Chapter Thirty

I expected a certain level of barbarism. These were people who braided bones into their hair and tattooed themselves. The test for my worthiness was likely to be a situation similar to fights in the training yard—everyone gathered around to cheer for their favorite. So, I wasn't surprised when we arrived at Vexen's village to find it empty, with everyone already gathered at the fighting location. But I was surprised to find the Tiger Ladrin quiet when we walked up—surprised and unnerved.

The Tigers stared at me with their gleaming eyes, watching their chief's son escort me to the center of their gathering where a roped-off circle of grass waited. Two men stood in the center. Both were around Vexen's size. One looked like him. A lot.

Vex unhooked a portion of the rope, and we entered the ring. The path we had walked through the clan closed and the quiet became even more unsettling. I stretched my neck as we approached the men, but my muscles didn't want to relax.

“We are here, Ember,” Fire said.

My stare shot around, but no one else appeared to have heard her.

“Don't worry. Only those we choose can hear us.”

Unlike earlier, I was grateful for her presence. I whispered, “Thanks.”

“Father,” Vex said to the man who looked like his brother.

“My son,” the Chief said gruffly. “I'm glad to have you home.”

“We're just here to celebrate our mating.”

“And you didn't want your clan to celebrate with you?”

“It's an unusual situation. We needed to set a magical bond between us and then return to set it between the other men.”

“Yes.” The Chief grimaced at his son and glanced at me. “I've heard that you have agreed to share your mate.”

“Together, we can end this war, Father. Sharing him is an honorable sacrifice.”

The Chief made a scoffing sound and sliced his hand through the air. “What do I care about prophecies? They are just words. We are people of action—strong people who do not share our mates.”

Vexen let out a sigh that was half growl. “Ember is the chosen one of the Goddess. The prophecy is hers.”

The Chief just stared at Vex. I guess even he didn't want to offend the Goddess by saying something scathing. Finally, he said, “Fine. Your mate can prove how special he is right now. I have chosen Bale as my champion.”

Vex nodded. “Ember has agreed. He is ready.” He laid his hand on my back.

“Greetings, Chief,” I said. “I accept the challenge.”

The Chief shifted his stare to me. “Good.” He looked me up and down. “There is only one rule—no magic.”

“What?!” Vexen growled.

Meanwhile, my stomach bottomed out. I knew how to fight with a sword, and I was even pretty good at it. But I wasn't nearly as good with it as most lords. My strength lay in my magic. And if I had to use a sword—or, Goddess forbid, fight hand-to-hand—I couldn't be careful and leave the other man alive. I'd be too busy keeping myself alive.

“We've heard about your mate's magical prowess. If we allow him to use his magic, it wouldn't be a fair fight,” the Chief said.

“When has that ever mattered?” Vex demanded. “The test is about worthiness, not fairness. It's meant to prove the skill of the challenger. Ember's skill lies in his magic. If you deny him the use of it, you're denying him the ability to prove himself. And he lacks the physical strength that Bale has. So, by hindering Ember, you've made the test both unfair and dishonorable.”

People gasped. Finally, a reaction. The worst reaction was from Vexen's father.

The Chief leaned forward, bared his fangs, and snarled at his son.

Vex snarled back.

“Enough!” I shouted, startling everyone again. “I will accept your terms if you honor mine.”

The Chief blinked. Straightened. Stared me down. “What are your terms?”

“If I can't use my strongest weapon, then neither can your champion. He cannot shift.”

The crowd murmured, but it seemed to be in approval. The Chief glanced around, grimaced, then nodded. “That is fair.”

“And I require a sword. Your man is twice my size. I will never win in hand-to-hand combat without magic.”

The Chief's lips twitched. “You have courage at least. Very well, Lord Ember, you will have a sword. No magic. No shapeshifting.”

“I swear I will not use magic,” I vowed.

“Smart,” Air said. “ You will not use it, but that doesn't prevent us from helping you.”

I couldn't reply, so I hoped he knew to make that help subtle.

“I swear I will not shapeshift,” my challenger said. Bale. That was his name. He was big. Bigger than Vex. But at least he didn't look angry.

I held out a hand to him. “It's an honor to fight you, Bale. Thank you for agreeing to test me.”

Bale blinked, then shook my hand. “And you, Wraith Lord.”

“All right, let's get on with it,” the Chief grumbled and waved Vex out of the circle.

“Take him down,” Vex said to me, his stare steady. “Fast.”

I nodded, understanding the implication. Bale was stronger, but I was quicker. And the hardness in Vexen's stare told me to go for the kill.

I really didn't want to kill a man after shaking his hand.

Then Vex was gone, and I faced Bale alone. Well, not entirely alone.

“I don't want to kill him,” I whispered. “Can you hinder him and make it look natural?”

“No problem,” Water said gleefully. “Have I mentioned that people are sixty percent water?”

“Yes, we all know,” Fire drawled. “Have I mentioned that fire is what makes their hearts beat?”

“Please, do not stop his heart,” I said, leaning my head down so Bale wouldn't see my lips move.

“Relax,” Fire huffed. “What do you think we are—amateurs?”

“Your weapons!” the Chief shouted as a man ran into the ring holding two swords.

I was offered the first pick. I chose the smaller one.

There was no announcement for us to start. As soon as the man was out of the circle, Bale swung. But I saw his body move before his hand did, and I spun out of the way. There was no cheering for my quick maneuver. Nor did Bale seem impressed or irritated. He was calm. Expressionless. The only sounds were the movement of our feet, our harsh breaths, and the clicking of the bones in his hair.

It was the weirdest fight I'd ever been in. And I'd been through some strange battles. But none of them had been silent.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Vexen standing beside his father, arms crossed over his chest. But I didn't look at him. I knew better than that. Once, I'd been terrible at swordplay, but I'd been trained by the best fighters on the planet and even though I wasn't at their level, I had learned a few things.

