A chuckle echoes in my mind.Are you ready to give up so easily, Phoenix Wildarrow?
Never, I snap at the trickster god.
They don’t speak to me anymore. But I sense the amusement on the tip of my tongue as they remain present at the back of my mind.
I tighten the muscles of my core and adjust myself in my seat. I will remain here for as long as I need, without water, food, or sleep.
Gods be damned, I will be walking out of this damn arena as a winner.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
PHOENIX
Finally, another Ezkai emerges from the forest. It’s not Daegel.
A petite woman fae with bare feet makes her way towards the weapons. Her beige face is young, almost childish. The only sign that she has seen life already is a long scar that goes over the left side of the face, right through her eye.
She doesn’t look anywhere in particular, her gaze unfocused. Can it be…no. She’s blind. I can’t believe it. She made it this far without seeing.
There are other ways to see,Lorca says.Greater, more intense ways. Just say a word and I’ll show you.
Thanks, I’ll pass.
The trickster god purrs and caresses my mind with its claws. I still can’t figure out whether they are a friend or a foe.
How about a little bit of both?
I sigh, but don’t reply. Instead, I focus all of my attention on the two women about to collide in the middle of the clearing.
The tall woman rises to her feet, gripping her daggers tight in each hand. I can’t read her face, but the fire burning hot in her brown eyes makes me want to hide.
The closer the blind woman gets to the middle, the harder my heart beats. She has no weapons. She has no sight. She doesn’t even have her damn shoes. How is she going to fight?
Once the barefoot woman is close enough, the tall woman steps forward and slashes the air between them with her daggers. The blind woman doesn’t even flinch.
With a roar, the tall woman launches at her with full force. The crowd roars when the petite woman graciously dodges the attack at the very last minute, stepping out of the tall woman’s way. My jaw drops. The blind woman’s feet move quickly and with the precision of a dancer.
Because the tall woman doesn’t expect her opponent to step out of the way, she loses her balance and stumbles forward. Without missing a beat, the blind woman uses it for her advantage. She grabs one of the tall woman’s wrists and twists her arm behind her back with force.
A crack echoes through the clearing.
The scream that bursts out of the tall woman’s throat is animalistic and full of agony. She drops one of the daggers, and the petite woman quickly retrieves it from the ground. Now, they’re equal opponents.
The crowd roars, the air buzzing with excitement. My hear races, and sweat drips down my back.
To my surprise, the tall woman manages to get out of her opponent’s grip and moves away a few feet. Two women stand facing each other for a moment. I can tell that the tall woman has learned her lesson. She won’t repeat the mistake of using brutal force again.
They find themselves in a dance of sorts instead. When one of them takes a step forward, the other one moves away. They move fluidly through space and it’s a mesmerizing sight, blades slashing the air between them but never meeting.
A movement in the bushes at the corner of my vision catches my gaze. I look over to the side.
Daegel emerges from the safety of the forest and makes his way towards the two women caught in the dance. His feet are light on the ground, and he’s hunched over to make himself as small as possible. He moves like a panther, quiet and dangerous.
The two women don’t notice him, they’re too focused on each other.
An urge to scream at them to pay attention rises inside me. But I can’t do it. I’m not their friend. I’m their enemy. If I warn them of Daegel’s presence, I will reveal my location.
So, I press my lips tight and watch the action unfold.
