Page 79 of Fae Champion

“What?” Rush asked, his breathing as heavy as mine.

Fairies zoomed close enough to my ears that I felt the wind from their rapidly flapping wings. I caught a flash of white hair—Morwenna—then, “You owe us for Kamilah.”

I said nothing as Rush pushed the advantage of my distraction, forcing me backward, my step faltering before I grunted loudly and shoved him back again.

The four nuisances flew around me, far more bothersome—and therefore dangerous—than the silent body parts.

Morwenna pressed, “Kamilah helped you get the icepick.”

“That doesn’t mean I should let himkillme.”

“A favor for a favor. That’s exactly what it means,” said another one of them, voice barely audible over the ringing of our blades.

“Go. Away,” I grunted as Rush sliced across my shoulder so swiftly and deeply that I felt the cut as it bit into my flesh beneath.

“Focus,” he reprimanded between heavy breaths.

“I’m fucking trying,” I grunted, spinning in a fast circle, blades first, effectively dispersing the pests, who shrieked as they flew off in every direction.

“I’m gonna have to use my magic on you soon,” Rush muttered, “or she’ll get too suspicious.” He grunted as he hastily blocked my latest strike, our blades crossing before we pushed away from each other. So softly there was no chance the ears would pick up his words from where they still bobbed at the edge of the arena, he added, “When you feel me inyour mind telling you to go down, make sure you stay down.” Another grunt, another parry. “If we keep going like this, I’m going to have to hurt you.”

He swung his blades toward my chest. I dipped low, swiped his legs out from under him, and jerked up to point my blade at his prone body.

Only he stumbled but didn’t fall.

“Maybe you should go down beforeIhurt you,” I said.

“Blood’s already dripping down your neck.”

Cling, clang, clang, clack.

“Just a flesh wound.”

“Yeah, ’cause I don’t want to hurt you. So go down and stay down.”

“You say that as if”—I struck; he retaliated—“there’s no chance I’ll beat you.”

“No.” He was a flurry of silver blades. I pursed my lips as I used all my concentration to defend against his onslaught. “I have to win, and you have to lose. It’s how I’ll keep you alive.”

“I can keep myself alive, thank you very mu?—”

I swallowed my retort as he pressed me back, back, back. A peek behind me revealed another of the fairies’ traps, the rope taut between them, two holding it on each side.

“I’m going to trip,” I mumbled to Rush though I had plenty of time to avoid the snare.

“What?” Rush whispered urgently under his breath, still pushing forward.

I retreated straight through the fairies’ pitfall,stumbled convincingly, making a show of jerking forward and nearly impaling myself on Rush’s dagger, before righting my body.

The audience’s gasps reminded me they were there, watching us as closely as the queen. I gaped in feigned shock. Rush wasn’t pretending when he gawped at me, eyes tight with concern.

“There,” I threw out behind me without looking. “Now we’re even.” I hadn’t even used the icepick, though I was majorly wishing I had. “Now,buzz off,” I hissed at the air around me, only causing Rush’s brows to furrow more.

He shook his head. “Just remember, none of this is what I want. But it’s the only way.”

An ear flew toward us from the sidelines, the queen apparently uncomfortable with all this dialog between us.

“We’re only here to put on a show. Now it’s time to do what’s expected of me.”

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