Page 122 of On Wings of Blood

Whatever friendship I’d thought Coregon and I shared, it had just been an act. I’d been a fool not to know better.

My shock was quickly buried in a wave of anger. Anger at myself, anger at him. I tried to push myself onto my feet but Coregon was on me in an instant, the dagger still clutched in his hand.

Weapons were technically banned from the challenge. But students had snuck them in before. Generally, if you won, you got away with whatever you’d done to win. No one cared aboutcheating when everyone else was already dead. It just made you look more cunning.

Still, I’d always thought it was a coward’s move and I’d said that to my group of friends more than once. The thought must have shown on my face.

“Don't look at me like that,” Coregon hissed. “Don’t you fucking dare. I had to do this, Blake. Someone has to put you down.”

I had only one word for him. “Why?”

“Because you're weak.”

The sound of the word stung more than the wound in my side. “Weak? How the fuck am I weak?”

“Because of her,” Coregon spat, his voice laced with disgust. “The blightborn bitch. Pendragon defies you. She stands up to you. Hell, she attacked you today. And you, what do you do? You let her. You don’t even punish her. You’re supposed to be the leader of this House. And yet you can't even control a mere mortal.”

My stomach twisted as the venom in Coregon's words hit me. How dare he. How fucking dare he.

I shouldn't have done it, but I did. I glanced across the arena to where Pendragon sat. She was leaning forward, her green eyes wide, all signs of boredom gone. Neville had leaped into her arms and she was cradling him.

Was she hoping Coregon would kill me? Probably.

But what would Coregon do to her if I died here today?

That was all the impetus I needed. I would decide what happened to Pendragon. She wasmineand mine alone. Our fates were bound whether she liked it or not.

The dagger flashed as it arced towards my chest. But I was faster. I caught Coregon’s wrist in a death grip, my muscles straining.

As I fought to push the dagger away from my body, Coregon fought back. We fell to the ground, grappling, neither of us giving an inch.

Around us the arena was coming to life, triggered by Coregon’s appearance. The stone platforms that had been suspended in place were now shifting, rotating ominously around us.

I could hear the rasping sound of scraping stones as they moved into position and then out again, turning the arena around us into a deadly maze.

Scanning the arena and getting my bearings quickly, I jumped up onto a platform that had just risen behind me.

Coregon followed, leaping up onto it behind me just as the one he had been standing on descended.

I ducked as he swiped, then grabbed his arm, twisting it with brutal force.

The dagger clattered to the stone. I saw the panic in Coregon's eyes as my foot shot out and I kicked it away, down into the open pit far below.

I could have grabbed it. Used it against him.

But that wasn’t my way. It wouldn’t have been as satisfying.

I was tired. Muscles weary. Heart pounding.

Despite that, I knew I was going to win. There was no way I was letting Coregon Phiri take over House Drakharrow, even if it was only at Bloodwing. And there was no fucking way I was leaving Pendragon to him.

“You call me a coward,” I panted. “Yet you brought a knife to a fist fight, Phiri, because you were so afraid to come at me. Who’s the real fucking coward?”

Another platform hovered over us, larger than the one we were standing on, its shadow stretching across the arena floor below.

Coregon lunged again, throwing a wild punch that I just managed to dodge. The pain in my side was a fire now, but I ignored it. It would heal and I’d survive.

The same couldn’t be said for Coregon. He’d fucked up today. It was just a matter of how long it would take him to realize it.

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