My eyes go wide in fear, and I nod my head fast in understanding. I believe her when she says it. She hates me, for reasons I don’t even understand. And there’s nothing I can do about that. It’s not like I could ever make her like me. And to be honest, I don’t think I could ever like her. She’s evil. All the way to the very core just like a damn hellhound.
“Yes,” I say in a small voice. She walks past me so I can go to the bar.
Cecilia reaches out her hand and touches my cheek. “I’m sorry she does that to you.” I shrug my shoulders, there’s nothing she can do about it. I just have to try and stay off Amy’s radar. If that’s even possible. I doubt it, but I’ll try. Grabbing the tray from Cecilia’s hands, I walk back out to the crowd of men. My smile is plastered on my face, so much so my face is stinging from holding it in place.
As I walk up to the next group of men, I’m polite when I ask them what they would like to drink. “Saskia.” My name comes from one of the members of the group, shocking me. I quickly look up to see Cane standing there. My eyes search the room.
Is he here by himself or is he with someone else?
When I don’t see anyone, I look back to him. He’s already watching me, and he steps closer, his hand touching my shoulder softly. “We didn’t know you’d be watching.”
“Watching what?” I ask, confused. His hand drops and his eyes look around the room and stop on Antonio’s. Who’s looking our way. Just as I go to ask what’s happening, Cecilia steps on the stage, and the music goes quiet. Her eyes find mine, and I can see the sorrow in them before she even speaks.
“We have a special night tonight. Who’s excited?” she roars into the microphone. Everyone starts cheering and clapping loudly.
I look back to Cane. He’s watching me. “What’s happening?”
He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Saskia.”
He doesn’t tell me anything. Why is he apologizing?
Cecilia starts talking again. Before she says another word, Amy has hold of my arm, I didn’t even see her come over. She pulls at it, making me drop the tray I was holding as we make our way through the crowd. We’re moving back to the same seats we were on the first night. It’s basically Antonio’s seat. Every time I look for him, he’s always sitting there.
She pulls me down so I have to sit next to her, then grabs my chin forcefully turning it to the stage. I can feel her breath as she leans closer to whisper in my ear, “If you turn away once, I’ll cut your leg.” I want to look at her, but I’m afraid to. So I keep my eyes forward to where Cecilia is on the stage. “I’m going to enjoy this.”
“That time of night has come when blood will be poured, hearts will be shattered, and fists will be bruised. Now tell me, gentlemen, are you ready for the most epic fight you’ll ever see in this Arena? Because this will never happen again, I can guarantee you that. Now, let me be the first to welcome our first opponent. They call him Knives, mainly because his hands are so sharp. You don’t want to step in his way. He’s won every fight he’s been in. So, tonight should be no different. Everybody clap loud and place your bets… for Knives.”
Everyone claps so loud. She’s good at this. Cecilia. She knows how to make the room her own. The dude comes out with a black baton in his hand. He’s massive, and he jumps from one foot to the other soaking in every cheer he gets. He steps back, and Cecilia steps forward. She goes back to the middle of the stage, her eyes looking around until they stop on me. She quickly looks away before she speaks again. “Now, this is the reason you came. This is the reason every single one of you are here tonight. Our king, the creator of the underworld, is here. And tonight, he fights for love…” She pauses and looks back to me, my heart starts to beat hard.
She couldn’t mean…. could she? No, she couldn’t.
“He’s as smart as his father, but ever so much more dangerous. We’ve seen him fight before, but never to the death.”
I gasp, covering my mouth. Amy laughs next to me, she’s apparently known all along. That’s why I’m not allowed to move. She thinks he’ll lose. Maybe she’s right, maybe I’ll be stuck here forever if he does.
“Please welcome, Mr. Ryken Lord.”
Everyone cheers, but my heart plummets. I don’t think it’s even in my chest anymore. He steps up with no shirt on, baton in his hand as well. Then, before I can even wrap my head around what’s about to happen, or even be thankful he’s here, the bell rings and Knives strikes first, knocking Ryken into the ground.