The sound of the crowd penetrated my lustful thoughts.Being held by him thus was mortifying, but I’d be more humiliated if I lost.I ceased struggling and tried to calm my mind, to think strategically.I pictured myself as the crowd would see me.Taio had me about the waist, my legs dangling down, my upper body slightly bent.If I reared back, my elbow would be at an angle to connect with the side of his abdomen.That was my best shot.
I went completely limp, hoping he’d think I’d fainted.The crowd hushed, so I must have been convincing.The prince shifted subtly, probably trying to decide what to do now, and I took advantage of the moment.I reared up, slammed my elbow into his side with all my strength, and ground it in.The Zulenii grunted and doubled over, releasing me.
I landed on my feet and brought a booted foot up, kicking him in the belly, almost in the exact same spot where I’d just elbowed him.He sank to his knees, and I pulled my hand back and slammed my knuckles across his cheek.I knew I’d hurt him because my hand stung when it came away.The crowd erupted into deafening cries of triumph, and I glanced toward the box with my parents.
That was my mistake.
The prince, still on his knees before me, reached out and grasped my ankle.He yanked hard, and I went down on my ass.The same ass I’d bruised on the training field.The pain lanced through me, and everything went silent.I lay on the hard ground staring up at the sky for I don’t know how long.I was aware of my heart pounding and the muted whooshing my blood made in my ears.Pain pulsed through me, blocking almost everything else out.Above, a fluffy white cloud blew across the pale blue expanse of sky, obscuring the sun briefly.Then the face of the prince came into view, and the world rushed back in.
The crowd’s calls penetrated my senses, especially the Zulenii contingent’s counting.
“Treh!”they called.
“No!”I tried to rise, but I couldn’t move.Then my arms were shoved down.I looked up and realized the prince had climbed on top of me.His knees held my body immobile, and his hands had locked on my wrists, holding me down.The thought flashed in my mind that I might have enjoyed this in another time and place.
“Quatre!”
“Who did this to you?”he asked.
I squirmed, trying to get away from him, but he held me fast.
“Was it your father?”
“What?”
“Cinq!”the Zulenii called.
“That mark on your jaw,” Taio said.I blinked up at him then understanding dawned.
“It’s from training with my sisters.Now get off me.”I bucked again and freed one hand.
“No.Stay down, Mara.I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Well,Iwant to hurtyou.Get off!”Ignoring the pain that seemed to encapsulate my entire body, I reared up, dislodging him enough that I was able to free my wrists and slide partially out from under him.He came back down, and I punched him in the chest, sending him reeling back.I took the chance to free my legs, though one was still partially trapped.This time when he came down on me, I rolled.Suddenly, I was looking down athim.
The surge of power I felt in that instant was unlike anything I’d ever known.I locked my knees around his middle, feeling his muscles flex against my thighs.I gritted my teeth against a surge of arousal.He looked up at me, his eyes like the sea before a storm.That was my warning.I rolled off him before he could strike.One hit from him, and I would have been done.
But my legs were weary, and my ass still hurt.I stumbled rather than rose to my feet.Taio grabbed my leg, bringing me down.I tried to scramble away, but his body came down on top of mine, sending all my breath rushing out.I reared back, the pain of the contact worth it when I felt the back of my head connect with something hard.From his curse, I assumed I connected with his jaw or—hopefully—his nose.
Panic ripped through me.How was I to get out from under him now?He could lie on top of me.Struggle as I might, I wouldn’t be able to dislodge him.
But then he grabbed me by the shoulders and dragged me up, like I was a doll.We were both on our knees, my back to him.Hope flared in me.I could fight him from this position.I could get away and—
His arm went around my neck, and he hauled me back against his chest.His other arm was still around my middle, holding my arms in place.I struggled to free them even as his arm tightened around my neck.I saw black spots.
No.
I tried to draw in air, flailed, but a fog began to descend.
No!
“Lady Mara,” he whispered in my ear, his voice like soft velvet.
I shook my head.I would not lose consciousness.I would not die this way.I couldn’t swallow, couldn’t breathe.
“I’m sorry.”His voice held a note of true remorse.“I would not do this if it wasn’t the only way.I need you.”
No, no, no.
