31. The Roar of the Arena
Chapter thirty-one
The Roar of the Arena
Moni
Twenty minutes earlier.
Leo ran off like a bitch, racing to the tree and climbing it.
The deafening roar of the crowd collided into a symphony of fear, bloodlust, and hysteria that shook the arena like a living beast.
The sound clawed at my skin.
I sat rigid in the stands, every muscle in my body coiled tight, trembling as I watched Lei charge after his father.
Damn it.
My heart pounded against my ribs; a frantic, relentless rhythm that drowned out every rational thought.
Sitting in front of me, Jo looked over her shoulder. “Are you okay, sis?”
“No, I’m losing my mind.”
Jo nodded. “I wish we could do something.”
Banks was next to her and kept his view on the fight. “Lei is a bad motherfucker. He’ll win, Moni.”
On my left, Duck kept his hold on my arm while Chen on my right had his arm hooked on my right arm.
I frowned at both of them.
Lei wanted me to remain in the stands.
That one simple request—to stay put—felt like an unbearable heaviness crushing my chest.
How could I sit here, surrounded by strangers screaming for blood, while the man I loved fought for his life?
Every instinct in my body screamed at me to move, to run to him, to do something… anything to stop this madness.
On the other side of Jo, Marcelo’s voice filled with disbelief. “He’s going after Leo in that tree?”
Shivering, I glanced at Duck. “Can he fight him in a fucking tree?”
Duck nodded. “Yeah, but. . .”
“What?”
“Uncle Leo would have the advantage.”
“Why?”
Chen answered for him, “Because if Uncle Leo went into the tree then he planned to do it weeks ago. Something could be up there or—”
“What the fuck you mean something could be up there?”
“Calm down, Monique.” Chen wiped sweat off his forehead. “We’re all stressed.”
“If Leo has something up in the tree then the battle is disqualified or at the bare minimum we can all go out there and fight him—”
“Calm down.”
“I won’t.” I looked back at the chaos unfolding.
Blood, dead black crows, and white blossoms rained down.
This is so fucked up.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away, even though I wanted to scream.
Lei climbed higher, yet somehow still held Soaring Precious.
Above him, Leo moved with unnatural grace as his laughter echoed down like a twisted hymn.
I wish I had my fucking guns. I would shoot his bitch ass in the head.
At least, Lei didn’t hesitate with getting up to him. As he climbed higher, I could barely see him through the black mass of crows, white blossoms, and leaves.
The tree leaned to the right.
Behind me, Aunt Min yelled at Song. “This is wrong and you know it!”
Song grumbled. “If Lei will rule, he will need to be prepared for—”
“If he will rule? He has been ruling all these years!” Aunt Suzi sounded like she was close to slapping him.
Song sighed. “Lei has been ruling with Leo and me watching his back.”
Aunt Min raised her voice. “Why did Leo lead Lei to the tree?”
“Tell us!” Aunt Suzi added.
Song sighed. “I don’t know. That wasn’t the plan.”
“You fucking bastard. All of your life, instead of trying to be a good man, Song, you’ve only focused on being a good lackey for our brother,” Aunt Min hissed. She quickly stood up, and screamed at the area, “Be careful, Lei! Get him out of that tree!”
Did he hear her?
My body strained forward, desperate to move but held back by Duck and Chen’s arms.
I kept my voice low. “Let me go.”
Duck’s voice was tight. “Stay still.”
“This is bullshit.” I yanked my arm to the right. “You don’t need to hold me.”
Duck winked. “Perhaps, I like holding you.”
I rolled my eyes and twisted.
Chen scowled. “Stop struggling. Lei needs to focus.”
Focus?
How could Lei focus when he was up there fighting his father, surrounded by chaos and blood?
How could they expect me to sit still and do nothing when every second could be his last?
I turned back to the scene and my heart shattered at the sight of Lei struggling to steady himself on the blood-slick branches.
Goddamn it.
He was so close to Leo now, his sword gleaming as he lunged forward. The branches beneath him swayed dangerously, creaking as if they might snap at any moment.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Leo stood above him, perched like a predator surveying his prey. His grin stretched wide. Even from here, I could see the small wounds on his face where the crows had fought back. He barely seemed to notice them, but I wished the crows had pecked out his fucking eyes.
I clenched my fists. “N-now what?”
Duck whispered. “Lei has to either kill him in the tree or get him out of it.”
“Can he?”
“Of course.”
“Will Leo cheat?”
“Of course.”
When their blades finally clashed, the sound sliced through the air, sharp and violent.
