Page 90 of Mated to the Enemy
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She was standing next to the Queen while the audience around them roared in anticipation. Not because of anything Jessica was involved in, but because of what was about to happen in front of them.
“Well, at least human and shifter men both enjoy watching two people beat each other up,” she remarked under her breath, trying to keep her mouth as still as possible.
While the Queen maintained her calm, blank stare, one of the nearby guards wasn’t quite able to contain his amusement.
“Well, wearepart animal,” Kaelyn joked quietly out of the corner of her mouth. “And this tradition dates back to our earliest days.”
She nodded, watching as both the men on the floor in front of the Throne began to strip. “Your complete lack of aversion to nudity is probably something I’ll never get used to though.”
“You don’t admire the male specimen?” Kaelyn asked, this time letting a smile come across her face.
“Oh no, I do. I very much do. It’s just I don’t like everyone else admiringmymale specimen.”
This time, Kaelyn did laugh, not bothering to try and cover it up. “I don’t think you have much to worry about there,” she continued through the laughter. “Klaue is quite smitten with you.”
“I’m his mate, he damn well better be if he knows what’s good for him.”
The two women shared a knowing smile before turning their attention outward. The Queen to address her House, and Jessica to worry about her mate’s wellbeing. It was ritual combat, and there was no real chance of him sustaining any sort of serious injury, but accidents did happen. She just didn’t like seeing him get hurt at all.
Even if he gets really cute and acts needy.
Jessica loved him, and she enjoyed being able to take care of him when he let her. Most of the time, Klaue was so damned stubborn he just did it himself. But when he let her do something, it made her feel good. Made her feel loved. Especially because he had done the same for her when she’d gotten sick.
After the events at the cemetery, Kaelyn had postponed the final trial for a week. In that intervening time, Jessica had come down with a stomach virus of sorts for three days, and Klaue had spent every day pampering her and doing his best to make sure she had whatever she needed to get better again. It had been utterly adorable, and if she’d at all still been uncertain about staying and moving in with him, that had washed it away in seventy-two hours of toilet-hugging amazingness.
I can’t believe I see being sick as a good thing. So weird.
Below, in the open space of the Throne Room, the two men finished shifting. Klaue’s bear was black, its pelt shiny. His foe was a muddy brown, though he seemed a hair larger than her mate, but not by much.
Listening to the shouts of the assembled crowd, they were now about fifty-fifty for either party. Klaue had won many supporters after his actions at the cemetery, and now that the true story of why she had come there was out, many had revised their opinion or abandoned their neutral stance, applauding his willingness to stick by her as a positive trait.
“Go get it,” she whispered as the final Trial of Champions commenced.
If Klaue won this, then she knew he would become the Champion of House Ursa, its weaponsmaster and best fighter. Although she didn’t care about titles, she knew it meant a lot to him, and that he was beyond honored to even be considered for the position. He worked hard, and she was rooting for him, to see that effort pay off. Klaue would do great things as Champion, she knew it.
And if he doesn’t, I’ll smack him around until he does.
The two giant bears charged at one another. The fight, she’d been told, was to submission. Only once one bear could no longer continue would the bout be off. The rules were tricky, though. If Klauelost, then the shifter he was facing would have to then go through the other two trials. Only a shifter who had won in all three elements against the best the House could offer would be crowned Champion.
Tremors ran through the floor as the beasts collided, backed away and slammed together again, roaring challenges at one another. Layer after layer of noise filled the room, battering at her eardrums.
This was life in the House of Ursa. Her sister was somewhere in the crowd, she was sure, probably cheering on Klaue. Zoe was used to such things, but to Jessica it was still new. It was tough, especially as Klaue took a vicious-looking swipe to his front shoulder. Wincing at the sight of his ripped pelt, Jessica looked away, but only for a moment as she heard the crowd erupt in cheers for Klaue.
It had been a feint! She could see it now, as Klaue battered away at his foe, pushing the other bear back slowly but steadily. Amazing. Her instincts told her the fight was over now. It went on for some time, but Klaue had the upper edge. His strikes landed harder, he shouldered into his opponent again and again, imposing his will.
“Go, Klaue!” she whispered, pumping a fist excitedly.
The Queen’s head shifted ever so slightly, but she didn’t say anything, just noting Jessica’s support for her mate.
The bears kept going, and the five minute mark passed. Judging by the frenzy of the crowd, she expected that it would normally be over much quicker.
“How long do these normally take?” she asked.
The guard—Khorve was his name—answered her question. “The last one was one minute thirty-eight seconds.”
“Who the hell is Klaue fighting?” she asked, wondering who the brown bear was. “They’re really good.”
