Page 61 of House of the Iron Reaper

“I will train extra tomorrow,” I tell her wearily.

After this beautiful day, all the fight has left me. Why must it always be an argument?

“Well, yes, I should think so,” Mother continues, crossing her arms. “You have let this woman distract you. I will ensure Aythora doubles her training with you.”

“Mother…”

The thought of Aythora’s punishing training being doubled is enough for the exhaustion to seep into my bones. I rub my eyes with the heels of my hands until I see stars.

“You are the pride of this House, Novalie, and I will not see you ignore all your training so you can end up killed in the arena. How could you be so stupid?”

My hands drop to my sides. Every conversation with my mother is a fight, every word is a jab I must parry, every look is another reminder I serve only as a disappointment.

“I’m sorry,” I say, and want nothing more than to drag myself home and go to sleep.

“No.”

I blink, looking up, but it was not my mother who spoke. Deyanara takes a step, half-blocking me from my mother as if standing between us. Mother looks at her as if sandstrider shit has come alive and is asking her for an invite to supper.

“I will not accept that,” Deyanara says, and my eyebrows raise at the steel in her voice.

No, not steel.

Iron.

“Novalie works to exhaustion and collapse. She fights more ferociously than anyone I have met before. She embodies strength, and it is an insult to imply otherwise.” Deyanara fixes my mother with a glare I have never seen her wear before. “You have someone to be proud of. Do not take that for granted.”

My mother stares, wide-eyed, wrapping her shawl tighter around herself.

“Novalie,” she hisses. “Say something.”

Deyanara half-turns to look at me behind her, her profile glowing from the algae lamps. I let out a peal of surprised laughter.

“You heard her,” I tell my mother. “Fuck off.”

Mother’s jaw drops. Deyanara grins and holds out her hand. I take it, grinning back at her.

“Let me finish escorting you home,” she says.

“Absolutely.”

Mother does not even turn to look at us as we climb the steps past her, leaving her alone on the stairs. Deyanara falls into step with me. No trembling, no stammering, no lowered eyes. My cheeks warm, and my heart kicks against my ribs.

“That was incredibly attractive,” I tell her.

Deyanara’s eyes widen, a strangled sound escaping her lips.

“I… I…” she stammers, looking somewhere up in the sky.

I smile to myself, knowing I, at least, can undo her the way she undoes me.

Chapter 23

Deyanara

Between everything, a moon cycle passes too quickly.

The contender’s observation area is a small section over the entrance tunnel to the arena. It was off-limits during the opening ceremony, but now the official Rites have begun, the contenders are allowed to watch from our own section. Ronan and I huddle to the glass front, looking out. The seats fill quickly, an excited bustle waiting for the first fight of the Rites.