Page 62 of Galadon
He laughed. “You’ll be trying to leave every week if that’s the case.”
“Wait.” Rayna pulled away to get a better look at him. “Once a week is very optimistic of you, and what do you mean bytrying, Galadon?”
He leaned down and whispered. “I would never hold you against your will, but I promise I will use every tactic I have to seduce you into staying.”
With her heart and soul bound to him, his chances of success were high, but she could be rather stubborn at times. “Don’t make me test you.”
Aidan cleared his throat. “While I am long familiar with how intimate a relationship between a shifter and slayer can be, you might have mercy for those who aren’t accustomed to it. I fear some of your audience is close to fainting while watching and listening to the two of you.”
Rayna laughed, noting the shocked gazes near and far around them. Only those from the Taugud seemed impervious to it. Bailey and Aidan were mindful, but they still had their moments from what she’d heard.
Galadon pulled back with a sigh. “After too many years of living alone, it is easy to forget myself and not care what the rest of them think.”
She believed he cared when it came to anyone questioning his or her fighting skills, but people’s opinions on anything else didn’t matter much to him. He didn’t have to see them when he went home, which probably helped.
“Understandable,” Aidan replied.
They finally called Lorcan and Telarion for the final duel. Everyone tensed, considering how the previous contests had gone. They wanted Lorcan to win this for his sake, but also because of the two remaining candidates, he was the most likely to lend them the forces they’d need to take down the last sizeable batch of Kandoran. Telarion didn’t strike her as the type to worry about a distant threat and certainly cared more about the power of the position. Rayna wondered who he threatened or blackmailed to get on the candidate list.
“What can we do if Telarion cheats?” she asked.
Galadon tensed. “It depends on how he does it and if we can intervene in time.”
She didn’t dare ask the scarier question. What if Lorcan died during this duel because they couldn’t do anything fast enough? Instead, she took a deep breath and hoped for the best.
The fight began fast and ferocious. Telarion charged forward on all fours with a roar, blowing flames as soon as he got close. Lorcan flared his wings and pushed up into the air, digging his talons into his opponent’s back as he passed underneath. He didn’t bother to land and stayed hovering above the ground, turning to watch what the treacherous shifter below did next.
Telarion growled, kicking up dirt as he turned around, and spotted his foe dripping blood from his claws. His back was shredded, but Rayna knew the scales protected most of the softer tissue underneath, so it likely wasn’t deep. It probably annoyed Telarion more than anything.
He took a running leap into the air and tangled with Lorcan as they tore into each other with teeth and talons. They moved so fast it was hard to tell who’d been injured or how. Neither could seem to get the upper hand on the other. Everyone waited with bated breath to see who fell first. Telarion shredded the other shifter’s left wing, but Lorcan bit hard into his opponent’s shoulder close to the neck. They slammed into the ground.
The brawl continued as they rolled in a tangle of wings, teeth, and claws until it was clear both of them were hurt all over their bodies. The ground was painted red from their wounds. It was hard for Rayna to stand and watch, doing nothing. She’d seen a few duels while staying with the Straegud years ago, but she hadn’t cared for them. It was easier for her to fight than observe. She hated not being in the action, even with her slayer instincts dulled at the moment.
Lorcan shrieked so loud her blood ran cold. It took her a moment to figure out what caused that level of pain, but then she spotted the claw in his left eye. Oh, crap, that wasn’t good. He needed his vision, or he’d be lost in the fight.
Galadon grabbed her arm, and she looked back at him. She hadn’t realized she’d even taken a step forward, but it came naturally for her to want to help friends. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to move next to him again. Her gaze returned to Lorcan, and she found him on his back. Telarion was going for his other eye.
Kick him hard in the stomach now!she yelled into his head.
He jerked in surprise but did as she ordered, sending his opponent flying off him. So much blood covered his face from claw marks she doubted he could see well, but she’d be his vision for him, dammit.
He’s just past your feet and trying to get up. Jump on him and use your talons to slice the tendons on his inner thighs, so he can’t rise again,Rayna said, giving him a secret move she rarely used because it was very hard for her to get into a position to pull it off, but the trick worked whenever she got the opportunity.
When you’re often a tenth of your opponent’s size, you did whatever was necessary.
To her relief, Lorcan carried out her suggestion exactly as she described. He cleanly sliced the tendons, and Telarion roared. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t kick or get up. Lorcan climbed fully on top of him and bit into his throat. This time, he didn’t wait for a concession and went straight to crushing his opponent’s neck.
Good for him. That last move needed to be all him, and Rayna approved.
She let out a sigh of relief as the crowd cheered and roared. Galadon leaned close to her ear and whispered just loud enough for her to make out his words. “I know what you just did.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, not meeting his gaze.
He chuckled. “I’m sure I can make you confess later.”
The damn shifter probably would, but it couldn’t hurt to taunt him so he’d work harder for it. “I’ll look forward to you trying.”
“Challenge accepted.”
