Orion said.
“Still, it’s not right.”
“Well, go on then, Artist, save her,” Flynn scoffed, ending his rare bout of silence. “You’re our resident hero, after all.”
Clenching his jaw, Tobias stared at the three Lords in bitter silence. They prodded at her yet again, and he lurched forward, ready to act, then stopped short. She asked you to leave her alone. Her request was explicitly clear, and he fought past his instincts, keeping his ass rooted to the floor.
“No heroics today?” Flynn sneered. “Has our pluck and valor retired for the evening?”
Raphael gave him a critical once-over. “You’re in an especially insufferable mood tonight.”
“Shut up,” Flynn grumbled.
She wants nothing to do with you. She wants you to leave her alone. But Neil’s hands were sliding up her cloak, and she jerked away, sending Caesar and Beau into a fit of laughter. Tobias gritted his teeth. Respect her wishes. If you intervene, you’re no better than them. But no amount of convincing could tear his eyes from the display, nor could it keep him from hearing every word of their exchange.
As Leila dabbed at Caesar’s wounds, Neil eyed her up and down, lifting the hem of her cloak with his foot. “Healer girl, when are you going to give us a peek beneath your cloak?”
She yanked her cloak away. “Just as soon as you stop being such a worthless ass.”
Beau sat along the side of the pit, his legs dangling over its edge. “She’s a bit bitchy, isn’t she?”
“Nonsense, she’s simply a good judge of character.” Caesar chuckled.
“Lies. She’s playing.” Neil brought his lips to her ear. “You like me, don’t you? Tell them you like me.”
“I’d like you much better if you’d finally shut your mouth.”
Laughter echoed through the sanctuary, cutting away at Tobias’s patience, and his anger expanded into rage as Neil wrapped his arms around Leila’s waist.
“Healer girl, now you’re just being cold.” He slipped his hands beneath her cloak and up her chest. “And I’d much prefer you warm…and wet.”
He squeezed her breasts, and Leila tore herself from his grasp. She spun toward him, red-faced and fuming. “Touch me one more time, and I swear it will be the last thing you do.”
Neil glanced at his friends. “Did you hear her? Healer girl, was that a threat…” he slid his fingers down her décolletage, tracing the curve of her breasts, “…or a dare?”
Leila’s hands sprang to life, shoving Neil straight into the pit and sending him plummeting down the endless stretch of black.
The sanctuary went silent, save for Neil’s echoing screams. Soon his cries died, and all that remained was stillness, shock, and twelve men frozen in place, their eyes pointed at Leila. Tossing her satchel over her shoulder, she caught sight of the faces gaping at her.
“What? He wasn’t going to win anyway.”
She stomped at the floor and sauntered across the floating steps, making her way out of sight.
“Your turn.”
Enzo stared long and hard at the cards before making a move—or at least Tobias assumed so, as he wasn’t paying attention. He had little interest in the cards in front of him, the men scurrying through the sanctuary, even Delphi off to the side oiling them up one by one. All he could focus on was the pit in the middle of the floor—the one no one dared approach, not since Neil’s accident.
Tobias wasn’t concerned with Neil’s death. To him, that pit was a reminder of Leila walking away without so much as a glance in his direction.
“Tobias.”
Raphael eyed him skeptically, as if he had been saying Tobias’s name for some time. “It’s your turn.”
Tobias flipped a card and matched it with its counterpart before hopping to his feet. He had to occupy his thoughts—and take a piss, which was a convenient enough distraction—and he shuffled to the wall and aimed his hose. Mid-stream, another man stopped at his side, whipping out his bits and joining him in his relief.
Tobias sighed. “You know, there’s an entire wall for you to piss on, yet you choose to stand right next to me.”
“We need to talk,” Flynn said. “Man to man.”
“And this can’t wait until after I’ve finished pissing?”
“I just need you to know, I forgive you.”
“Forgive me?” Tobias shook himself dry. “For what?”
“For your time with Cosima, my future Bride.” Flynn tucked his piece away. “Naturally I wasn’t fond of the idea, but I accept that these sorts of occurrences are an expectation of the tournament. You won the challenge justly I assume, and I can’t fault you for