area surrounding me. I’m surrounded by Tricks’ men.
I cock out my left hip, crossing my arms. “I’m her. Who’s asking?” Crystal fidgets next to me.
Blaine lifts his eyebrows and gives me another once over. “You’re her?” His tone is patronizing. Doubtful.
“You gotta problem with that, old man?” I snarl, moving closer.
His eyes narrow. “Do you know who you’re talking to?”
I do, that’s what makes my next comment so much fun. “A greasy bastard with a stick up his arse?” I ask. Thank you, Alzona, for swearing so graphically.
“I’ll have you know I’m one of the King’s advisors.”
I snort. Bloody liar. “Are you just? And why’s the King’s advisor in the Sixth Sector? Seems to me the King don’t want you no more.” Tricks’ men watch the exchange, glancing at Alzona, who is hiding, and then at me pretending to be her. They don’t say anything.
At the edges of my vision, I can see her feet sticking out from the end of the bench. The temptation to look is overwhelming.
“I am conducting a tour,” he says, sniffing. His features settle into hard lines.
I clap him on the shoulder, giving him a knowing wink. “Sure you are, old man, sure you are.” I move past him. “Crystal!” I snap, clicking my fingers. She scampers up behind me. We return to our bench and Blaine sweeps past after a few tense moments. I ignore his furious look aimed my way.
“Ice,” I whisper. “Follow him. Make sure he’s leaving.” He looks at me strangely, but slides off the bench to do as I’ve asked.
Alzona stumbles back to our bench, still pale. Crystal squeezes her hand. The usually bossy barrack owner looks down at me, her expression impossible to read. I don’t ask any questions, she’ll tell me if she wants to. I seriously doubt she’ll want to. It doesn’t mean I won’t be trying to figure it out myself.
Ice slips back in. “He didn’t leave. He’s sitting three levels up.” I glance up, but he’s not in sight. I wonder who’s with him.
I wait for Alzona’s decision, until I see she’s still in shock.
“Do you need to get out of here?” I ask. She nods. I quickly gather my thoughts. Alzona just organized my fight so I can’t leave. If Blaine stays to watch my fight, he’ll know I’m not Alzona.
“Shard, Avalanche, Blizzard, Flurry. Get in.” The other men have been watching during their warm up. I meet Shard’s gaze and then look up at Avalanche. “Alzona’s heading out,” I say. “Shard, I think it’s best if you take over organizing the rest of the fights.” Shard nods.
“Ice, take Alzona and Crystal back to Tricks’. Don’t let that man see them on the way out.” Ice jumps up and down, eyes gleaming. It’s the most energetic I’ve ever seen him.
“That alright?” I shoot Alzona a hasty look. She just nods again. Her meek attitude concerns me. She’s usually so strong. What has Blaine done to make her so afraid?
“The rest of us will fight and aim to appear as normal as possible. If anyone asks, Alzona was sick.” If we’re lucky, Blaine will leave before realizing the truth.
Alzona, Crystal and Ice leave and the rest of us try to settle back into our routine.
“Finally!” Blizzard says. “We can pick our own matches.”
Shard gives him a wry glance. “Wrong. I can pick them.”
I leave them to their work, starting my own warm up. Alzona’s absence doesn’t go unnoticed. There are a few speculative glances from Tricks’ bench as Shard begins to negotiate our fights.
Shard approaches after talking with Tricks. “I don’t think you’ll be happy, but I want you to know in advance that Alzona did it and this opponent is close to your level. If you’re focused, you’ll win.”
I narrow my eyes at him and wait for it.
“Sin.”
“No!” I gasp, swinging a punch at him even though it wasn’t his doing. He darts away.
“You’re on in two.”
I continue my stretches, huffing. There’s an actual twinge of worry in my
I cock out my left hip, crossing my arms. “I’m her. Who’s asking?” Crystal fidgets next to me.
Blaine lifts his eyebrows and gives me another once over. “You’re her?” His tone is patronizing. Doubtful.
“You gotta problem with that, old man?” I snarl, moving closer.
His eyes narrow. “Do you know who you’re talking to?”
I do, that’s what makes my next comment so much fun. “A greasy bastard with a stick up his arse?” I ask. Thank you, Alzona, for swearing so graphically.
“I’ll have you know I’m one of the King’s advisors.”
I snort. Bloody liar. “Are you just? And why’s the King’s advisor in the Sixth Sector? Seems to me the King don’t want you no more.” Tricks’ men watch the exchange, glancing at Alzona, who is hiding, and then at me pretending to be her. They don’t say anything.
At the edges of my vision, I can see her feet sticking out from the end of the bench. The temptation to look is overwhelming.
“I am conducting a tour,” he says, sniffing. His features settle into hard lines.
I clap him on the shoulder, giving him a knowing wink. “Sure you are, old man, sure you are.” I move past him. “Crystal!” I snap, clicking my fingers. She scampers up behind me. We return to our bench and Blaine sweeps past after a few tense moments. I ignore his furious look aimed my way.
“Ice,” I whisper. “Follow him. Make sure he’s leaving.” He looks at me strangely, but slides off the bench to do as I’ve asked.
Alzona stumbles back to our bench, still pale. Crystal squeezes her hand. The usually bossy barrack owner looks down at me, her expression impossible to read. I don’t ask any questions, she’ll tell me if she wants to. I seriously doubt she’ll want to. It doesn’t mean I won’t be trying to figure it out myself.
Ice slips back in. “He didn’t leave. He’s sitting three levels up.” I glance up, but he’s not in sight. I wonder who’s with him.
I wait for Alzona’s decision, until I see she’s still in shock.
“Do you need to get out of here?” I ask. She nods. I quickly gather my thoughts. Alzona just organized my fight so I can’t leave. If Blaine stays to watch my fight, he’ll know I’m not Alzona.
“Shard, Avalanche, Blizzard, Flurry. Get in.” The other men have been watching during their warm up. I meet Shard’s gaze and then look up at Avalanche. “Alzona’s heading out,” I say. “Shard, I think it’s best if you take over organizing the rest of the fights.” Shard nods.
“Ice, take Alzona and Crystal back to Tricks’. Don’t let that man see them on the way out.” Ice jumps up and down, eyes gleaming. It’s the most energetic I’ve ever seen him.
“That alright?” I shoot Alzona a hasty look. She just nods again. Her meek attitude concerns me. She’s usually so strong. What has Blaine done to make her so afraid?
“The rest of us will fight and aim to appear as normal as possible. If anyone asks, Alzona was sick.” If we’re lucky, Blaine will leave before realizing the truth.
Alzona, Crystal and Ice leave and the rest of us try to settle back into our routine.
“Finally!” Blizzard says. “We can pick our own matches.”
Shard gives him a wry glance. “Wrong. I can pick them.”
I leave them to their work, starting my own warm up. Alzona’s absence doesn’t go unnoticed. There are a few speculative glances from Tricks’ bench as Shard begins to negotiate our fights.
Shard approaches after talking with Tricks. “I don’t think you’ll be happy, but I want you to know in advance that Alzona did it and this opponent is close to your level. If you’re focused, you’ll win.”
I narrow my eyes at him and wait for it.
“Sin.”
“No!” I gasp, swinging a punch at him even though it wasn’t his doing. He darts away.
“You’re on in two.”
I continue my stretches, huffing. There’s an actual twinge of worry in my
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