Sure he’ll stay down this time, I push my way around the perimeter of the pit to a gap in the fence, ready to drag him out of here myself when the crowd breaks into wild cheering again. I snap my gaze down to where Manu stands over Kane, my anger flaring when I watch my cousin stumble to his feet. Manu punches him, dropping Kane to his knees again.
“Pathetic,” Manu says, wiping Kane’s blood off on his tunic. “I’ll do what even Tua was too weak to.”
Magic pulses down my torso and to my arms, but I bite down the urge to shift as my hands grasp the chain fence.
“Fuck.You,” Kane quips, blood spilling from his mouth. Manu smiles, its deviant curve tugging on me to act. I don’t let myself second guess my actions as I jump over the fence and fall the ten feet down into the pit, landing in a crouch.
The crowdroars, their excited footsteps rumbling through the earth and reverberating over my body with every step that I take as I close the distance to my cousin. Manu’s too lost in his eager rage to notice me, and I use the advantage to quickly step up at his side and grab his wrist mid-air. Chants of protest ring in my ears, but it’s Manu’s eyes I stare into, gold rimming his irises. “Enough.”
His gaze widens for a heartbeat, recognition stealing his breath, before he snaps his teeth at me.
“Kai?” Kane murmurs from behind me. I drop my hold on Manu and spin to face him, an angry snarling of words pressing at my lips. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Get up. We’re going.” I reach under his arms and pull him up to stand, taking most of his weight as he leans into me. I march us towards the other end of the pit, content on throwing his nearly limp body up into the crowd if that’s what it takes.
“You can’tleave.” Manu’s voice is an arrow hitting true, silencing the crowd as it echoes out. “It’s against the rules.”
“Do you think I fuckingcareabout the rules of this shithole?” I snap, earning a rolling tide of low murmurs.
“No, I doubt you do,Your Majesty. But they are the rules. Anyone who enters the pit can only exit by winning or being knocked out or killed.” I grind my teeth together.
“It’s true!” the male who announced the fight shouts, leaning over the fence. “Technically, Kane is still locked into this match. And so areyou.”
“Let go of me,” Kane drawls at my side, attempting to push away from me but failingmiserably. “I don’t need you.” I ignore him as I think over what the fuck to do. I don’t want to fight either of them, but to blatantly use my title to act as ifIam above the rules—even in a place like this—can’t be the option either. “Let go, Kai.”
“Shut up, I’m trying to think.”
He snorts. “Don’t act like you wouldn’t enjoy punching the shit out of my face.”
“I definitely would, but as king—”
“I’ll kill you both! What do we think? Does the victor get to be king?” Manu shouts, lifting both arms into the air and spurring the crowd into a manic state.
A low noise of annoyance rumbles up my chest. “Of all the fucking places, Kane, why here?” He forces himself away from my side, stumbling out in front of me and wiping the sweat and blood from his brow.
“Knock me out.”
I glare at him and shake my head. “No.” Now that Manu has outed who I am to the entire room, I can’t make another mistake. Not here. I have to show these people—mypeople—that I can be the king they need. One steady and rational. One intelligent and…worthy.And fist fighting here would not—
“I can still taste her sometimes.” He smirks, dried blood staining the corners of his mouth. “I can still feel the way her body pressed against mine. So hot.Soinsistent and needy.”
My heart stills, and even though I know he is just trying to rile me up, the words immediately bring my anger to the forefront. “Don’t,” I warn.
“Gods, she knows how to work her mouth doesn’t she?”
“Kane.”
“I’m tired of waiting!” Manu shouts.
“Her skin was so soft, and had you not interrupted us? I would have fucked her senseless. I still wanted to, up until the moment she left.”
My animal bares its teeth within me, snapping at the way he talks of her. She is mine.Mine. Every part of her belongs to me, andeverypathetic part of me will always be hers. No matter how I try to fight it, that will always remain true.
“You’re aworthlessking, Kai Vaea!” Behind Kane, Manu charges towards us.
“Bahira,” Kane says slowly, tasting her name as if it is his to do so. “Sofuckingsweet—”
It is not a conscious decision but a primal one when I send my fist into his jaw, knocking his body to the ground where helays unmoving. My chest heaves as my vision hazes over, and then pain explodes on the side of my face.
