Chapter Ten
Nina
Ihad to win The Cycle. That was my first thought as I stepped through the shimmering veil back to the Domain of Temptation.
I emerged in a narrow passage, limping and pressing against the wall for stability, my hip still throbbing from the Letheling’s attack.
Every step sent a dull ache up my side. I drew a deep breath.
“Gods, if only I could be rid of it,” I muttered, wishing for the softness of a blanket and the warmth from a fire.
A tingling sensation started prickling in my thigh .
. . and my aches slowly began to fade. First, it was a light relief, then a steady unwinding.
A warm sort of comfort spread through my limbs until my steps grew lighter and stronger, almost buoyant.
I let it carry me forward, wandering without thought, until I found myself in a hallway I recognised, where a tapestry decorated the walls.
I stepped through the open archway and entered the kitchen’s haze of heat.
Kob was perched on the worktop, his badger-like form hunched over as he searched inside large glass jars with exaggerated care. He was singing a shrill tune, each word trembling with glee.
“Juicy, jelly, jar of bugs. Crush their feet and boil the slugs. Bubble, bubble, stew the lot. It’s dinnertime, so fill your pot.”
I screwed up my nose at the idea of cooked insects. Over Kob’s song, metal clanged in steady rhythm, and echoed through the room.
“Hello Kob,” I grunted.
He ignored me, licking his lips, and prattled on about frying the legs of fat spiders.
I sighed. “I’ve just got back from the Domain of Fear.
” Even now, the memory of the demon sent a shiver down my spine, at those pointed teeth, those claw-like nails.
“Could have mentioned what I was in for, huh?” I shook the vision of Dimitri from my mind.
I could have killed for a cup of tea. “Are you even listening?”
“Yes, yes, you’re louder than the Demon of Torment,” Kob groaned, not bothering to look up.
I ignored the mention of another demon. “Me?” I spluttered. “How about all that clattering? What is that noise?” The clash of metal on metal rang through the room.
Kob set the jar down and turned to face me. “The Thorns.”
“Thorns?” I asked.
“The souls in Temptation who like to swing around big swords and even bigger egos.”
I raised an eyebrow.
Kob hopped down from the worktop with a surprising amount of grace. “Go have a look for yourself and you’ll know what I mean.” He waved a paw to the oval doors at the end of the kitchen, where a voice barked orders above the clamour.
My feet dragged me to the doors, my curiosity getting the better of me.
The courtyard hummed, blades colliding as fighters exchanged blows under a fiery red sky.
They kicked up dust from the sun-bleached ground.
Yellowed walls surrounded them, spacious yet confined.
My gaze swept to the weapons hanging on chunky nails along the back wall: swords, spears and other pointy tools of death.
I wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or alarmed.
Two dozen fighters in combat leathers, paired off in sparring matches. Among them was Elise, the wicked soul who had left me for dead with the Letheling.
A few fighters paused to glance my way as I invaded their courtyard. I couldn’t help it. My fury was burning and itching to get out.
Elise sparred with an older man, her movements quick as she deflected every strike. Her loose dark hair swayed with each motion.
My anger piqued, and I clenched my hands into fists.
I usually would have worried about my emotions being on full display. But, at that moment, I couldn’t care less. I was dying to shame the murderous woman, who was now smirking at me.
She was smug as ever, and wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. “What a surprise it is to see you. Come to join the fun?”
“Surprised that I outran the Letheling, you mean?” I snapped. “What is your problem?”
Elise arched her brow. “Looks like you handled yourself,” she said with a dismissive wave.
“Don’t you dare. You knew what would happen. You wanted me dead. I want to know why.”
Her smirk widened. “Look around you – we’re already dead. This is Hell, darling.”
“You know what I mean.”
She rolled her eyes – her favourite damn expression – and I had to pull myself together not to grab a weapon and challenge her to a sparring match.
“You can stop with the helpless act,” she said.
“Are you insane? I was an inch away from being eaten by that creature. What you did was not okay.”
The fighters around us stopped sparring, their attention shifting to the brewing storm. My eyes fell back on Elise. She shrugged, her voice casual and disinterested, as if we were discussing the weather. “If you can’t handle the Letheling, you won’t last long in The Cycle.”
“Just leave me alone.”
“Or what?” she said.
I glowered at her.