Oh my God.
My breath caught.
My body trembled.
How is this even possible?
The tree groaned as they fought.
Lei’s strikes were relentless, his blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. But Leo was faster, his movements sharp and fluid, as if the tree were his domain.
Come on, baby.
Then Lei struck.
Soaring Precious cut into Leo’s shoulder.
A surge of hope hit me.
Yes!
My lips parted.
Leo twisted his face into this cruel expression, and then, so fast I barely saw it, he grabbed a branch and swung it at Lei.
It slammed into Lei’s side.
“Shit!” I gasped.
Lei twisted dangerously to the side as the impact knocked him back.
I shook in fear. “No. Please no.”
Lei struggled to recover. Blood bloomed against his side, dripping onto the bark below.
My eyes watered. “I-is he okay?”
Chen nervously nodded. “Yes. He’s been hit harder, but. . .”
“What?”
“He should get out of that tree right now.”
“Why?”
Leo moved toward him fast with something in his other hand.
I leaned forward. “What’s that?”
Chen trembled against me. “Get out of there, Lei!”
Leo was on Lei’s branch fast and jabbed Lei in the arm with whatever he had.
“No.” I shook my head. “What the fuck is that? What did he do?”
Movement sounded behind me like someone had been slapped.
“That’s how it’s going to be?” Aunt Min screamed.
Confused, Lei looked down at his arm and kept blinking his eyes. Then he pulled something out and slung it away.
The thing fell to the ground.
What the hell was that?
“No. No.” I struggled against their arms. “Let me go. Right. Fucking. Now.”
“Moni, stop!” Chen tightened his grip on my arm as I lurched forward.
“What was that?!” I twisted and turned trying to loosen their hold. “What did Leo do? We have to stop him!”
Duck’s arm was like a damn iron shackle. “Stay here. You’ll only make it worse.”
“Make it worse? Fuck you.” My jaw clenched as I turned back to the tree. “I could help.”
Lei staggered on the branch, his sword slipping slightly in his grip. His chest heaved as he tried to steady himself, but I could see it—the way his body began to falter. The way his movements slowed.
He dropped to his knees.
No, baby. No. . .
My pulse roared in my ears.
“Leo cheated!” I screamed, struggling harder against Duck and Chen’s hold. “He fucking cheated!”
“Moni, stop it.” Duck’s voice cracked with frustration. “You can’t help him right now! None of us can.”
“Yes. We can. We can all go out there.”
“It’s not the way of the East.” Chen scowled. “And if you go out there, you’ll distract him. You’ll get him killed.”
His words stabbed into me like daggers but I couldn’t stop my body from twisting against their hold. “How can you say that? He’s going to die if we don’t do something!”
Duck shook his head. “I’ve seen Lei survive worse than this.”
Lei began doing something odd, pressing his fingertips on his neck and the side of his head.
Chen whispered, “He’s fighting the poison.”
“Poison!” I widened my eyes. “That’s what Leo did?”
Black liquid spilled from Lei’s mouth, dripping onto the bark below. The sight of it made my stomach churn and tears blurred my vision.
“N-no,” I whispered.
My heart felt like it was being torn apart as I watched him.
Lei was on that tree, fighting with every ounce of strength he had left, his body trembling under the weight of poison and exhaustion.
All I could do for now was sit in the stands, paralyzed.
I have to do something.
Suddenly, I felt someone watching me.
The sensation was like a cold hand, tracing a line up the back of my neck making my hair stand on end.
I turned to the right.
Instead of looking at the scene, Einstein had his gaze on me.
Tears spilled from my eyes.
Einstein mouthed something, I couldn’t make out what he was saying. Then, he made a motion with his hand, two fingers pointing at me, then toward Lei.
What?
Next, Einstein gestured to Duck and Chen then he pointed to Banks, Marcelo, Gunner, and him.
I blinked.
Is he asking if I need help?
I wasn’t sure but bobbed my head anyway.
Yes. Help me.
Einstein leaned Marcelo’s way and whispered something.
Next to them both, Dima caught Einstein and Marcelo talking and pulled out his phone.
It was all quick, but I knew that their presence here hadn’t just been for emotional support. At least, I hoped they had some other extra back up plans because Leo had cheated with the poison, so I was ignoring Lei’s wanting me to stay in my seat.
Fuck the East and their bullshit traditions. They’re all just scared of Leo.
More black liquid spilled from Lei’s mouth again and splattered on the branches below him.
No, baby.
I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming.
“That’s good, Lei.” Chen’s nodded. “Keep it up.”