I ducked and swung. As I hit the underside of Bale's forearm, I also bashed into his chest, using my momentum to send him tumbling while I continued smoothly on, then spun to face him. I heard Bale grunt. Then I paused.

He was bleeding from his forearm. That was expected. But he also bled from his nose. I hadn't hit him that hard and definitely not in the face. So, it had to be one of the Elements.

“He'll be fine, Ember,” Water said. “It's just a little imbalance in his blood. He's already healing.”

“Strike now, you fool!” Earth roared.

I ran and leapt, coming down atop Bale. Or where he'd been.

Bale was fast too. He rolled away and came up behind me.

“Duck!” Air shouted.

I ducked, tucked my sword in against my belly, and did a roll too—right into Bale's legs.

Bale went down with a startled yip. I bashed an elbow into his belly and used it to push myself up. Before I could strike again, Bale jumped to his feet and bared his tiger fangs. I punched him in the face with the pommel of my sword while he was busy trying to intimidate me. His head spun and blood flew. It was a merciful move. I could have slashed his throat instead, but I was still hoping for a non-fatal win. I danced away, keeping light on my feet as Rath had taught me.

But I wasn't light enough.

“Ember!” Fire shouted just as I took a hit to my thigh.

And Bale didn't hold back. He was probably mad about that punch. The slice went deep, and I went down. Bale followed me, his teeth still bared and his sword lifted. With his weight pinning me, there was nothing I could do. I had let myself get caught, siding with sympathy instead of common sense. Fuck. I was going to die there. I had wasted destiny on this dumb fight, and I wasn't the only one who would pay the price. All of Var would suffer.

“Push!” Air shouted as he swept between us.

I bucked up against Bale's chest and he went tumbling away, his eyes wide. It was surprising, I'm sure, but he didn't go that far. It was still believable. I used the opportunity to strike. Swinging my sword in an arc, I rushed him and brought it down.

Bale was gone.

Not only that, he also managed to grab my wounded thigh on his way past. I cried out and went to my knees.

“I got you,” Fire said.

“I'm here too,” Water said.

My wound warmed and the blood flow stopped. My immortality was kicking in, but that wasn't all that was happening. The Elements were healing me and numbing the pain. I stood up and turned to face Bale, steady as when we started.

“Here's a little something extra,” Earth rumbled.

Power rose through my legs and into my muscles. I took a deep breath and felt better than I ever had before. My vision seemed clearer. I could smell things I didn't usually notice—the musk of tigers and fresh soil. I didn't bother with test swings this time. I just rushed Bale.

Bale moved. I saw his feet shift. But then they crumpled under him, and he went down again. Tripped over his own feet. That's what it looked like. Bale made a shocked huff as he hit the grass. And then I was there, sword falling, and he had just enough time to roll over and face his death.

I stopped the sword just above his neck, the tip nicking his skin. “Yield.”

Bale blinked.

“Yield or die!” I roared.

Blood dripped down the side of Bale's neck. Not because I moved the sword. He had moved his head. The Tiger Ladrin was baring his throat.

“He yields, Ember!” Vex shouted as he leapt over the rope. He ran to me, waving his arms. “Stop! That's the sign that he yields.”

I lowered my sword before Vex reached me, and then I tossed it to the ground. Before Vex could hug me or whatever he meant to do, I leaned over Bale and offered him a hand. “You were one of the best warriors I've ever fought. And I've been trained by wraith lords. Well done.”

Bale's dark brows rose over a pair of golden eyes. “Thank you.” He took my hand and let me help him up. “And you were . . .” He shook his head, then lifted the hand he was still holding. “The challenger has passed the test!”

The crowd, so silent until then, roared and pounded their feet, creating the cacophony I had expected to accompany the fight. There was no resentment over my win, only acceptance. Acceptance of my triumph and into their clan. I was one of them now. I'd done it.

But not alone.

“Thank you,” I said to Bale, but also my elemental friends.

“You're welcome,” the Elements said together.

Bale just nodded as he lowered my hand. Then he stepped back and bowed to Vexen. “Chief's Son.” He bowed to me next. “Mate of Chief's Son.”

As the cheering died down, the Chief entered the circle and stepped up to us. Vex took my hand as Bale backed away, and we faced his father together.

“You're stronger than you look, Lord Ember,” the Chief said.

“I'm wiry.” I grinned at him. “And I've been taught to fight by wraith lords. I know how to use what I have.”

He nodded. “I didn't consider that. It seems that you have many strengths. Magic is only one of them.” He opened his arms. “Welcome to the Invea Clan.”

I gaped at his open arms a second before I stepped into them. The Chief enfolded me in a hug and kissed my cheek as more cheering came. I was thrilled.

Until he whispered in my ear, “I know you cheated. I don't know how, and I can't prove it, but I know you did.” He stepped back and met my stare. Then he grinned. “Well done, Son.”

“Holy fucking shit!” Fire exclaimed. “Did he just call you out on cheating and then praise you for it? I love this guy!”

“What happened to all the honor Tiger Ladrin are known for?” Water asked. “I thought they were big on that stuff?”

“Evidently not,” Air murmured. “Or maybe the Chief is an exception.”

“Maybe that's how he got to be Chief,” Earth rumbled ominously.

“Who the fuck cares?” Fire asked. “Take the win.”

I glanced at Vexen, who was giving me an anxious, urging look. It had gone quiet again, and I realized that they were waiting for my response. Could I call this man “father?” It felt weird. But, fuck it. Better that than ruin the good mood.

“Thank you, Father,” I said, loud and clear.

The Invea Clan cheered once more.