Page 41 of Caged By the Lich

I smirk. "For those two? Absolutely." I watch as Malakai, my scaled spymaster, takes a hard hit to the jaw. Kaz, ever the politician, fights dirty when he needs to.

To my surprise, Astrid steps closer to the ring, her eyes glued to the fight. There's a hunger in her gaze I've never seen before. It stirs something primal in me.

"Fuck!" Malakai shouts as Kaz pins him. The crowd erupts in cheers.

Kaz, grinning like an idiot, spots me. "Hey V! Care for a round?"

Before I can decline, Astrid nudges me forward. "Go on," she says, a challenge in her eyes. "Show me what you've got."

I can't resist that. Shrugging off my jacket and stripping off my tunic, I step into the ring. Kaz bounces on his feet, still high from his victory.

"Don't go easy on me, old man," he taunts.

I bare my teeth in a feral grin. "Wouldn't dream of it."

We circle each other, trading light jabs. Kaz is quick, but I've got reach on him. As we dance around the ring, he leans in close during a grapple.

"Southern beaches are secured," he mutters. "Troops are in position."

I nod imperceptibly, then use his momentary distraction to sweep his legs out from under him. Kaz hits the ground hard, and I'm on him in an instant, my forearm pressed against his throat.

"Yield," I growl.

Kaz taps out, laughing as I help him up. The crowd cheers, but the only reaction I care about is Astrid's. She's clapping, her eyes bright with excitement. It sends a thrill through me that I quickly tamp down.

We head back inside, Astrid chattering about the fight. As we pass a group of guards that don't see us, I catch a snippet of conversation that makes my blood run cold.

"...waste of time, keeping that human bitch around. I bet she's only good for one thing-"

I move before I can think, my hand closing around the speaker's throat. The demon chokes and sputters as I lift him off the ground.

"What was that?" I snarl. The room falls silent, all eyes on us.

The demon claws at my hand, his face turning purple. I squeeze harder, feeling the satisfying crunch of cartilage beneath my fingers.

"Let me make something very clear," I address the room, never taking my eyes off the guard. "Astrid is under my protection. Any disrespect towards her will be met with swift and brutal punishment."

To emphasize my point, I slam the demon into the wall, leaving a sizable dent. He crumples to the floor, gasping for air.

I turn to face the others, my eyes blazing with barely contained rage. "Does anyone else have something to say about her?"

The silence is deafening. Even Astrid stands stock-still, her eyes wide with shock.

"No?" I purse my lips. "Pity." Walking back towards Astrid, I give her a smile as I come up to her side. "Let's go."

I escort Astrid to her rooms, my hand resting lightly on the small of her back. The warmth of her seeps through the thin fabric of her dress, tempting me and I have to tamp it down. As we reach her door, she turns to face me, her green-gold eyes searching mine.

"You were a good fighter," she says softly. "I liked getting to see it."

I give her a smirk. "I'll let you watch me beat the shit out of Kaz any day."

She shakes her head at me, a small smile playing on her lips. "Goodnight, Olvaar."

The sound of my name on her lips will never stop hitting me so hard. I'm certain of it. It makes me want to do the dirtiest things to that girl. I watch as she slips into her room, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

Fuck.

I stride to my own chambers, slamming the door behind me. The room suddenly feels too small, too confining. All I want to do is go back to hers.

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