Page 58 of Eboenia

“I’m fighting with my sisters. I’m not a selfish monster like you,” Blair snapped.

War’s lips curled. “Yeah, we’ll see what your lil’ scared ass is about,” he replied.

He unclasped their collars, then unhooked the necklace from my throat. I rolled my eyes at him, but he just smirked. Grim strode over, escorting Jinx and Blair into the ring.

“You don’t need to hate my friends,” I told War.

“Blair’s energy is off, you’ll see for yourself. Be careful with that one,” he replied.

“She’s out of her element, but she loves me. Blair would never turn on me.”

“She’s fucking your enemy. A woman who gives herself to a man forms soul ties—her loyalty will always drift to him, no matter what she claims. Enough of this. Go prove yourself,” War said, waving me off.

“What’s the point of making Blair and Jinx fight? They’ve never trained for this.”

“It’s a loyalty test. If your friends don’t bleed for you like you do for them, tonight’s their last night alive,” War said, unflinching.

“You wouldn’t dare take my sisters from me.”

He shrugged. “What good are they if they don’t love you the way you love them?”

“Our business isn’t your business.”

War aggressively clutched my throat and yanked me toward him, staring down into my eyes. “I don’t give a fuck what they do to each other. I don’t need you carrying dead weight if they’re snakes. I brought them into my realm because you asked, so they better be worthy of being here!” War growled, then released me.

I stepped into the gore-soaked ring. My wings unfurled, horns jutting from my scalp. My wand shifted into a blade. Jinx gripped her spear, ready, while Blair’s hands trembled, sweat glistening on her brow.

“I’ve got your back, Blair,” I murmured, trying to steady her.

Her wings fluttered in agitation. “I’m not strong enough for this. That bastard knows it. He’s trying to break us so you’ll only lean on him.”

“You could’ve told me about Crane. I wouldn’t have judged you,” I replied.

She shook her head. “The Crane I sleep with isn’t the one you know.”

I met her eyes, searching her soul. Images crashed into my mind—Crane, fists flying, beating Blair in Charmden’s forest because he accused her of knowing I was a traitor. A tear slipped down her cheek; she must’ve felt me reading her. “I thought you were hurt from training, but you were never there. He gave you that concussion,” I whispered, anger burning.

“It’s War’s fault. Crane was never violent until War started this shit. He snapped under pressure. Before, he never laid a hand on me,” she replied.

“I used to pity him. He’s a beater, just like his father,” I spat.

The warlocks dragged away the ogre corpses, clearing the space. A horn blared. A portal split the air, and two warlocks hauled out Crane—shackled but healed, his eyes glowing a venomous green. He wore black, dressed for combat.

Crane sneered at Blair. “Still standing next to the wizard’s cum rag,” he jeered.

“Watch your fucking mouth,” Jinx snapped.

He spat at her feet. “Fuck you. You’re all traitors. Hoax will deal with you. I can’t wait for his army to rip you apart,” Crane snarled.

I glanced at War, who watched from the sidelines, unreadable.

The warlocks unshackled Crane. Magic crackled in his palms, ears pointed, cheekbones razor-sharp. “I know this will be my last moment, but I’m taking at least one of you with me for siding with the enemy!” he roared.

The bell rang. Swords materialized in Crane’s hands. He lunged at me, blades flashing. I blocked with my wings, then drove my boot into his knee.

“Bitch, you’re dying first!” Crane spat, rage twisting his face as he charged.

Crane’s swords blurred in the torchlight, every movement fueled by a hunger for revenge. I met his attack, my wand snapping into a broadsword. Steel shrieked against steel, but he was faster—his blade slashed across my bicep, hot blood splattering the sand. I grinned, letting the pain sharpen my focus.

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