Moon Sworn (Riley Jenson Guardian 9)

"Riley, Riley, Riley," Blake said, wiping at his eyes as if there were tears of mirth there. "I couldn't have asked for a better solution to our problem."

I raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Because I've been going out of my way not to kill you, and here you hand me the perfect opportunity with no chance of repercussion from the Directorate." He shook his head, as if he couldn't quite believe his luck. "I shall enjoy ripping your throat out, in much the same way as I enjoyed ripping out your grandfather's."

"If you last that long, you're welcome to try," I said softly, and stepped back.

Rhoan took my place. "Tyson Jenson, I challenge you to ad vitam aeternam."

Blake frowned. "You can't. He now no longer lives on these lands - "

"No, he runs his own pack in Queensland," Rhoan said smoothly. "But he is here, and therefore falls under the rules and regulations of this pack. We checked."

Blake's expression darkened. "I know the rules - "

"Where is your son Lodden?" Rhoan cut in.

Blake's fists clenched. "He played no part in my vengeance. He has no role in the arena."

"The jury is out as to whether he was involved in what happened to Riley, but we have evidence of him being fully immersed in your other schemes." Rhoan paused, but Blake didn't waste breath denying it. "So he has the choice. He can take his chances in the arena with me, or he can be arrested and risk pleading his case to the Directorate."

And if the Directorate - in the guise of Jack - thought his crimes were bad enough, then Lodden would die regardless. No ifs, buts, or maybes.

"Where is he, Blake?"

There was a flicker in his eyes, but it was too fast to identify. It could have been fear, it could have been cunning. Maybe even both.

"He isn't here. He's checking the boundaries."

Rhoan glanced at me, one eyebrow raised. He didn't believe Blake any more than I did. But it didn't matter. Lodden could hide for now. We'd find him easily enough later.

"What is your answer, Tyson?" Rhoan said.

He had no choice, we both knew that. Once a challenge was issued, there was no walking away from it.

"Yes. The answer is yes." Tyson shook his head and gave his brother an almost bitter look. "You've killed us all with your need for vengeance."

Blake swung around to face him. "We will win this. Have no doubt of that." He glanced back at us, and spat. The globule landed at Rhoan's feet. "We've beaten this trash before. We'll do it again."

Rhoan merely smiled. There was nothing warm or pleasant about it. "Then let's get to it."

"Yes, let's," Blake said, all arrogance. "I have somewhere to be later this evening."

He spun around, presenting his back to us, showing his contempt. I shared another glance with my brother, saw the slight twitch of his fingers as temptation called, saw the deeper hunger and anticipation in his eyes. But he didn't say anything, and neither did I. We simply followed our nemesis around the meeting hall to the arena at the back.

There was already a crowd gathered there. My gaze swept the sea of faces, but I couldn't see anyone familiar. If our mom was there, she'd changed beyond recognition.

But I very much suspected she wasn't there. She'd no doubt been forced to watch Blake rip her father apart, and she probably had little faith that we could win this one. No one in their right mind would want to see such violence again.

The arena was just over an acre in size, and positioned on a slight incline. The ground was strewn with boulders and broken trees, and no grass ever grew in the soil. It was if the blood of all those who had fought and died in this place had made the earth barren.

The gate slid open as we approached.

"Left corner," Blake said, as the four of us walked through.

The left corner was prime position. It was close to water and situated at the top of the incline. We'd known Blake would claim it, even though as challengers, the call was legally ours.

We trudged down the hill, watched by the silent crowd, surrounded by their anticipation and tension. I flexed my shoulders, trying to not let it get to me.