“It is the safest place for you.”
I griped, “The last guard wanted to eat me.”
“They’ve all had large meals already,” he deadpanned.
“I can’t tell if you’re jesting or not. Your kind is a filthy lot,” I said softly. I released my hold on his pants and started to edge my way to the center seats, squeezing between the low railing and the seated guards who were equal parts shocked and offended by my appearance. I stopped in my tracks when Bishop hopped over the railing to the challenge area. I grumbled in shock, “You aren’t sitting with me?”
“I will be, but I need to tend to my king first.” Bishop pointed at the seat again. “Sit your ass down before you attract any more attention.”
All the guards’ eyes near me were flicking back and forth between us, trying to understand why the king’s personal assistant was allowing this—an elf in the royal arena.
I lifted my blood-covered nose and sniffed. “Fine.”
I kept squeezing past shifter guards, my hackles raised and alert for any surprise attacks. I finally stopped in front of one of the two empty seats, swiftly sitting down. My gaze followed Bishop as he slipped into a door below the stands. I adjusted my hood even lower and slipped farther down into my oversized, rock chair.
The shifter next to me snarled and leaned as far away from my person as he could.
It wasn’t far.
He was damned enormous and took up most of his seat.
I sighed and stayed silent, keeping my hands in my lap.
I watched that door on the challenge floor as if my life depended on it—and it might if Bishop didn’t hurry up.
I wasliterallysitting in the middle ofthousandsof aggressive shiftersunprotected. One might say this wasn’t my smartest idea.
King Traevon would lose his bloody mind if he ever found out about my misadventures in the Shifter Kingdom. And if Caspian knew what he was actually covering for, I would most assuredly be locked in his wine cellar—maybe forever.
The door opened. It wasn’t Bishop who walked out.
Unknown shifter after unknown shifter poured out onto the challenge floor. One, two, three, four, five, six… The shifters just kept coming out of the hidden area and swarming around the floor. They lifted their arms into the air, pumping up the crowd, different animal roars from the onlookers attacking the air.
I stopped counting at thirty. More were still coming.
They had plenty of room since the arena was so large, but I was confused. I thought only the challenger and the king’s personal assistant were allowed on the challenge floor. Bishop had explained that to me earlier when I’d gotten bored in the office and started bugging him about the night’s event. So who in the Fae fuck were all these shifters?
Finally, Bishop stepped into view.
He strolled to the center of the arena. He stood silently.
Like tumblers falling, the entire arena went quiet by sections.
Into the hush, Bishop shouted, “These men believe they can beat our king! He who protects us. He who loves us. He who fights for us! By law, they have the right to a challenge…and a challenge they shall get!”
The stone under my feet vibrated from the shouts of violence and adrenaline that flew from the crowd, their animals taking voice soon after and sending a chilling shiver down my spine.
I sucked in oxygen, my heart skipping a beat.
Bishop hadn’t mentioned this.
I thought it wasonechallenger. Not close tofifty.
Even I knew this was unheard of.
What was my reckless soul mate thinking?
Panic squeezed my throat as King Athon stepped outside the door, more frantic, rowdy cheers jarring my bones at his arrival. His challengers parted and allowed him to walk to the center of the arena, surrounding him just as quickly. The shifter king patted Bishop’s back and whispered against his ear, then his friend’s job was done as the challenge announcer.