“We fight it out in Temptation,” she said, straightening and brushing the dust from her armour. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
My heart raced, fury coursed through me, and then a familiar voice broke through the tension. “Now, now,” Leander murmured, coming between us. His expression was unbearably calm as he rested his hand on my shoulder. “Let’s not ruin the mood with petty squabbles.”
So, this is where he liked to hide out, when he wasn’t guiding damned souls into Temptation . . .
His piercing cobalt eyes stared down at me with mild amusement.
He wore combat leathers, which seemed more tailored for style than practicality.
Though, I didn’t doubt he could handle himself by the looks of his bare, muscular arms. His blonde hair was slicked back, with red streaks glinting through it.
The colour was a new addition since the last time I saw him.
It wasn’t the only thing that had changed about him.
Up close, I noticed freckles scattered across his pale skin.
“Maybe tell her that.” I jabbed a finger at Elise.
Leander’s brows quirked up, and he turned his attention to the woman. “The Letheling, really? We’re not in Chaos, so no need to play the cunning fox.”
She shrugged and gave me a sly grin. “What can I say? Temptation got the better of me.”
“Try harder to resist,” Leander said. “She’s been in Hell less than a week.”
“Let her have her chance to fight me for her honour,” Elise said.
I swallowed. I didn’t know anything about weapons, except maybe hunting pitchforks. I could wave that around, sure. But Elise had obviously been doing this for a while, and I was the first to admit I was outmatched.
Leander looked at me. “Don’t take the bait. She thrives on it.”
I tried my best to look indifferent, but I wouldn’t take the bait. I really didn’t want the bitch to hand me my arse in front of everyone.
Elise rolled her eyes, stepping back with a scoff. “Aren’t you a little tempted to see who will win, Leander?”
“Another day, maybe.”
“You’re no fun.”
“And you’re too predictable,” he shot back, his tone dripping with mockery. “Let’s all get back to it, shall we?” Leander’s voice echoed over the courtyard, and everyone returned to sparring.
Elise’s eyes darkened, but she gave him a slight nod and turned away to her sparring partner, although not before she said, “Next time, then,” over her shoulder. “If you survive the next domain, that is.”
Leander leaned in, his voice low enough for only me to hear. “Careful with her. She bites.”
I clenched my jaw, but his words kept me rooted to the spot as Elise resumed her sparring, the moment slipping away but leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
Leander stepped forward. “So you almost got the Kiss of Stone.”
I shot him a glare, but he didn’t seem fazed. His eyes swept over me, assessing me like I was a mystery he couldn’t quite figure out. “It’s not funny. She led me to that bloody creature.”
“You’ve got fire, I’ll give you that,” he said, tilting his head slightly.
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child,” I snapped, crossing my arms.
“So sensitive, little Champion,” he replied smoothly.
“And stop calling me that while you’re at it.”
He raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his cobalt-blue eyes. “Tell me, does the name bother you, or is it just me?”
“Both.”
He let out a dark laugh and flung his head back.
“The name’s Nina,” I said, my tone clipped.
“Names are overrated,” he said, his grin widening.
He was infuriating. I forced myself to ignore him and glanced around the courtyard. Sparring fighters clashed in bursts of movement, the sharp clang of metal ringing out. Racks of weapons gleamed under the crimson sky, polished and deadly.
“I need a weapon,” I said, my tone hardening, my gaze snapping back to him.
Leander’s eyes flicked over me, appraising. “You don’t look like you’ve held a sword before,” he said, his words sliding out smooth as silk but cutting all the same.
“Teach me.”
His face was calm, unconcerned by the loose strand of hair that had fallen over his brow and into his eye.
“You said it yourself – you’re not in the habit of disappointing me. Or was that a lie?”
His eyebrow shot up, and a laugh escaped his lips. “Let’s see what you’ve got then.”
“Now?” My eyes skittered around. These people would see me flail around with a sword I couldn’t hold. How embarrassing.
“Yes, now,” he said, stepping back and gesturing to the open space around us. “Thorns. Give us the courtyard.”
The sparring stopped abruptly and the warriors shuffled out. Elise said nothing more to me as she followed the others out. I could not miss the disgust on her face as she cast a final gaze from me to Leander, then back to me.
“Are you their . . . master?” Distrust prickled in my mind.
“General,” he corrected.
I turned to Leander, who was already unbuckling the strap of his leather vest, letting it fall to the ground with practised ease. Beneath, he wore a sleeveless tunic that showcased his lean muscles and the faint gleam of a golden chain hanging around his neck.