Page 33 of Naga Warrior's Mate

Alaysia turned toward the wooden door to head back, but then she paused.The night breeze kissed her bare neck where the necklace had rested moments before, carrying the scent of freedom—street food, distant ocean salt, and possibility.

“Dernin,” she whispered, her heart racing.“We’re outside.”

His eyes met hers, understanding dawning.“We could run.”

The city sprawled before them, a maze of shadowy streets and twinkling lights.Somewhere in that labyrinth lay real freedom.Her hands grabbed at her dress.

“The guards won’t check on us for at least an hour,” she said, calculations running through her mind.“We could disappear into the crowd at the night market.”

Dernin’s tail twitched restlessly.“The city gates will be guarded.”

“We could hide until—” She stopped, reality crashing back.“Until what?We have no money, no supplies.”Her hand dropped to her side.“And I just traded away our only valuables.”

“There’s nowhere close enough to reach before they notice we’re gone,” Dernin said softly.“And when they catch us...”

Alaysia shuddered.She’d seen what happened to slaves who tried to escape.“They’d separate us.And you would never get to finish the tournament.”

“Which means Bariv would win.”His jaw clenched.“You’d be his prize.”

The thought made her sick to her stomach.She looked longingly at the city one last time, memorizing the taste of temporary freedom.

“We have no choice but to wait,” she concluded, though it pained her.“The warriors will come.They have to.”

Dernin touched her shoulder gently.“They will.My people don’t abandon their own.”

Together they slipped back into the tunnel, leaving the tantalizing promise of freedom behind.The musty underground air felt heavier now, weighted with what-ifs and almost-maybes.

“At least we got the message out,” Alaysia whispered as they navigated the darkness.But her throat felt tight, and she blinked back frustrated tears.So close.They’d been so close.

Chapter 17

Dernin

Derninshiftedrestlesslyashe watched Bariv’s match from the fighter’s viewing area the following afternoon.Every muscle in his body tensed with each move his rival made, cataloging weaknesses and strengths for their inevitable confrontation.

Bariv’s opponent, a seasoned fighter named Krell, had Bariv pinned against the arena wall.The crowd roared as Krell landed blow after blow.

“Getting sloppy, champion,” Krell taunted, driving his fist into Bariv’s side.

Bariv stumbled, his movements uncharacteristically sluggish.Something wasn’t right.His instincts screamed that this fight felt staged.

Above in the viewing box, Alaysia sat watching.His mate’s presence made his scales bristle with protective energy.

“Watch your left side,” one of the other fighters muttered as Bariv was deliberately leaving openings.

Krell soon launched a devastating combination that should have ended the match.Instead, Bariv suddenly sprang to life, countering with impossible speed.One brutal strike later, Krell lay unconscious on the arena floor.

“Victory to Bariv!”the announcer bellowed.

The crowd erupted, but Dernin’s eyes narrowed on Fyret’s booth.The kingpin smiled, nodding slightly at Bariv.

Dernin’s scales bristled.That comeback had been too perfect, too well-timed.He remembered seeing Bariv talking with Fyret earlier, their heads close together in conversation.

“Something’s wrong with this whole setup,” Dernin growled.

“You’re just worried about facing him,” someone jeered.

Dernin’s tail whipped around, nearly catching the speaker in the chest.“I don’t fear that slug.But this match wasn’t right.”

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