Page 23 of Fae Champion

I stared straight up at the bulge Rush was so proud of and kept my attention there. I was no longer sure if I was about to die or not, but if I went, at least I’d go with a stellar view.

7.THERE’S MORE TO POWER THAN THE SIZE OF YOUR … MAGIC

My muscles scarcely twitched as Selwin sidestepped Rush and prowled toward my prone body. Rush mirrored his positioning, wedging himself between us.

Selwin growled, then rolled his shoulders, still gripping his sword and sizing up my neck. “Get outta my way, Vega.”

“No,” Rush answered, the one word vibrating with his resolve.

“I have my orders. Move, or I’ll make you.”

When Selwin’s magic stunned me, my head had been craning up as I fell. Now that Rush had turned me, I lay mostly on my back, my point of view aimed at the men’s thighs. I heard more than saw Rush draw his sword in response.

“So it’s gonna be like that, then,” Selwin said.

“If you don’t back off right now, I guess so.”

Selwin peered up behind him—to seek the queen’s orders—but guards decked out in her blue were alreadyswarming the arena. Their footfalls shook the ground beneath me and rattled my weapons in their holsters.

Rush stretched out his free arm toward me in a protective gesture while attempting to defend me from too many directions.

I had to move. I had to get up and protect myself.

I couldn’t.

Anger at the injustice of my situation rocketed up my throat, immediately followed by fear for Rush. He was vastly outnumbered and already in the shithouse with the queen for taking me to the milder dungeon.

The paralysis wore off by a fraction. I was able to tilt my head up more. Rush was staring off in the direction of the dugout and very subtly shook his headno. I guessed his friends were offering their assistance.Take it, Rush, take it, I pleaded in my mind, but not a peep spilled out. He was being gallant, dammit, not wanting to drag his friends into the shithouse with him.

A guard barked at him, “Stand down, Drake Rush Vega, or we’ll be forced to take you in.”

Rush appeared to study all the dozen or so men at once. “I’ll stand down when the Lady Elowyn isn’t in immediate danger.”

“You can’t interfere with the Gladius Probatio,” Selwin insisted, taking half a step toward us.

Rush turned more in his direction than that of the guards. “I can if my orders are to protect her with my life.”

“That doesn’t count, not in the arena.”

“It does when you’re fighting with magic she doesn’t have.”

Selwin tossed his sword from one hand to the other, then back again. I followed the path of the lethal blade. “Every fae has some magic.” The cocky bastard chortled. “Just ’cause she doesn’t have powers as awesome as mine doesn’t mean it’s unfair.”

Was that true? Dideveryfae have some sort of power? Zako had never told me that. I’d never seen him do anything particularly extraordinary. His powers were limited to basic tasks like providing lighting for our yurt.

“Fight her like a real man,” Rush said.

Selwin snorted. “Nice try, Vega, but I’m not falling for it. You’re just jealous ’cause my magic’s bigger than yours.” Selwin cupped his crotch and squeezed, eyes glimmering.

Despite the danger, I rolled mine.

“Back off till your stun wears off,” Rush said, “and we can compare sizes. I’m confident I’ll win.”

I swallowed so thickly that it helped me realize my range of movement was gradually increasing. I attempted to flex my fingers. I couldn’t move them enough to be helpful, but at this rate I’d get there before long.

Just as I mentally projected to Rush to keep stalling them, Selwin attacked without warning, charging Rush sword first.

Rush deflected the attack and pressed Selwinback, but as he did the guards approached, taking full advantage of the distraction.

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