. Meaningful. “Use your head, find weapons in anything. Be the one who prevails.”
The breath of kindness was a shot of adrenaline, filling me with strength and focus.
I nodded, silently thanking him for his words. Inhaling, I rolled my shoulders back and walked out of the tunnel into the area, light and noise crashing down on me.
Use it.
Take it.
Don’t let it take from you.
The figures in the stands blurred into a mass of waving arms and muted colors due to their uniforms. For a moment, it was only me standing like a drop of water in a desert full of thirsty savages.
The slamming of metal jerked my head to the tunnel across from me where a person stepped out. Today’s lottery pick. My gaze snapped to the figure, recognition registering in my brain.
Blinking, I took in her short, stocky figure and pinched face.
Mio.
A sneer lifted her lips, showing off yellowish teeth and a missing incisor in her open mouth. “Come on, fishy,” she taunted as she moved closer, as if she forgot I had recently kicked her ass.
It was better to overinflate your opponent’s skills than underestimate them. That was another trick of mine, while many of the male recruits tended to do the opposite. I was good. Top in my class, because I always went in at 100%, believing they could outmaneuver me this time. Plus, I was really good at being sneaky and fast.
The only certain thing today was just one of us would be walking out of here.
She swiped out for me, her knuckles brushing my chin as I twirled away, the throng of people crooning at our first contact. Mio was a lot faster than she looked, her movements precise and controlled. She was much better than Tess or Dee, and by her actions, I could tell martial arts was something she was very familiar with.
The two of us circled each other, adrenaline from the crowd dancing over my skin, pumping into my veins. Mio shuffled forward, her jaw set, her leg kicking out at me, which I easily dodged. The crowd disliked our feeble attempts.
“Kill. Kill. Kill!”
“Blood. Blood. Blood!”
I twisted, using the angle to make my first strike, my knuckles cracking into her ribs. She stumbled back, and the crowd cheered with excitement, happy the fight was finally in motion.
Mio’s short frame darted at me, her hand striking across my cheek, pain exploding through my face. My eye felt like it wanted to pop out of my head. She took advantage of my moment of hesitation and slammed her fist into my upper lip and nose, cracking the cartilage in my nostrils, bursting my blood vessels. Blood poured out, sliding down my mouth. Before I could right myself, she kicked me in the stomach, tossing me back onto the dirt with a groan.
“Mio! Mio!” the crowd sang, bets passing between hands.
Leaping for me on the ground, she staggered when I rolled to the side, missing me. Jumping up, I spun, dropping my elbow into her vertebrae. She howled, her back arching at the impact, but she kept on her feet, her arm whacking my already bleeding cheek.
I tottered back, feeling rage climb up my throat and wrap around my muscles. I was better than this. I could drop trained soldiers to the floor.
Mio came for me as my leg swept in a roundhouse kick, hurtling into her gut. She hit the dirt with a thud. Stomping up, my