Page 76 of The Academy of Blood & Shadow

Nyra watches with wide blue eyes. "Is this safe?"

Cassian stands on her other side. "Relatively."

"That word is doing a lot of work." She mutters.

"It usually does."

Dax manages to throw Rhyven onto his back. The crowd surges. Rhyven rolls before Dax can pin him. He catches Dax's wrist, shifts his weight and turns the movement against him. A second later, Dax is face-down in the earth with one arm trapped behind him. He taps the ground. The bell rings.

The cavern explodes. Rhyven releases him immediately.

Dax rolls onto his back, laughing. "You cheated."

Rhyven stands above him. "You lost. Different thing."

He then offers his hand. Dax takes it. Rhyven pulls him upright. No humiliation. No lingering anger. Only two friends who tried very hard to injure each other within agreed boundaries. Rhyven climbs from the pit. A girl meets him at the wall with his shirt. She presses one hand briefly against his chest while saying something near his ear. He accepts the shirt. Answers once. She laughs. Then kisses his cheek and leaves. He does not follow.

I turn toward the bar. My drink has disappeared. Probably Rowan. I go in search of another. The bar is crowded. Old Bram serves drinks without asking what anyone wants. Apparently he remembers. I reach the counter at the same moment Rhyven does.

He stands beside me, shirt hanging half open because he has not bothered fastening it. A bruise is already forming beneath his ribs. There is a thin cut near his mouth. He looks annoyingly satisfied. I face the bottles.

"You looked surprised." His voice is rougher after the fight.

"About what?" I ask.

"The pit."

"I was."

"Why?"

"I didn't know you did anything willingly."

He glances toward me. "I came here willingly."

"Dax insulted you into fighting."

"He was becoming unbearable."