Let someone else do that! She can’t handle all of this,Kelter protests.
I’ll chain her up if she tries to leave me, but if she wants to burn down a quarter of Sonnet, I’ll stand by her side and hand her a fire stone.
Never fights Zandrite’s hold on her, but he’s only one threat of many in the arena. The Half Links are thirsty for blood and will fuck anything that looks their way. I have to get her out of here. The cheers and shouts become indistinct. Light stones flicker on the far walls. I return my attention to Kelter, now in my face. I tilt my head. Godsdamn, he got tall.
Only one of us can win, and we both know who it will be,I say.
His shoulders lift in a nearly imperceptible shrug.It’ll be me.
Did you forget I can’t die?
Kelter’s eyes narrow to unnecessarily thin slits. What’s the point of a facial expression when I feel every emotion and hear every thought in the jerk’s head?
He smiles at that.Did you forget that if I lose, Zandrite is taking Ever? So either he takes her back to his room… or I do.
You want me to fake my death and let you win?I ask.
You have to.
I hate that I have to rely on him to keep her safe. That I fail her over and over. But I had to choose him to fight. I’m still weak around Never, enough that one of the Half Links might overpower me and reveal to the whole arena that I’m incapable of dying. Then they’ll fear me and lock me up like in past lives.
I’m sure it doesn’t help that she keeps leaving you for me, Kelter taunts, once again listening beyond what I send him.
The crowd cheers as we circle each other, bouncing on the balls of our feet, fists up and ready. I push a curl out of one eye with the back of my hand.I should kill you. That would solve everything.
We don’t even know what would happen to you if I died.Kelter throws a jab at my face, and I duck out of the way.
Nothing. You’re dead weight. I let you live, and now you’re trying to take her from me.
“You took her from me!” Kelter hisses aloud.
It’s oddly pleasurable to watch him lose his shit, though I feel it all. I punch his jaw, swift and hard, knuckles meeting bone. The Half Links howl with approval. I tighten my fist, enjoying the throbbing sensation in my hand despite the pain in my own jaw from the blow.
He staggers sideways and spits blood—blood thatItaste. This is more disturbing by the minute. I chance another quick look at Never. She hasn’t let up on her struggle, but Zandrite now has his hairy-ass arm across her throat. That fucker is going to die.
I haven’t trained since I was eight,Kelter says.You could go a little easier on me.
I ignore his whining.You didn’t want her. You spent an entire year with her and left your hands behind your back and your dick in your pants. She’s incredible, and you’re oblivious.I knock him to the ground and plant my knee between his shoulder blades. He’s stronger than he was days ago but still no match for me.
You didn’t get my memories.You have no idea what I felt or did.He tries to escape.
I hold his head to the dirt with a fist to his temple, my knuckles slipping on his sweat.Have you counted how many times she’s called you ‘friend’? More times than I’ve shoved my tongue into her, and youknowhow long that went on.
Yet she’s linking with me. Because I’m the one she’s meant to be with. And don’t deny how she felt being close to me. I can tell when you pick up on her feelings.
Godsfuckingdammit. She was wet for me. I know it.‘Meant to be’ is meaningless. You think my mom wasmeantto stab my dad to death? Then fuck you. Nothing is meant to be. It justis.
You wouldn’t be saying that if you were linking with her.He reaches for his pocket, and I’m only a second behind.
I slap my hand over his and take my knife, then unsheathe it with my teeth.You’re an ass for taking this back from her.I hold the blade against the side of his neck.And a dead man for trying to get her to touch you.
Yeah I did, because my urges from linking are through the godsdamn roof. I need to be with someone. It’s literally killing me every minute I’m not with her.
I draw blood and watch it drip down his neck. It’s satisfying.Thatdoessound like the story of your death.Maybe I’ll do it.
She won’t forgive you.Kelter bends his neck away, a pathetic attempt to save his life.You don’t know what I’m going through. Damn, I’d even doyouif you weren’t—he cuts himself off.
My upper lip curls, disgusted.Your brother? I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.But he made his point. I feel his desperation. He’s falling apart. And so is she. And maybe me too, because I drag up the past and throw it at him.Who’s your father? Who’s the man so spiteful toward our mother that he cursed me?
