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I raise a brow before striking, hitting him in the side. He grunts and moves a step back but doesn’t let up on his incessant need to be the one to sacrifice himself.
“I think you have taken enough hits for today. Besides,youneed to be the one to follow through on the plan.”
My rising ire quickly disappears when I realize he’s right. I’m injured, and from the look in Haddon’s eyes, he will make sure I will not be leaving my cell for a few days. And unlike the other competitors, who seem to have healers at their beck and call, I will not be so lucky. He will leave me too beaten to continue on with our plan, and Veles will also suffer because of it.
“Fine,” I grit out. “But you have to make it look real. They won’t believe it otherwise.”
Oryn swallows hard but nods. “Just know that I do not want to hurt you.”
“If you don’t shut up and hit me, Iwilltake Haddon on myself,” I hiss.
My words are all it takes for Oryn to strike, hitting my broken ribs just hard enough to hurt before twisting and swiping my feet from under me, knocking me down.
My head hits the ground hard, and the world tilts and spins around me.
“Stay down,” Oryn whispers, believing me to be faking it. But he doesn’t realize I have broken ribs. The hit on them was hard enough to keep me down without having to fake it.
I turn and cough up blood, knowing he will feel guilt for something that he had nothing to do with.
“Oryn wins and will fight against Haddon,” the guard calls out, and the others cheer around us.
Ignoring the smug looks from the other competitors and guards, I force myself to my feet. Moving to the nearest wall to help me stay upward, I hold my head high and conceal the pain from my injuries, not allowing any of them to see me weak or to try to use it against me.
Each rattling breath feels like flames of steel, but I force myself to watch the fight, hoping it will take my mind off the sharp pain.
The fight is vicious and brutal and over in minutes. Haddon leaves Oryn completely destroyed, not finishing the fight until Oryn is blackened and bloodied, completely passed out on the ground.
I can’t tell if Oryn is faking it, playing along like we planned, but one thing I do know is that he was right. Had I fought Haddon, I would have been too broken to do anything, let alone follow through with our plan.
The two guards who brought me to the trial appear and take me back to my cell. Their shoves and pushes are a welcomedistraction that helps me make my way through the palace and back to my cell without passing out from the pain of my injuries.
One last hard shove has me inside my cell, with the steel door slammed shut and locked behind me. I force myself to stay awake long enough to watch the two guards leave before darkness completely envelops my vision and I pass out.
Waking with a jolt, I sit up straight without thinking, quickly realizing my mistake when my broken ribs protest in pain.
I push myself up, preparing for the trek across the palace to find a bottle of wine, when I hear movement coming toward me.
Listening intently, I notice there are no thumps of footsteps like when the guards announce their arrival to me.
Whoever this is likes their arrival to go unnoticed.
Slowing my breathing, I take stock of my injuries should I need to fight my way out of this.
My ribs are still sharp and painful, but the punctured lung must have nearly healed, as each breath no longer feels like I am swallowing flames.
My body aches and is probably blackened with bruises, but I can move it, which tells me it isn’t too broken and it won’t be long before I feel like myself again.
Just as I finish inspecting my injuries, the newcomer reveals themselves.
“I hope you have not missed me too much.” The Breaker smiles and it slides down my back like ice.
Two men in dark cloaks open my cell and drag me out as another session with the Breaker begins.
CHAPTER 14
Pain holds no favor over one part of my body. It encases it whole, tearing through me like a tidal wave.
The Breaker left hours ago, discarding my crumbled body and splintered spirit on the floor of my cell, his session a payment for my performance in the first trial, which will only worsen should I continue.
