Page 50 of The Reign of Blood

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Tugging my arm from his hold, he thankfully lets me go. I take measured steps toward the challenger as I consider his words, drowning in the offer as I try to decide my next move.

Dammit.

Why does he have to do that? I had a clear path out of his life. Why doesn’t he want me to take it? I don’t understand. I don’t have time to figure it out as another wolf climbs up onto the table next to me.

“Let the duel begin,” she yells, a round of cheers echoing through the dining room.

The challenger charges at me without a single moment to waste. I can’t decide what to do until she’s too close, and I find myself knocked off my feet and hurtling toward the ground. My back slams harshly against the floor, burning up my spine and aggravating the amethyst, wreaking havoc on my magic.

She bares her teeth at me as she snarls, raising her fist, but before she can reach her intended target, my face, I land my own punch at the side of her neck, making her lose her balance.

“Bitch,” she spits, cupping the reddening area, but I don’t wait around for her to react as I roll us. Bucking my hips and bracing my shoulders, I effortlessly switch us around so I’m hovering over her.

She may have a height advantage over me, but she definitely doesn’t have the muscle I do.

The crowd boos around us, unhappy I’m showing some kind of advantage, and it’s truly unfortunate for them, because I’m taking this bitch down whether they like it or not.

“I’ll kill you,” she growls, punching me in the side of the head, but my weight over her doesn’t shift as I rear my arm right back and connect with her face a second later.

Blood instantly coats my knuckles, sprouting from her nose, but that doesn’t stop me from raising it again. Ready to repeat the motion, I frown when a hand locks around my waist, holding me in place and preventing me from hitting out again.

“What the fuck?” I grumble, glancing over my shoulder to see Raiden.

“What’s the answer now?” he asks, making me frown. My chest falls and rises rapidly as I try to contain the adrenaline running through my veins.

“What do you mean?”

“She’s not dead, and she can’t tap out, but she sure as shit is knocked out cold.”

I turn, looking down at the girl once again to find her completely out of it. Shit. He’s right.

“This is bullshit,” someone from the crowd hollers, and a few murmur their agreement as Cassian slowly stands from the table, stepping closer to us with his hands casually tucked into his pockets.

“I declare Adrianna Reagan the winner.”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” I grumble under my breath as Raiden pulls me from the injured girl.

My body tenses as if he’s going to take off speeding through the corridors, but to my surprise, he keeps a slow pace until I’m at the entryway, where he places me down on my feet.

“What did he say to make you change your mind?” he asks, lifting my chin up so I meet his gaze, but I shake my head.

“It doesn’t matter.” I try to take a step back, but he follows straight after me.

“It does, Adrianna. I want to hear you say it,” he breathes, running his thumb over my bottom lip.

I can’t think with him this close, nevermind breathe, yet the words part from my mouth anyway.

“He offered information on my mother.”

21

ADRIANNA

Information on my mother? What the fuck do I want that for? I don’t know. Clearly, there’s a part of me that subconsciously clings to some kind of remnant of her in my mind, but I’m trying not to think about it. Not when I’m already distracted. All of my father’s focus training has gone out the window since I got here. I’ve barely been able to cling to any of it and everything has become an easy distraction. I’m not faring well, and I know my father would be helpless to get me on track.

Maybe it would be different if he were here, but that’s not always going to be the case. I know I’m strong, resilient, and determined, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my weaknesses, and it seems like I’ve found them.

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