My throat tightened, and tears blurred my vision.
He was fighting so hard, too hard, and yet Leo stood above him watching with that twisted grin.
I am going to kill you. Even if Lei does it. I will revive you and do it again.
In front of me, Banks leaned in close to Jo whispering something too low for me to hear.
Whatever he said, my sister didn’t hesitate to act.
Seconds later, Jo stood abruptly and slipped down the aisle heading toward my ladies-in-waiting.
Duck caught that and eyed Banks.
Chen continued to watch Lei.
My stomach clenched in confusion, but I put my focus back on Lei.
On the branch, his body swayed, his hands moving slower now as if the poison were stealing every ounce of energy he had left.
No. No. This isn’t alright. I can’t just sit back and watch this.
I thrashed against Duck’s grip. “Let me go! He’s dying!”
They didn’t let up.
Ignoring me, Duck yelled. “Lei, watch out!!”
I checked back to the tree.
Leo kicked Lei hard in the chest, and Lei fell.
Oh my God.
Lei’s body tumbled from the branch and he tried to grab hold of another, but his hands slipped. I watched, helplessly as he plummeted.
“No!” The word ripped from my throat, raw and broken.
It wasn’t just my voice either.
Aunt Suzi screamed too.
When Lei hit the ground, I thought my heart stopped. For a moment, everything in the arena blurred—the roar of the crowd, the shouts of Aunt Min and Suzi, even the tight grip of Duck and Chen on my arms. It all faded into a dull hum as my focus tunneled on him, crumpled and unmoving on the blood-streaked ground.
Baby, we’re supposed to have our happily ever after.
Terror laced Duck’s voice. “Get up, Lei! He’s climbing down!”
My eyes darted to the tree.
The monster slowly descended.
Sweat dripped from Leo’s face. He looked wild and unhinged. His grin stretching wide. His teeth bared in a twisted expression of triumph.
Two big crows darted at him. Their sharp cries pierced the air. They attacked with relentless fury, delaying him a little.
Leo swung his blade in wide, vicious arcs, but his strikes were slower now.
His first swing of the sword missed them entirely.
The crows were relentless, pecking at his shoulders and clawing at his head. One of them managed to rake its talons across his cheek, leaving a fresh gash that oozed blood.
Leo snarled and swung again, narrowly missing the bird as it veered sharply to the side.
That’s right. Get him, crows!
I checked back to Lei.
He lay there crumpled on the ground, barely moving. The sight of him, so still, sent a wave of cold terror through me.
“Get up, baby!” I shivered. “Please, get up!”
The crows attacked again, one of them diving for Leo’s head. This time, he was ready. With a quick twist of his wrist, he slashed upward.
The blade caught the bird mid-flight.
Blood sprayed across the white bark, and the lifeless body tumbled down, landing with a sickening thud on the ground below.
The second crow screeched and backed off, circling above as if considering its next move.
Leo didn’t wait for it to strike again. He gripped the branch beneath him, using it as leverage to drop down to the next one.
He was almost on the ground now.
“P-please, Duck.” More tears spilled from my eyes. “He’s going to kill Lei.”
Duck’s voice broke through my haze of panic. “You can’t go out there.”
“He’s going to kill Lei and you’re just sitting here doing nothing!”
Chen’s voice cut in, low and tense. “Moni, listen to me. If you go out there, you’ll only make it worse. Lei needs to do this on his own.”
Duck widened his eyes. “Lei’s moving. Look. He’s getting up.”
We all turned back.
Lei was indeed trying to push himself up from the ground. His movements were slow, sluggish, but there was an undeniable determination in his eyes that was impossible to ignore.
He steadied himself with one arm, the other hanging limply at his side. It was apparent he was in pain but he didn't let it hinder him.
"Fight, Lei!" Duck roared. “Imperial Lament is six feet away!”
But then, Lei's body went limp, collapsing onto the ground with a heavy thud. His face contorted in pain.
“Oh, hell no! Let me go!” I fought harder against Chen and Duck. My nails clawed at Chen’s wrist, and I could feel the burn of their hands bruising my arms. “He’s going to kill him!”
“Stay here, Moni!” Chen growled. “You’ll only get yourself killed!”
With a speed that stole my breath, Banks turned around quick and launched himself at Duck.
What?!
Banks’s fist slammed into Duck’s chest like a battering ram. The force sent Duck stumbling back, and his grip on my arm loosened for a fraction of a second.
“What the hell?” Duck snarled and recovered but was still holding me.
Oh shit. Banks hit him again, so I can get free!