19. Lily

Ireleased the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

Gpidod rubbed my back and rubbed her cheek against my arm in that soft way she often did to show affection. "Your mate is one step closer."

I felt excited, relieved… and immediately put a lid on it. I shouldn't expect too much, I told myself. Ohara wasn't a natural fighter. He might not make it to the final, and even if he did, he would still have to beat the Champion…

Again.

I had to remind myself that he had, in fact, already overcome him once before. And if he could do it once, why couldn't he do it again?

I liked that he didn't play up to the crowd. I liked that he had a strategy and he stuck to it. I hated when his opponent managed to land a blow but I was relieved when it didn't seem to have much of an effect.

Too many of the alien fighters played to the crowd, wanting to please them and their followers more than caring about the outcome. I was glad Ohara didn't fall for the same trap.

In my stomach, I felt a tight fluttering sensation, as if maybe, just maybe, we could get to be together. And that thought brought a smile to my lips.

I wondered how long his sentence was and how many more times we might be able to see each other… It must be long for him to put so much effort into seeing me again.

I was disappointed when Druin passed through to the second round within twenty short seconds. He had something to prove, and was more vicious than usual.

The other Prizes came and went, busy with the task of making themselves look gorgeous for the Champion.

I spent every possible moment watching the fights, for once taking a keen interest in them. I wanted to see who Ohara's next opponent was and do what I was best at — and analyze their strengths and weaknesses.

In fact…

An idea struck me with such force that I immediately set to carrying it out. "Get me a piece of paper and a pen."

"What for?" Gpidod said.

"Just do it!" I snapped.

The competition was arranged like any sports event from back home. The winner of a round would pass through to the next stage, where they would meet another first-round winner.

No doubt Ohara would be watching these fights take place while I was too, and draw his own conclusions. But maybe, just maybe, he might find something I spotted useful too.

I scribbled my thoughts on the sheet of paper, hesitated before I added a little something at the end, folded it in half, moved to the front entrance to the Prize Pool, and knocked on it.

"What are you doing?" Gpidod asked, growing concerned.

"Whatever I can," I said simply.

When no one responded to my knock, I did it again.

And again.

And aga—

The door's lock released and a guard leaned around it. "What do you want?"

I extended my note to him. Gpidod hissed through her teeth as if I had committed some unspeakable sin.

"Please deliver this to the prison inmate called Ohara," I said.

Gpidod's face fell into her hands and she shook her head.

"We're not a messaging service," the guard snapped.

"I know," I cooed softly, and I wasn't ashamed to admit I leaned forward, exposing my breasts through the fabric of my sheer dress.

I was pleased when the guard's head dropped — minutely — but it was still there.

"But my friend is fighting in the pits and he needs serious help," I said. "I thought I would share some of my insights with him. That's all they are. See?"

I opened the sheet of paper so he could see what I had written.

I flapped my lashes and peered through them at him. "If you could see he gets it, I'd be really, really grateful."

I hated the simpering timbre of my voice but a girl had to use whatever she had — especially in a place like this.

"I'll… see what I can do," the guard said, taking the note.

"Thank you," I said. "And thank you for guarding us. We all really appreciate it."

I shut the door and it automatically locked into place.

Gpidod immediately turned on me. "Are you nuts?" she snapped. "You can't just give a guard a note to deliver!"

"Why not?"

"Because… because…" she sputtered. "Because it's not done!"

I shrugged. "So maybe it will be done from now on. And if he doesn't deliver it, so what? I haven't lost anything."

"You're getting their attention," Gpidod said. "And that's never a good thing."

For the first time since I carried out my idea, I began to feel nervous. Maybe she was right. I was new here. What did I know?

"I just wanted to help him," I said. "If he becomes Champion, he can Claim me."

"And even if he does, what then?" Gpidod's sudden shift from romanticist to realist was jarring.

"I thought you believed in love and romance?"

"I do," Gpidod said, looking at her feet. "But it never lasts. Not here. Not at Ikmal. Enjoy the moment while you have it. Never expect anything more."

And with what I suspected were tears in her eyes, she turned on her heel and marched away.

Something had happened to her, I realized. Something painful that had just begun bubbling to the surface. I was about to follow her, talk to her, maybe even rub my cheek against her shoulder the way she always did with me…

But then the siren wailed and Ohara's next fight was about to begin.

It was faster than the first round, and the opponent struck Ohara with a blast of wind that sent him hurtling through the air and into the wall.

"Please," I prayed under my breath. "Please tell me you got my note…"

After a grueling first five minutes, the tide began to shift the way it had during the first bout.

Ohara used a shield to deflect the worst of his opponent's special wind ability — and I clapped happily as it was the strategy I'd passed on to him, although he could have just as easily come up with it himself — and then attacked once the other inmate had run out of breath (literally).

After that, Ohara shut the alien down, bludgeoning him with cries of "Yield!" as he had the first round.

Then, once the fight was over, Ohara turned toward the Prize Pool and bowed.

Yes! He actually bowed!

To me!

I was sure of it!

I informed Gpidod, who seemed to cheer up when I told her, and I hugged her close and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"What did you do that for?" she asked, perturbed.

"For the same reason you do this," I said, rubbing my cheek against her arm.

She just stared at me. "You have an itch too?"

Then her furrowed brow broke into a beaming grin and we both fell apart, laughing so hard tears leaked from the corners of our eyes. I couldn't believe I had actually managed to find laughter in a place such as this.

The other Prizes came over to share the joke but no matter how many times we tried to explain it, they didn't get it. You just had to be there, I suppose.

I watched the following fights and made notes on each contender who Ohara might have to face next. As the rounds drew closer, there was less and less time for me to scribble down my ideas.

I hastily handed them to the guard, flashed more boob, and he took them away.

With each success, Ohara bowed to the Prize Pool — which amazed Gpidod no end as no fighter ever gave us much attention (during the fights, at least).

And with each round that passed, a deeper and deeper rock formed in the pit of my stomach as Druin got closer and closer to squaring off with Ohara.

Ohara had a hard time with a powerfully built freiza, who harnessed the power of ice and froze him in place more than once and launched a horrifying attack on him while his limbs were pinned down.

I could barely bring myself to watch as I peered through my fingers at the display. He always managed to escape by beating his opponent back, but it was a long and grueling fight.

The excitement was palpable as both the inmates and Prizes, all privy to the story that had made the rounds last night, knew what was at stake.

Druin's honor.

Only in my and Ohara's heart was there something even more at stake:

Me.

I didn't know what kind of terrible things Druin would do to me if he won — if I would ever be the same again afterward — but I do know the incredible things I would do to Ohara if he won…

The thought alone made me blush.

Was there anything more attractive than a mate determined to protect you, no matter the cost? I didn't think so.

The butterflies gave me a reprieve and settled in my stomach for just a moment as the first siren wailed and Ohara and Druin entered the pit.

They met in the center. They were talking but no one could hear what they were saying. I wasn't even sure I wanted to know.

The second siren seemed to take forever to come, but once it did, all bets were off.