They’d turned it around to a fucking free-for-all andopen challengerson a Friday night. And somehow they’d been publicizing it behind our backs through connections that left even Myriam fucking clueless. Avior as well from the rage I was getting from him.
“So what’s the play?” I asked Myriam.
“You’re not getting any more for each fight. This is fucking bullshit. It’s—”
“But we can keep betting, right?” I checked. “Each fight will have its own ten minutes to gamble and lock in bets?”
“Yes, but they won’t be as much,” Avior answered. “A lot of these guys are unknown. You could have hundreds and—”
“Right, but only if they decide to be stupid and stick around,” I chuckled darkly. “Is there anything in the—I can just bail anytime, right?”
“There’s no number. Only if you lose do you give up all the winnings of the night, and that can be read as gambling winnings too,” Myriam warned.
I turned to the assistant manager. “How much trouble would it cause if I walked out of here now?” I didn’t wait for him to answer, knowing it. “You will facilitate this with honor going forward and I will saveyourass so you can take this fucker’s job. Got it?”
“Deal.” He blocked me when I went to turn away. “And I only knew about the five from out of town. This—this is bullshit. You’re a real fighter. He’s pissed he lost so much money betting against you. It was supposed to be so much for each of the five.”
I nodded that I heard him and it wasn’t his call. Still… Best to just move on. I gave Myriam a look basically telling her to brace for impact and she swore under her breath. I understood her upset, but there wasn’t really a good way to handle any of this.
I was backed into another corner and my dragons weretiredof that. They were tired of us getting fucked over or peopletrying to fuck us—underestimate us at every turn. More than just fighting and it was constant. The police chief debacle was worse than we knew and all right under Father’s nose.
So that was more for me to clean up and people would blame me and my damn breasts again. The high priest wasn’t backing down and even doubling down that this was all because I wasn’t confirmed by the elders as was tradition and things were going wrong in my rule because of it.
How did that even work? The chief of police of Nerthus was corrupt and breaking thelawbecause I didn’t cave to the elders and let them puppet me? Because they didn’t physically put the crown on my head at the fucking coronation?
How did no one else seem to hear how insane that was?
But other temple leaders were starting to back him instead of distancing themselves like at the start.Morewere now saying they wanted to have one-on-one weekly meetings with the prospective candidates for my mating.
That didn’t scream that the elders had found the right people to bribe to put pressure on me to get their positions back or in retaliation for what I’d done.
And the high priest announced them like it was all set up and being facilitated by the temple. Someone leaked the list to him and he held a press conference naming most of them right around dinner. I was… Pissed didn’t even cover it. I had said I was going to do that with June on Sunday, especially since there were a few areas that hadn’t decided yet.
Those Alphas were less than happy and had left me messages saying they wanted to discuss options.
Mine was currently to put the high priest in the ground, sooooo someone might need to come up with something else. Really, they might need to on this one.
Basically, I’d been looking forward to having multiple fights to get my aggression and upset out. I wanted to have some funand get a good workout in—make the money Ineededto finish paying off my parents fuckingdebts. Seeing and talking with Velle had poured salt in that wound.
Yes, I’d been sympathetic and was glad to help her. Full stop.
I was beyond glad that I could call in an easy favor and make it go away even if I didn’t have faith she would be much use to Myriam.
But someone had been able to do that for her. I hadn’t had that. I was at an illegal underground fighting ring being fucked overyet againdealing with the mess mylovingparents had left me. She got to tell people the truth and they were sympathetic to her.
I had to hide it and quietly clean it up, carrying that on my shoulders like… It was all too much.
And I was tired of it all being too much.
You don’t have to behave. Let it out.
“Really?”Eloise checked after we changed into our third form and the first fighter was coming in.“You get mad when I do and want a show.”
Not this time. This time they’ve pushed too far. Show them you’re the best and hurt the bad men. Make it painful and that way we won’t have to bother with the stupid ones.
She wasbeyondthrilled doing the silliest happy dance ever.
And she immediately knocked out the first fighter. I checked that bets were locked in, already having made sure Myriam placed extra bets about how fast I would win—the whole spread.
