Leira walks into the arena, carrying her sword and shield. She’s wearing a thick silver bracelet around her wrist, and I squint, attempting to study it further.
“The emperor wants blades and fists only,” Leon says. “The suppression cuffs block your use of power. And they dampen vampire speed and strength to even the score.”
Something in my chest relaxes. I have such little power that this is good news for me. I don’t know who I’m fighting, but at least it will solely come down to physical strength and skill.
Titus steps out into the arena, waving his sword in the air with a roar. He slams his sword against his scutum, and the crowd roars with him.
My heart skitters in my chest. I like Leira. She’s one of the few people here who hasn’t taunted me for my lack of training. Titus’s brother is already a member of the Praesidium Guard, and I know he has been giving him extra training.
Just as I’ve been having extra training.
My fight is directly after Titus and Leira’s, and yet all I can think about is Tiernon.
“Arvelle,” Leon snaps. “Do I need to explain to you how important it is for you to focus?”
“No.” I keep my gaze on Leira. Her expression is grim, but she flicks her long braid back over her shoulder and nods at Titus, raising her parma. Like me, she has chosen the smaller shield.
Titus gives her a nasty smile.
“Fight!” the enforcer calls out.
Titus attacks like a storm, swinging his sword again and again. But Leira is fast, gliding out of reach, avoiding his blade unless she has no choice but to allow him to hit her shield. I catch her grimace as his blow strikes her parma, and she’s forced to duck and roll, leaving the shield on the ground behind her.
Titus throws his own shield to the ground and sprints across the arena after her, teeth bared in a vicious grin.
“Come on, Leira,” I mutter.
“Arvelle …” Leon’s tone gets my attention. “What happened?”
I take a deep breath. “Tiernon is the Primus. Th-the Primus is Tiernon,” I say, tripping over my words.
Leon stares at me uncomprehendingly. “He … what?”
I nod. “He’s been here the whole time. He wants to know why I’m here. You can’t tell him about my bargain with Bran, Leon.”
Leon’s mouth thins. “You know I wouldn’t risk your brothers,” he snaps.
I just nod, my stomach roiling.
“You can’t think about this now,” he says. “Listen. I know who you’re fighting. I heard one of the guards talking.”
That catches my attention and I meet his eyes. “Who?”
“Maximus.”
Maximus’s face flashes in front of my eyes and I attempt to remember his weaknesses during training. He’s fast. Brutally fast. I know that much.
My lungs constrict, and Leon narrows his eyes at me. “Yes, he’s fast,” he says. “But he doesn’t have good instincts. He second-guesses himself. Something you’ve also begun doing for some reason I can’t comprehend. But if you can drown out that fear and self-doubt and lean into your instincts, you can take him.”
I nod, but I’m not sure I believe him. I’m not sure Leon believes himself.
A woman behind me lets out a yelp and I snap my gaze to the ring.
No.
Leira slumps to her knees, her eyes dazed. Her mouth hangs open, blood coating the side of her face.
She lowers her head in a bow to the emperor. A plea for mercy.
