Page 213 of Glow of the Everflame

And one of us has to die.

“You can’t. Talk to Remis, there has to be another way.”

My attention shifted back to House Corbois. Luther stood preternaturally still as Remis screamed at him while his wife struggled to hold him back. A cold, cruel smile rose to Luther’s lips at his father’s rage.

“He betrayed me,” I breathed. “Luther wanted revenge on his father. He’s using me to get it.”

I didn’t quite believe the words, even as they came out of my own mouth.

I glanced down at my wrist, still aching with the phantom pain of the bonded bargain snapping apart. “My agreement with Remis is broken. His magic is gone.”

Teller swore under his breath.

Remis commanded the Challengers to line up across the arena floor, then shoved past his son to storm down the staircase, his eyes murky with ire.

A wet-cheeked Eleanor stepped forward to hold Lily back as Luther pried her arms from his waist. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then turned toward the stairs. He refused to look at me and face the choice he had made, this ultimate betrayal. His clouded eyes stared vaguely ahead, focused on some destination only he could see.

“Did you tell him?” Remis demanded, stomping up to me. “Did he know I would lose my magic if he Challenged you?”

The stupefied look on my face gave me away.

“Youidiot,” he shouted. “You foolish, stupid brat! Did I not warn you this would happen?”

I blinked and shook my head. “I never thought... h-he...”

“This is your fault. I upheld my part of the bargain. Why should I be held accountable when you were the imbecile who told him?”

“Stop insulting her,” Teller snapped. “You’re the one who made a bargain you couldn’t keep.”

My heart would have filled with pride if it hadn’t been busy doing other things, like pounding hard enough to rattle the arena or smashing into a fine cloud of dust.

“What if you convince him to take it back?” Teller offered, looking at me. “If he rescinds his Challenge, maybe it will restore the bargain.”

“A Challenge can’t be withdrawn once given,” Remis argued, though the calculating look on his face said he was considering it. “The other Houses will never accept it. They’ll say I broke the rules to help you.”

“So you would choose your pride over your magic?” Teller asked with brows raised, showing no hint of intimidation as Remis glowered in response.

My brother had always been the most reserved member of our family, cool-headed and cautious to a fault, but it was moments like these that reminded me he was still a fearless Bellator at heart.

While Remis and Teller continued to argue, my focus shifted. Luther had stepped onto the arena floor to take his place in the long line of Challengers.

My feet carried me toward him before I even knew what I planned to say. Though his eyes stayed fixed beyond me, he stiffened as I approached.

I shoved him, forcing him to stagger back and slam into the stone barrier. “You fucking betrayed me!”

His shoulders drew back, his jaw clamping tight. Still refusing to meet my glare, he set off to my left to divert around me.

So I sucker-punched him.

The crowd went wild. Luther froze as his head jerked sideways. Almost instantly, his face snapped back to mine, his expression dark and enraged.

“How could you?” I hissed.

“Lovers’ quarrel?” Jean Hanoverre mocked, sauntering past us. “Better save it for the match. I hope your magic is a lot stronger than that right hook.”

So I sucker-punched him, too.

I clocked him right in his smug, smirking, pretentious little face, sending his obnoxiously coiffed hair flying as he tumbled onto his ass in the sand.

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