“You son of a bitch—” Crew snaps his head around and starts toward Caben. Lena grabs Crew’s arm, and I step in front of Caben, planting my hands on his chest. I manage to drive him back a step while Lena mumbles something to Crew, his arms strained and trembling.
“You went too far,” Caben says.
Crew’s hands fly up. “It’s the truth! I only said what everyone else is thinking.” His chest puffs out. “Without his brother here, we can convince him—”
“Shut up,” Caben growls. “Not now.” His eyes flick to the guards, then scan Kaide’s weak form.
If Kaide is called to fight now—he can’t. He’s too wracked with grief to enter the Cage tonight, and probably tomorrow night. Even if he was to side with us, he won’t be of any use. I close my eyes and scold myself for thinking of his life in this way. But I have to. And Caben must be considering the same.
The horn captures our attention, and we move to the front of the chamber. Kaide is nearly catatonic. Right now, there’s nothing any of us can do for him.
As I’m saying a prayer to Farrah to spare Kaide this fight after watching his brother die, the announcer takes his place. “. . . entering the Cage, Collar’s Colossal, Van!”
The bodies in the risers spring to their feet. The noise of the stadium burns through me like fire. I stare at the sidelines, waiting to see Van’s opponent.
Only one thing could be worse than watching her fight at all; watching her fight Lilly. The ring leaders are smarter than that, though. They know we’d never fight each other, that we’d choose death over ending another protector’s life.
But I fear the final battle—when I’ll have to kill whoever comes near them.
I’m counting on Kaide to recover and take up our plan. If he doesn’t, there might be an even fight ahead.
Van exits her chamber and stops before reaching the center. She crosses her arms, a hard scowl marring her pretty face. The announcer shrugs and looks back to the audience.
“And competing, Bax’s Colossal”—he pauses for effect—“Taggar’s lethal assassin, Lena!”
My feet are moving before words come to my mind. I latch on to Lena’s arm and Caben is there in a second to pull me back. I fight off his hold and grab her hand. “Don’t,” I beg. “I’ll take a stand now. I’ll go with you right now—” I set my jaw hard, trying to think of the right words. “Lena, please—”
“Move away from me, protector,” Lena says, her eyes focused on the Cage. Her words are a sharp slap.
Caben succeeds in catching my wrist before my fist connects with her face. She glances at me once, remorse turning the corners of her violet eyes downward, and sprints off to meet her foe.
“There’s nothing to be done, Kal,” Caben whispers in my ear. “You knew—”
I turn o
n him. “I’m stopping this. I won’t watch another one of my girls die.”
Encircling his arms around me from the back, Caben pulls me tight to his chest and lowers his mouth to my ear. “How do you know Van will lose? You have no faith in your girls?”
The fact that I wish her to win and take Lena’s life is further proof of the vileness overtaking me. The darkness has all but consumed my senses, and I can no longer feel Empress Iana. I have nothing left to lose. I need to go out there and end the madness.
Maybe if I shed my own blood over Bale’s grave then no one else will have to die.
An image of my father’s head jerking back and forth as he lost his mind springs forth, and I wonder if this is how he felt. Did I force the blackness into his brain as it’s now being seared into mine? If this is retribution—my penance—then I accept it.
I accept my punishment.
I elbow Caben, knowing his side can’t take the beating, and he releases me. The horn blares and Lena runs toward Van as I rush the entrance. Bax throws out his arm. It hits my stomach and I double over, but continue to hedge forward. He snatches my tunic and plants me against the wall.
“Protector,” he grinds out. “I’m quickly losing my patience—” His words break off as his glowing eyes land on my chest. His hand slowly moves aside the neck of my tunic, and I hastily look around the chamber. But Bax’s massive back blocks the curious stares of the other contenders.
His eyes illuminate red as he scans the clamp, and his thin mouth pulls into a hard line.
I jerk my tunic back into place. “Can you guess what courses through my blood, mongrel?” I whisper bitterly, then turn my attention to the fight raging in the Cage.
“I can,” Bax says low.
I look back into his eyes. “Let me give the dark priest the sacrifice he needs,” I say. “If I do, can you stop the fight?”