Nikator remained on his knees, his eyebrows pulling together. “You wish for me to battle her?”
“I will not repeat myself.”
He climbed up to his feet and turned to her stiffly. Biyu backed away from Muyang and Nikator, her footsteps light and clumsy, her pulse racing erratically. She needed more distance, more time to think, to come up with a plan. Her hands warmed with magic and she tried to remember the basics of a fight—hadn’t Nikator told her a little about fighting during their spar? All knowledge of it fled her.
She shook her head, begging, “Please, Nik. I can’t—I can’t lose you.”
He had already made up his mind. He flexed his fists, his expression fading to neutrality. A hint of sorrow melded in those rich sapphire eyes of his. She could feel the swelling of sadnessthrough their bond, nearly suffocating her and mixing with her own.
“Please.” A half-sob wrenched from her.
“I won’t hurt you,” he said quietly. “So try not to move too much.”
He lunged at her, hand outstretched. Biyu’s mind blanked and she stumbled back, a scream at her lips as violet flames ignited in between them. Nikator jumped back at the last second, the fire licking at his feet. Surprise flashed over his face, and then his gaze grew steely.
Biyu breathed deeply, shaking, and purple fire danced in front of her.
It seemed only her fear made it flare out so powerfully.
“Don’t make this harder for me,” he said, voice strained as he circled her.
She mimicked his movements, not allowing him to come closer. She didn’t know a thing about fighting, but her instincts carried her. A hot rush surged in her veins, blood pumping through her muscles, her heart thundering in her ears.
She could do this. She had hurt him with her fire before. Maybe his body would unconsciously shy away from it? She had a chance.
Nikator lurched forward and fire blasted from her hands toward him. He evaded it easily by jumping to the side, and before she could unleash more flames, he tackled her . Her head crashed to the floor. Just as his hand wrapped around her throat, more heat flared from her. He leaped back, a magic shield erecting around his body. She twisted on the floor and crawled away, just as more flames erupted around her.
Her head was heavy, her limbs even more so. Her eyes burned and she couldn’t see from all the smoke and sea of violet. Her flames grew larger, more out of control, more in tune withthe wild thumping of her heart. She poured all of her energy into it.Every. Single. Ounce.
She pushed herself into a sitting position, more and more magic flashing over her, around her—everywhere there was blazing heat.
She could defeat him like this.
He would be injured, but he wouldlive.
Her memories of them together flashed before her eyes. His glare the first time they had met, the way she had thrown a rotten apple his way, the first time he had pressed a blade to her neck, every eye roll of his as they were together in her room doing nothing but staring out the window, the embarrassment she had felt when he had seen her in her night gown, the passion that had ripped her apart from their first kiss, the complete unraveling of her vengeance as desire and love grew between them, the first time they had made love, the countless times he had sarcastically called her “princess”, the confessions he had made.
I will always love you.
Her flames disappeared in a split second. The room snapped into clarity; smoke still filled it, and yet she could see Muyang sitting on this throne, everyone else against the wall. A gasp tore from her throat as a sharp, cool metal met her throat. Nikator’s hand pressed on her hip.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured.
She jerked her head up, the blade inching away just enough to not cut her. “No, Nik?—”
“It appears we have a winner.” Muyang’s dry voice cut through the tension.
Her head felt lightheaded and she pushed herself to her feet, but Nikator had already put his blade away and sidestepped around her. She reached forward to grasp him, but her fist metair and she crumpled to the floor. She had no energy left. All of it had been used up in her fruitless attack.
The voices and sounds of the room were already fading. She reached forward, again, crawling on trembling limbs.
Nikator stopped in front of Muyang and dropped down to his knees. Their words were garbled, like a barrier had been forced upon her and she couldn’t make out anything.
“Please, no,” she croaked. Tears blurred her vision. “Please!”
Muyang’s sword rose up in the air.
Shadows swirled in the corners of her vision.
