"Outspoken." A male Khuuz’eth chuckled as he too stepped forward. "I'll fight for her."
She should have kept her mouth shut. She wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, but she figured the less challengers the better for her and Khaazai. Though he had been the one to tempt more fighters into the middle of the room.
Holly rushed up beside her having finally made it past all the Khuuz’eth. "Sorry, I tried to get here faster but... a guy wouldn't leave me alone." She rushed out in a single breath.
"What's going on, Holly?" Zahra felt a solid pit forming in her stomach, her own anxiety causing her to miss Holly’s words.
"The general tried to get this tradition removed because he knew you wouldn't like it, but Khaazai and the emperor insisted this tradition must be adhered to for the alliance to continue forward." Holly rushed to explain, still trying to catch her breath.
"And what exactly is this tradition?" Zahra nearly growled under her breath. She might just strangle General Bohler, she didn’t care how insubordinate the thought might be.
"Other men are offered the chance to fight Khaazai for you."
Zahra narrowed her eyes on Holly. "Let me get this right, if he loses,” she hitched a thumb at him, “I go to the winner like some prize?"
"No." Holly shook her head. "You can still accept or decline the male that wins, but if Khaazai loses, then your marriage won't go through."
"And the alliance?"
"Will fall through if you refuse the winner." Holly grimaced. "It only goes through if you join with one of the Khuuz’eth. It doesn’t matter if it’s Khaazai or another male."
"Not what I signed up for." Zahra grumbled. She still wasn't entirely sure she wanted to marry Khaazai. It felt so similar to an arranged marriage. She knew very little about him or his culture. But to marry a completely different man? No. Definitely no.
As if sensing her apprehension over this fight, Khaazai turned and his electric blue eyes met hers. He gave the slightest nod of his head as if to say, "Don't worry, I've got this."
“You better.” She growled at him, making sure he heard her.
Another Khuuz’eth male stepped up beside him handing Khaazai one of their plasma staffs. He faced his enemies who were also given plasma staffs.
"Don't fear, human. Khaazai is renowned for his prowess in battle." The emperor stated, relaxed in his seat as if he wasn’t about to witness his cousin face off against several males.
Zahra turned to the emperor. "Do they fight him all at once or one at a time?"
"Watch and find out for yourself." He inclined his head to the fight unfolding before them as he savored another bite of the meat from the table.
With a primal growl that reverberated through her bones, Khaazai slammed a hand on the table and launched himself over the table and at his first opponent, a blur of black skin and pure muscle. She felt a rush of relief slam into her chest when she realized they would fight him one on one instead of altogether. It offered her some hope that he’d make it out the fight the winner, assuming he didn’t end up tiring out before the last opponent.
Their spears met in a bone shattering clash like a crack of thunder, and Zahra flinched instinctively. When they were fighting for their lives on the planet against the Sri’thaen’s, she hadn’t gotten a good look at the Khuuz’eth strength. Watching them now, she realized how easy Khaazai had taken it on her while aboard his ship in the training room. It made her wonder how he’d been able to hold back that much strength. A clash with him would easily shatter her arms.
The men flung each other away and then circled as they sized each other up, before the opposing male launched himself at Khaazai with a roar. Khaazai met the attack head on and then managed to maneuver his spear in a display of raw skill as he flung the opposing male’s spear into the crowd. Without a moment of hesitation, he pressed the tip against the male’s throat. A silent declaration of his dominance over the other male.
Some feminine part of her responded to the display of male power, and Zahra squirmed in her seat.
Some silent communication appeared to pass between them, because Khaazai lowered his spear as the male backed out of the fighting area. Another male took barely a second before he roared into the fighting area to challenge Khaazai. And on and on they went. The rhythm of the battling seemed relentless. Khaazai took a few hits, but to his credit he seemed to be holding his own, his stamina leaving her in awe.
At last, the final opponent stepped forward, an alien male who appeared cut straight from stone. The two men circled each other, allowing the audience a moment to take in this new fighter. The opponent was a mountain of alien muscle. A spike of worry pumped through Zahra. It seemed the worst had been saved for last.
"Calm, female. I can scent your fear permeating the air." The emperor rumbled deep in his chest.
"Easier said than done." Zahra growled back, her eyes never leaving the males before her.
"Khaazai said you are a soldier, so you should know not everything comes down to brute strength." The emperor said, his voice the perfect calm. “Perhaps you are worried over his safety?”
Zahra snorted. “I barely know him. You can’t worry about someone’s safety when you have no emotions invested in them.”
“Do you humans not believe in love at first sight?” The emperor’s voice sounded almost mocking, like the idea tickled him that a sentient species might believe in something so silly, but also intrigued with the idea himself.
Again, Zahra snorted. “Some of us do, but I would call those people fools.”
