Page 64 of Immortal Throne

“I wouldn’t try stepping out prematurely,” Ryker said.

“Out of the two of us, I’m fairly certain I’m not the one who struggles with doing anythingprematurely,” I snapped back.

Heat flashed in his gaze and a slow smile spread across his face. “Keep this attitude up, and I’m going to have to prove how wrong you are.”

Was that a challenge? Did he not know me well at all? “Is that so? Don’t over promise something you’ll underdeliver.”

“I will make you beg.”

“I’ll beg you to stop talking right now.”

His smirk called me a liar without him having to open his mouth.

Whatever.

I waved at the circles. “How will we know when we can step out?”

He flashed his teeth at me, probably attempting to smile, and shrugged. “Probably when something heinously dangerous comes running out of the pit to attack us.”

“What? Didn’t we already prove our strength?”

“Strength? Strength has nothing to do with winning or losing a battle.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Strength isn’t the only thing needed to win a battle,” Ryker amended.

I turned away from him to study the arena again. High walls enclosed the dry space as empty stands looked on. I’d never been to Rome, never set eyes on the colosseum in person, but if I had to bet, based on images and movies, I’d say this arena was what the colosseum would’ve looked like before time turned it into ruins. Only this arena was much, much larger.

“So, they’re testing us on tactics,” I said. Lovely. Because I had years of training in battle tactics.

Ugh.

He nodded. “You know what a good tactic is for winning a battle?”

“It’s not cutting down the competition,” I said. That would be a wasted effort.

“No, though we might have to worry about that with the others.” He paused and looked over at the remaining competitors. “Even with Mobius out of the picture.”

I quickly counted them.

Only twelve remained in the competition, in addition to Ryker and me.

“You want to team up?” I guessed.

“Why yes, Sloane. Thank you. I thought you’d never ask.” His dry tone would’ve dehydrated raisins.

“I’m surprised you don’t want to team up with your demonic buddies over there.”

“Them?” He grunted. “They’re more likely to stab me in the back when the first opportunity arises.”

I looked over at the others again. None of them stood out the way Mobius had, but I couldn’t let that fool me. These demons had survived the previous trials. I couldn’t afford to dismiss them for the very real danger they represented.

The air in front of Ryker shifted and sparked, and suddenly, a long sword materialized in his palm. He gripped the hilt, grinning with approval, while I stared dumbstruck at what I’d just witnessed. It was like some deadly magic trick.

“Now this is what I’m talking about!” Ryker laughed, swiping the blade through the air.

Energy buzzed up and down my arms, and the magic pushed through the space in front of me, too. Instinctually, I held out my hands, and to my shock, two daggers emerged out of the nothing, just as Ryker’s sword had.

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