“And now we know your friend escaped, so they are doubly cautious. But do not worry. They will be forced to unbind us soon enough. Once the more challenging levels begin again, they will be unable to avoid it. The gambling public simply would not stand for the handicap.”
“Then we just carry on and chip away at the rankings in the meantime.”
“Yes.”
“I can get behind that,” she said, flashing him a sultry look. “And when we’re done today, I want you to get behindme.”
She saw his cock twitch in his trousers, somehow always ready to please no matter how many rounds they’d had of the best sex she’d ever experienced. The man was a machine, and they had grown incredibly close in such a brief period, the intimacy shifting from frantic fucking to actual emotional lust, while their shared pigment flourished in their bodies and bound them even more.
It wasn’t an Infala bond, which she’d been told took time to form, and even then, it was really up to the pigments, but what they’d developed was pretty damn special all the same. The way he looked at her? It wasn’t just lust in his eyes. Not anymore. There was something deeper going on in there, and she felt it as well.
They strengthened that bond over the next two days, both with public performances of teamwork and skill, and privateones of a much more enjoyable nature. Then, at last, it seemed the games were going to get back up to speed, and in a very dramatic and unexpected manner.
Dorrin actually looked shocked when the field overseer unshackled them from one another and told them what the day’s event was to be, and his reaction worried Ziana to no small degree. He’d seen a lot in his prior games, but this? He hadn’t expected it.
“They have not done this in longer than I can remember,” he groused, pacing with buzzing and barely contained energy, his nerves clearly on edge.
“What did he mean when he saidthe martial trials?”
“He meant we are to fight.”
“You meanfight,fight? Like actually fighting, not competing?”
“Yes. It is why we have been unshackled from one another. A member of a team will be chosen at random, and that person then faces multiple opponents over the course of the day.”
“You know I don’t really like a bunch of them, but I don’t want to actually fight anyone.”
“It is to score points, and you will be allowed a weapon. What sort they are offering we have no idea.” He paced back and forth as the possible outcomes raced through his mind. “They will select me,” he said, but the doubt was clear in his eyes. “They have to. I am the most able fighter between us.”
“Good, because I don’t want to fight. But you said you score points? So, is this more about landing shots than causing damage?”
“It is both. More substantial blows will score higher, but the smaller contacts add up. Damn, I wish we’d known this was coming. And I bet the elites knew it and have prepared accordingly while we have been focusing on agility and speed training.”
Ziana stepped closer and put her hand on his chest. His heart was pounding hard. Not from fear, but agitation. And with the look in his eyes, it was clear, he was worried not about himself, but abouther.
“It’ll be okay. I’m sure you’ll kick ass and take names.”
He cocked his head, a questioning look on his face. “Why would I take names? I am very familiar with the other competitors.”
Ziana chuckled, breaking the tension. “It just means you’ll be so busy winning that you’ll make a list of everyone you beat.”
His lips cracked a slight smile, not relaxed, but at least a little less strained. “I like your optimism.”
“We’ve been performing better and better. Let’s just get through this, okay?”
“You’re right. I will do my best.”
They were soon ushered to the fighting ring, a lone dirt-floored hexagon marked on the ground in the middle of the arena. There were racks of weapons, none edged, but all capable of causing significant harm all the same. As for the ring itself, the rules were simple. Score points and stay in the ring. Step out and you lose points. Do it again and you lose more. Third time? Disqualification from the match and even more penalties.
The combatant teams were listed on a projected board high above, but both partners were named until the fight began. It served to ramp up anticipation for the event and drive even greater betting to take place.
Ziana looked up. The first two rounds they were slated for were both against elites. Aden and Trammia were listed first, then Lonks and Quilla. Further rounds were against other commoners, with their final round set to be against Flagro and Galla.
“Naturally,” Dorrin grumbled as he read the names.
“What?”
“See Flagro’s schedule? It is to be random, but he faces all of the lesser opponents today. He will enter the final fight fresh and ready, while I will be tired from combat.”
