‘That weapon is mine,’a male voice spoke into my mind, and I gasped.
My head snapped to the wolf as he held my flesh in his mouth. I locked eyes with him, unprepared to hear another in my own head. I’d heard rumors of suchthings but thought it was a myth. His glowing yellow eyes seared into me as if seeing my whole soul. I felt raw, exposed, consumed.
I gripped the King Killer tighter, and it flashed golden as if in defiance of him.
‘Not right now, it’s not,’Icountered, speaking into my own mind and wondering if he heard.
A snarl reverberated into my skull as I felt a dominating presence press down on me. My knees buckled, but I pushed against it, knowing it was him.
‘You want this weapon?’I cocked my head, holding his gaze.‘Then you’ll have to fight by my side, protecting me, and help me win this trial. Or is that too hard for a traitor wolf?’
He bit down then, harder, until I heard my bone snap. An animalistic wail left my lips. It sounded so foreign, I didn’t recognize it as my own. Searing hot pain throbbed in my arm, but I didn’t break his gaze. Something about this wolf, his dominance sliding over my skin, felt ancient, powerful. I instinctively knew I shouldn’t break his gaze, that if I did, we wouldn’t bond, he wouldn’t submit. But the bastard just broke my arm, of that I was sure.
I moved the arm holding the King Killer until the tip was pressed against his neck, deep into his fur.
‘If you ever hurt me like that again, I’ll take your head,’Ipromised him.
He immediately released my arm and bowed, submitting.
Gasps of shock surrounded me, and even I was taken aback. That was easy… I mean, not at first, but as soon as I threatened him with the weapon, he submitted.
I stared at the sword in my hand, and the glowing stopped.
The crowd erupted into chatter, and I tried not to listen to them, but it was impossible.
King Killer.
Traitor wolf.
She’s magicless, so how did that weapon choose her?
The wolf submitted to her.
The others bowed to him.
Traitor.
He’ll abandon her.
She’ll die in the first trial, King Killer or not.
She’s magicless.
A rat from the Dregs.
This will be fun.
Entertainment.
I’ll put money on her death.
I swallowed hard and peered down at the wolf beside me.
He wasn’t staring at me, though. He was lookingat the sword in my hands as if looking at a long-lost lover, my blood dripping from his mouth.
All of a sudden, Cassian was there, ushering me and my wolf away so that the next contestants could have a turn.
Even Corvessa was speechless.
