Page 86 of White Raven

“Oh, I was calling you that.” I scoffed. “And no way, he will not go down as Mr. Fluffy Fluffal now.” Determination set on my brow. “He will hear Fluffy echoing in the afterlife with him.”

“See?” Onyx stopped us outside the doors, cheering and voices pouring out to us from the building, a bustle of people moving in and out of the structure.

“What?”

“Ruthless and bloodthirsty.” The side of his mouth tipped up. He reached over, tugging up my hood, his expression altering to serious. “Keep this up⁠—”

“Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my eyes, tucking my hair under. “My hair is a target.”

His obsidian gaze slid over me, his jaw crunching down. He turned, his tone irritated. “You in general are a target.” He swung open the door, indicating me to step through, grumbling. “Just stay close.”

I stepped inside and came to a halt, Onyx bumping me from behind. Every sense was slammed with an abundance of stimulation, pattering my heart in my chest.

The stench of stale beer, blood, sweat, and grilling meat assaulted my nose. The large, colorful room, painted in various reds, was a feast of bodies and noise. Yelling, booing, cheering figures were crammed everywhere, their arms raised in frustration or joy, coins being traded as they stood bunched around chalked-off circles. Shirtless men, their eyes swollen, knuckles bloody, their noses broken, punched at each other inside the lines.

My breath caught, pressing firmer into Onyx. I had heard of places in Silvervale that men gathered to fight out their differences or gambled on fights but never was allowed to go to one. The brutal violence took me aback, the crowds crammed around shot up my anxiety. No one here had a sense of space, knocking and ramming into me as they tried to move through the room.

“Breathe.” Onyx spoke into my ear, his hand squeezing my hip. “Just stay close and you will be fine.”

“Onyx!” Brynn yelled out, waving him over. Her and Bjørn had easily cut through the room to the front of the ring, their black Night Hunter uniforms dividing the sea of color, people rushing to step aside.

It reminded me of the inn in Shadow Rift, how everyone moved out of his way. Onyx didn’t seem to need a uniform for people to sense his power, to understand he was not ordinary.

They feared him.

We moved in next to Bjørn and Brynn at the front.

“Hey!” Bjørn yelled at a curvy woman passing by with a tray. “Some mead and food here, sweetheart?”

“Sure thing.” The woman grinned at him.

“Thanks, beautiful.” He winked at her, making her blush. He watched her walk away, the server glancing over her shoulder at him before she disappeared. “I know where my böllur will be camping tonight.” He adjusted himself, facing back to the ring.

“Did you forget, you already slept with her sister?” Onyx said.

“Really?” He peered back around. “Think she’d join too?”

“You are vile pigs.” Brynn shook her head.

“How did I get into this?” Onyx held up his hands.

“Please.” Brynn folded her arms. “You already slept with both of them.”

“Really?” It was Onyx this time turning back to get a glimpse of the girl, causing Brynn to huff in annoyance.

“Jævla hores,” she muttered, like she was sticking up for the sisterhood, but I could tell it had nothing to do with that, not when it came to Onyx anyway. How long had she been in love with him, even while she was married to someone else?

“Next competitor is the fearsome Night Hunter, Renyx!” a stocky man called out from the ring, pointing to Renyx, who was ripping off his shirt. The man wore muted red trousers and a blue tunic, his voice somehow penetrating through the noise in the room. “Against our champion, Tord!” He swung his arm to a shirtless brawny man with a crooked nose and only a few teeth. His shredded body and angry demeanor suggested he had not lost very many fights. He danced around the circle, punching the air, already spewing taunts at Renyx.

“Place your wagers now!” the stocky man yelled.

“Hey!” Bjørn called out to the boy taking bets, dropping coins into his hand. “Ten marks on Renyx.”

“And add another ten for me.” Onyx nudged his friend.

“And me too.” Brynn grinned at the bid man.

“That’s thirty marks!” Bjørn exclaimed.