33. Ayres
Ayres watched Rorax carefully during every one of her matches. She made his hackles rise.
Her long black hair was clasped in a ponytail high on her head, and war braids were intertwined in the long locks. The way she moved changed from lethal grace to severe brutality. She changed her style in almost every round.
Rorax had taken down Narlaroca and the House of Weather’s ace, and she’d barely broken a sweat.
His skin prickled as he remembered the night in the woods when he knocked Rorax out of that tree. If Rorax had a sword or a different weapon that night, the night could very well have ended with his blood watering the trees.
Ayres had underestimated her. He’d thought that no one sound asleep, like a cat in a fucking tree, could possibly have the wits to kill him. He”d thought she was out of her mind.
As soon as Rorax flipped the woman from the House of Water over her shoulder and pressed her sword against her chest, the crowd around them erupted into cheers and bellows, chanting her name.
“Greywood, Greywood, Greywood!” They chanted, every word like nails on a chalkboard, to Ayres.
Rorax gave them a small wave, before slipping back against the wall next to her ever-present friend with the purple hair.
“What are you looking at?” Milla asked, following his gaze to where Rorax stood.
“Rorax.” Ayres nodded toward her, wondering where she’d been during the Siege of Surmalinn, if she had done anything to stop the needless slaughter and destruction of his people. Or if she had helped with the Siege, had egged the slaughter on.
The new King and Queen of House of Ice had assured him that everyone involved in the organization of the battle had been killed . . . but he trusted them as much as he trusted a hungry wolf not to bite him.
Ayres continued to stare at Rorax, until she felt his stare on her, and she looked up and locked eyes with him, her pale blue eyes blazing.
They broke their stare as Kaiya won her next match and the crowd around them roared.
Ayres felt a pull on the back of his neck, at the tug of power there.
Something, someone was tugging on the ley lines, using the Death Magick.
He swiveled his gaze down to Cannon who was already looking up at him. They had one more day in the arena to go, and Ayres wanted him to win so they would have the first pick.
So, Ayres would go on the hunt this time. Besides, it was his turn.