Opening my eyes, I clench my fist, extinguishing the fire, and hope to gods a miracle will occur that gives me a much-needed advantage.
***
At six a.m., I stand in the center of the town square—empty of the vendors that normally set up later in the morning. A crowd of both shifters and my fellow villagers is gathered. Evidently, word of the Alpha discovering his mate spread like wildfire because at least fifty people are standing about.
Leisel and I rode in a mere few minutes ago, accompanied by two pack members who were guarding us in wolf form through the night. They stayed far enough behind so as not to spook the horses, but both my sister and I noticed them. I’d mulled over the idea of leaving Leisel in the cabin—but I feared that would result in her getting snatched up by shifters while I wasn’t there to protect her.
After tying up the horses to their usual post, I walk straight to Mariketa and Parker, both of whom are gathered with the human portion of the crowd, and ask them to keep an eye on Leisel while I’m occupied trying to win against impossible odds.
Now, I stand silently by them, eyeing the group of shifters across the stone-paved town square from us. Camden and Wyatt are conversingwith eight of their packmates, as well as watching Leisel and me from the corner of their eyes.
Almost all of the shifters are male, the only female being the one who nearly knocked down my door last night. I imagine I’ll be paired with her, even though she’s taller than me, and most likely a lot more competent with fighting. She’s the closest thing to aneven matchthat’s currently available.
Parker brings me out of my thoughts when he puts a hand on my shoulder. “Your father once told me something that’s stuck with me, even decades later,” he quietly tells me.
That instantly snags my attention, and I turn to face him. I know that Parker was friends with Dad—they grew up in the same village, and even before doing business together, they were almost like brothers for how close they were.
“What was that?” I ask him.
Parker gazes meaningfully at me. “That morale is the most important aspect of any battle. If you go in with a losing mindset, you’ll lose. If you go in with a winning mindset, you’ll prevail.” His voice lowers to a whisper. “You know where the trachea is on the neck, yes?”
I nod.
“A blow to the trachea will hurt and slow down even a shifter. Let your opponent tire themselves out and wait for an opening. Once you see it, give a punch to the trachea full force. That’ll give you enough time to get an arm around their neck, even though they’ll heal far faster than humans. Then you grip their neck with everything in you, and hold on like your life depends on it because it damn well does.”
I look at Parker in an entirely new light, because he sounds like he’s speaking from experience. All my life, I’ve known him as the cheerful village butcher, married to the even more cheerful village baker, butright now, I’m not staring at the man I sell meat to several times a week while chatting. I’m staring at a warrior.
I blink slowly. “It almost sounds like you’ve fought shifters before, Parker.”
A small, slightly sad smile flits over his lips. “You’re not the only one who’s had to declare duelum, Sierra.” His hand drops from my shoulder. “Remember what I’ve told you.”
Camden steps forward from his crowd of shifters and addresses me directly, his voice echoing around the town square. “You will be dueling with Aspen,” he says, motioning to the blonde female. “The rules are simple. No weapons allowed. It is a fight until you yield or lose consciousness. Afterwards, youwillaccompany me to Kinrith, whether in chains or by your own free will.”
His assumption that I’ll yield or pass out isn’t lost on me—he’s not even slightly worried for Aspen and has every confidence she’ll win. He clearly doesn’t think I stand a chance. That sparks an anger in me that I vehemently push aside because being emotional will only hinder me.
I walk into the middle of the town square, halfway between the humans and shifters. Aspen follows suit, looking me up and down with a predator’s eyes.
“I advise you to yield now,” she tells me. “I have no wish to harm my future queen.”
She sounds surprisingly sincere on the latter, but that only makes me more determined to prove to the shifters here that I’m not quite the helpless human they assume me to be.
“Thank you for the consideration,” I respond mildly, “but I’d really rather die than have any relations with mythics.”
Chapter Six
Aspen’s eyes flare with anger at my gall, and her nails transform into claws. I don’t bother pointing out that they’re weapons—my words would be overlooked or altogether ignored. Before I can blink, she strikes out with her right hand, claws aimed for my torso.
I intercept the strike with my forearm, but her strength still outmatches mine, so instead of her claws tearing the flesh of my stomach, they sink into my left thigh. They’re sharp enough to slice through my skin like butter, and a hiss escapes me at the stabbing pain that spreads through my entire leg like sharp needles tearing through skin.
I retaliate with a swift strike to her solar plexus that sends her stumbling back two steps, and she looks positively shocked at my strength, looking from the spot where I hit her to my hand with widened eyes.
Twelve hours of daily manual labor has its perks.
Then, the strangest thing happens. Time seems to slow down to a crawl, and all of my surroundings dim. My initial assumption that blood loss is already affecting me clears when I see Aspen launch at mein slow motion.
My movements, however, aren’t slowed like hers. I sidestep her as she comes careening towards me and deliver a swift kick to the back of her knee that sends her sprawling to the ground.
I glance around me to see if time outside of her has also somehow been altered to a slow pace and am shocked to see that it has. Mariketa is whispering something to Leisel, her lips moving at the speed of molasses. Leisel’s blink looks like it takes several seconds.
