But unlike me, Kaskian paid attention. He reversed the ball’s trajectory with precision.
I underestimated his power; the ball broke past my defenses and hit me in the nose again. I gasped in anger as blood gushed down my mouth.
He’s hitting me in the face on purpose,I thought furiously.
My willingness to follow the rules flew out the window. Now this fight was personal.
Spitting out my own blood, I ducked under the net and launched myself at Kaskian. We fell in a heavy, snarling whirlwind on the hot sand.
Gaius blasted the whistle. “Hey, you two! Knock it off!”
I didn’t care. Rather, I couldn’t care. My years of training kicked in. I went into autopilot; my body was caught up in rage and self-preservation, eager not only to fight, but towin. I grabbed Kaskian’s head and shoved his smug face in the sand.
“Get off me, asshole!” Kaskian roared. He struggled to no avail. I’d pinned him down, and I was too heavy and strong to shove away.
When I didn’t let up, Kaskian grabbed a handful of sand and tossed it into my eyes.
I hissed in pain, shielding my eyes. This terrain was alien to me; I knew how to fight in snow, not sand. But I wouldn’t lose to the grizzly. If I couldn’t even defeathim, I had no chance at killing a dragon.
As blood lust took over, I raised my fist. One good punch was all it took to render a man unconscious—or worse.
“Rorik, stop!”
The gentle voice cut me to my bones. I froze as the white-haired omega dashed towards me, his eyes wide with concern and fear. He grabbed my raised fist with small, trembling hands. He wouldn’t let me hurt my opponent.
As the painfully familiar scent of arctic wolf brushed my nose, I knew it was him.
“Poppy?” I murmured. “Is that really you?”
He hesitated, then returned a slow nod. “Yes.”
I couldn’t believe it.
This was all too surreal.
Kaskian seized his chance. He shoved me aside and climbed out from beneath me, loudly cursing all the while. But I didn’t care about fighting him anymore.
“You’re alive,” I whispered to Poppy. “How?”
Poppy’s lip trembled. He dropped his gaze. “I—”
“Rorik!”
The voice calling out was the only one with the power to break this dreamlike spell. I snapped my head around to see Saffron bolting towards me. Concern was etched over his face.
His expression looked so genuine. Was he… worried about me?
It’s not real,I reminded myself, shutting down the feeling.It’s all a sick and twisted lie.
Saffron threw himself on his knees as he skidded beside me. “Rorik, you’re bleeding!”
“I’m fine,” I said flatly.
Poppy glanced at Saffron, then me, blinking a few times.
I couldn’t gauge his expression. Was he afraid of the dragon?
Icy rage surged within me like a crashing glacier. Had the dragons hurt Poppy? How long had he been held hostage in this wretched place?
