Pressing my lips together, I shoved that thought aside.
“Congratulations,” I said tightly.
He laughed. “Your nose does this funny little scrunching thing when you’re annoyed. It’s kind of cute. Want a cut of my winnings for betting on you?”
“No, I do not want a cut of your winnings,” I said, throwing up my hands in exasperation and very pointedly ignoring his comment about my nose. “I want you to leave me out of your games.”
He leaned in close, and his lips brushed my ear. A shiver unexpectedly coursed through my body. “Just take your win for what it is, love. The only person you need to beat is your past self, and you did that in spades. Because the girl I met yesterday never would have come sixth. In fact, I don’t think she would have even tried.”
I bristled, narrowing my eyes. Through gritted teeth, I said, “That’s rich coming from you. You wouldn’t be happy coming sixth.”
“I need the Everstone. I know you think you do, too. But you don’t. Not really.”
“Don’t you dare tell me what I do and don’t need.” My voice echoed through the cavernous space. It was then I realizedthe crowd had quietened. It was so silent in the arena now that you could hear a sunstone drop. Or—much to my intense embarrassment—Tormund and I arguing about which one of us deserved the Everstone more.
Tormund leaned back, a hiss escaping through clenched teeth, as if he’d noticed the silence at the same moment I had. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, he felt like the only person in this godsforsaken mountain who understood everything I was feeling right now. The embarrassment, yes. But also the defiance against anyone who might laugh at said embarrassment. And the slight hope that the other contestants might get rattled by our combined stubbornness.
But there was something else I noticed. That spark brightened his eyes again as his lips twisted into a grin. I couldn’t stop myself from grinning right back. Theentirearena was watching us, collective breath held as they waited to see what we’d do next.
So, with that in mind, I stuck out my hand. “To putting on a good show.”
A chuckle rumbled from his chest. “To entertaining the bloody lot of them.”
His fingers tightened around mine. Warmth flooded my skin, despite the cooling shadows that twisted around his body. I swallowed, jumping when the roar of the crowd engulfed us once again. We shook hands. Tormund nodded once, his eyes locked on mine.
I nodded back, though I didn’t know what for. I just felt compelled to do it, like something in his gaze had tugged my chin up and then down again. It was why, a moment later, I still held his hand. Because his alluring shadow demon gaze was controlling me. Not for any other reason. Especially not because the warmth of him called to me.
Sucking in a sharp breath, I yanked back my hand and took a step away.
I stumbled right into Galinn’s chest, and winced from the hardness of it. Galinn grabbed my arms and pushed me sideways. My feet twisted on the sloped ground. I threw out my hands to catch my fall, but my knees hit the sandy dirt first. Pain lanced through me, as viciously sharp as a knife.
“You cheated,” Galinn said, pointing a finger at Tormund’s chest.
Ignoring Galinn, Tormund knelt beside me and held out a hand. “You all right?”
I rubbed my knees. “Yes, yes, I’m fine.”
Narrowing his eyes, Tormund glared up at Galinn. “You knocked over another contestant. Surely that gets you disqualified.”
A deep angry red spread through Galinn’s face, but then he looked at me and regret filled his eyes. He rubbed the back of his neck, frowning. “I’m sorry, Astrid. I only meant to move you out of the way.”
Jostein bustled over to the three of us, twisting his hands around his beard. “You three are causing quite the commotion.” He looked down at where I still sat on the ground. “Astrid, tell me you’re fine.”
“I’m fine, Jostein. Don’t worry, I—”
“Galinn knocked her onto the ground. She seems fine, but he could have really hurt her. I thought that kind of behavior wasn’t tolerated.” Tormund stood, though he still kept his hand stretched out to me. “I read the rules before entering. No sabotaging other contestants, no outright hostility, and certainly no bodily harm.”
Jostein pursed his lips.
“You can’t honestly be listening to thisstranger,” Galinn argued, the red in his face deepening. “He doesn’t even belong in this competition in the first place. And he cheated!”
“I did not cheat,” Tormund countered.
“You used your shadow demon power.”
“No one said I couldn’t.”
I heaved a sigh, rolling my eyes. This was getting ridiculous now.
