Page 59 of Champion
“Everything is recorded on the comm unit,” I reiterated. “You son’s scheme to kill you, plus his being in cahoots with Ambassador Yaard of the Kerzak.”
The regal woman sitting beside Nansar shared a glance with the Duke and raised her hand. A slight gesture, but over her shoulder, a contingent of guards appeared under one of the archways, several of them Vaktaire. Did this mean Charick made it to his ship? And if Charick made it to his ship… I glanced about, heartened that I didn’t notice any Kerzak in the crowd, but still no sign of Charick.
“That is your problem, Father,” Nansar sneered. A face that might have been handsome under different circumstances turned ugly. “Always putting the needs of others before your own kind... before your own son. No longer.”
Nansar elbowed the regal lady back into her seat, lunging forward. I noticed Pearl’s boyfriend lay a hand on the knife at his hip, but Pearl was between him and the Duke, just as I stood between Duke Ako and the nearest guard. No one would make it to the Duke on time. Acting on instinct alone, I drew back and slammed my fist into the center of Nansar’s face as he drew nearer. Bone and cartilage crunched under my knuckles, and I felt the warmth of blood wash over my fingers. Nansar flew backward, ending up on his ass while the guards and Pearl’s friend dove for him. Yet before anyone could grab him, Nansar managed to slap a finger on his comm bracelet and a loud, high-pitched whine filled the auditorium.
And all hell broke loose.
The coliseum erupted with the attack of Aljani loyal to Nansar—more than I would have expected. The Duke’s guard found themselves waylaid by a contingent of Aljani rushing for the royal box. Duke Ako pulled a sword from underneath his robes, fighting with impressive skill. Pearl’s boyfriend joined in the fray, and I noticed the regal female pull a long knife from beneath her skirts while the Romvesian at her side pulled out a blade as long as my leg. I felt fingers grabbing my arm and turned, ready to fight, realizing it was only Pearl who pulled me into a tight hug.
“Oh my God, Willa, are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” I muttered, shaking my hand to rid my skin of the dark purple drops of Nansar’s blood.
Pearl watched the motion and chuckled. “You always were a badass.”
“Are you okay?” I cast a glance at where her Vaktaire companion put not one but two Aljani guards on their asses. “Is he….” I wasn’t sure how to say it. Calling him her boyfriend didn’t seem right.
“That’s Jutuk,” she smiled, cheeks pinkening. “My mate.”
“You haven’t heard anything about Charick, have you?” I asked, hoping.
“Who is that?” From the way Pearl asked, I could tell she didn’t know him and my heart stuttered in disappointment.
“My mate.” I owned the truth proudly.
With the sound of Pearl’s pleased laugher as a backdrop, I glanced around, looking once again for Charick, to no avail. While there seemed to be dozens of Vaktaire in the coliseum, easily overwhelming Nansar’s cronies, I didn’t find him.
I was so distracted yearning for sight of my mate that I didn’t notice Nansar until too late. With the help of a well-thrown blade from somewhere nearby, the guard holding him fell. Nansar yanked the knife from the male’s bleeding throat and leaped. Only this time his murderous range wasn’t intent on his father. He only had eyes for me and Pearl—humans. I had only a moment to decide. Nansar sailed through the air, blade raised. Pearl stood with her back to him. His strike would hit her mid-back, severing her spine. Without conscious thought, I pushed Pearl out of the way, realizing too late, I stood no chance of defense. Yet the strike of the blade didn’t come. Something stopped it. Something large, with pale skin and long silvery hair.
“Adtovar,” I breathed a sigh of relief… relief that turned to horror when he turned to smile at me, and I saw the hilt of the knife protruding from the center of his chest.
“No! No, no, no!” I grabbed at his arm, trying to keep him upright, but Adtovar proved too heavy, taking me to the floor with him as his legs crumbled. Blood poured from the chest wound and I pressed my hands around the blade, attempting tostaunch the flow. Out of my peripheral vision, I noticed Jutuk take Nansar to the ground, holding him inert, with a knee pressed into his back.
Pearl appeared at my side, whipping off her pale green wrap and pressing it into my hand. I bunched it around the blade, noticing, like my hands, it became blood-soaked in seconds.
“Hang on, Adtovar,” I whispered…begged… prayed.
“To what?” He croaked the word, but his lips twitched upward.
I grabbed his hand, his large palm engulfing mine. “Hang on to me.”
Somebody called for a healer. The regal woman, I think.
“Don’t you die on me, Grandpa,” I ordered, leaning my face close to Adtovar’s. His color waned, and his expression was peaceful. Too peaceful.
“I don’t think I have any control over that… this time.” Pale blue eyes found mine.
Someone pushed another cloth into my hand. I pressed it against the wound, the fabric soaking through in seconds. Blood, an odd dark purple color that seemed too pretty a shade. So much blood.
“You hang on,” I demanded, pressing hard enough to staunch the bleeding that he gave a low groan of pain. “We can save you.”
“You already did.” A trembling hand cupped my cheek. “My daughter.”
His touch fell away as the blood gushed under my hands. “Please, somebody help him.” I begged. My voice sounded scared, almost childlike, at least what I could hear of it over the pounding in my ears.
The surrounding crowd became nothing but a roar, faint with the sounds of Nansar’s rebellion being subdued. It didn’tmatter. The only thing that mattered was holding Adtovar’s hand and keeping him alive. I became conscious of someone pulling at me, trying to move me from Adtovar’s side. I resisted with a growl.
