Page 52 of Essence of the Throne

A drop of rain hits my cheek as Gavriel charges at me, his pyro essence blazing through the air. I duck under his attack, my feet sliding in the quickly dampening dirt.

“Come on, Gav. Is that all you’ve got?” I taunt, dancing away from another burst of flames. The rain intensifies, steam rising where his essence meets the water.

His dark eyes radiate a cold hatred. “You think you’re so fucking special.” He throws a punch that I barely dodge. “Walking around like you own the place, like you deserve him.”

I laugh, the sound harsh against the pounding rain. Caspian stands off to the side, arms crossed, with a concerned look etched in his features. I shake my head at him—he understands that this fight between me and Gavriel has been simmering for a while. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Gav.” My fist connects with his jaw, and he stumbles back.

Lightning flashes overhead as we circle each other. His usual controlled demeanor cracks, rage seeping through every movement. Good. I want him unhinged.

“You’ll get him killed,” he spits, launching forward with a combination of strikes I wasn’t expecting. One catches my ribs, forcing the air from my lungs. Fuck, he’s strong. “Everything you touch turns to shit.”

My shadows writhe under my skin, begging to be released. But I can’t—not here where anyone could see. Instead, I drive my knee into his stomach and flip over his shoulder, using his momentum against him.

He recovers after a moment, spinning to grab my ankle. I twist free but slip over the mud, giving him an opening to slam me into the ground. Rain pelts my face as I roll away from his boot.

“You knownothingabout me,” I growl, sweeping his legs. He falls hard but rushes to kick up, catching my chin. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth.

“I know enough.” He wipes rain from his eyes. “You’re poison. And when he finally sees that—”

My blade appears at his throat before he can finish. His essence flares, but I press harder. “Careful. You’re not the only one who cares about him.”

The admission surprises us both. His eyes widen the slightest before hardening again. We stay locked in that position, rain washing away the blood on my lip as a storm crashes above us.

Thunder cracks again, and I use the sound to mask my movements as I sweep Gavriel’s legs once more. He catches himself before hitting the ground, flames erupting from his hands as he charges at me. I dance away from his attacks, my muscles burning with each dodge.

“You think you’re protecting him?” I taunt, blocking a particularly vicious strike. “You’re suffocating him with your pathetic devotion.”

His eyes flash with a dangerous threat—I thrive in it. “And what would you know about devotion? You’ve no family. Your only so-called friend is dead. You kill for money, for fun.” He spits blood onto the muddy ground. “You’re nothing but a murderer playing at being worthy of a prince.”

The words sting more than they should. I slam my elbow into his face, satisfaction coursing through me when his nose crunches under the impact. “At least I don’t hide behind duty to excuse my feelings.”

That hits home. His essence flares, wild and erratic, the rain sizzling as it hits the flames surrounding him. “You fucking bitch—”

“What’s wrong, Gav?” I circle him, noting how his control slips further with each word. “Angry that he chose me? That he's probably sick of yourprotectivefacade?”

He roars, charging at me with reckless abandon. I sidestep his attack, but he anticipates the movement and catches my arm. The heat of his essence burns through my skin before I can break free. I wince but manage to keep in the pained sound wanting to escape.

“I’ve watched over him for years,” he snarls, throwing another punch that I duck around. “Protected him from people like you.”

I laugh, the sound dark. “People like me? You mean people who actually challenge him? Who see him as more than just the precious prince who needs constant coddling?”

“You’ll destroy him!” His fist connects with my jaw, sending me stumbling back. “Everything you touch turns to rot, and I won’t let that happen to him.”

Blood drips down my chin as I straighten. “Hate me all you fucking want—I don’t care. But you’re right about one thing.” I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. “I do destroy things. Care for a demonstration?”

My shadows pulse under my skin, begging to be released. Just a taste. Just enough to show this arrogant prick exactly what I’m capable of.

But Caspian’s worried eyes catch mine, and he jolts forward, stepping between his guard and me before I can release anything.

Raised hands push against both my chest and the guard's. “Enough.” His voice carries the weight of command, but there’s an edge of concern to it.

“Move,” I growl, my shadows still writhing beneath my skin. The rain continues to pour, plastering his lush hair to his forehead.

“No.” His silver eyes lock with mine. “You’re done.”

Gavriel scoffs behind him. “Of course you’d defend her.”

“I’m not defending anyone,” Caspian snaps, turning to face his guard. “But this pointless fighting needs to stop. We have bigger problems to deal with.”

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