31. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Katell shook her head. “It’s never too late.”
The announcer’s voice filled the arena, a long flow of Rhaetic that she knew to be an introduction to their fight and the ridiculous costumes they sported.
“You’re not listening.” Sinope drew in a shallow breath, pain engraved around her shimmering eyes. “My entire body hurts. You see only my face and arms, but…”
She didn’t elaborate and didn’t need to. Katell could see it now. The way the Amazon stood slightly curled in on herself. The way she struggled to wield her spear.
Aurelius hadn’t set up a fair fight. They hadn’t even bothered to give her a shield or breastplate.
“Let’s give them a fight the crowd will remember for the rest of their lives.” The Amazon glanced at the screaming stands, refusing to meet Katell’s gaze.
“Sinope…”
“Do not hold back.” Sinope raised her chin proudly. “Let us show them what a Freefolk outsider and an Amazon are capable of.”
Dazed, Katell shifted into a fighting stance on instinct. A strange hush fell over the stands, and she hesitated.
That was all Sinope needed to catch her off guard. In one swift movement, the spear’s point slipped past Katell’s shield and stopped just short of her throat.
The audience gasped.
“Don’t go easy on me,” Sinope snapped, drawing back.
Katell blew out a breath and nodded.
So, this was it.
Her friend was determined to fight her, and there would be no escape. They would not relent until one of them was defeated.
Their eyes met, and they rushed forward.
Without a shield, Sinope’s speed and agility were even more incredible. She pivoted her body and used her footwork in ways Katell had never seen from either Rasennan or Achaean warriors. The Amazon’s fighting style was as graceful as water and as deadly as a viper.
The spear slipped behind Katell’s defences again, this time nicking her arm. She pulled back and discarded the clunky shield to the ground, focusing on her swordplay and speed.
“How did you learn to fight like that?” she asked.
With a smirk, Sinope discarded her spear and unsheathed her sword instead. “Female warriors from all around the world came to see the great Amazon city, Ephesos. They brought their fighting techniques with them. Our queen made sure we studied them to prepare to face the ever-growing threat of the Empire. With the Sight, it took no time to learn them all.”
The Amazon launched forward in a series of rapid strikes, and roars erupted from the crowd. She jabbed and slashed, their steel blades singing and gleaming in the morning sun. Heart pounding, Katell struggled to keep up.
This was the true power of the Sight, the Amazons’ Gift. They could remember and anticipate any move. Sinope’s silver eyes glinted like diamonds in the high sun, parrying her every attack, and Katell lost ground fast. She struggled to land a single hit on her friend, while the Amazon had already cut her a dozen times without ever going in for the kill.
The instant Katell spotted an opening, she punched Sinope in the shoulder, hard. Her magic flared up in her fist, and with a cry, the Amazon flew backwards. She landed awkwardly on her side, a cloud of dust bursting up in her wake.
“Sinope!”
The Amazon propped herself on her elbow and held up her hand, halting her. “Don’t. I’m fine.” She clenched her teeth and pushed up to her knees, wheezing. “That was quite a punch.” She rolled her shoulder, wincing. “Was that your full strength?”
Katell shook her head.
Sinope’s gaze hardened. “Next time, don’t hold back.”
Before she could blink, the Amazon picked up her sword and charged.
The fight resumed, churning the crowd into a frenzy.
They circled one another, each searching for an opening but neither wanting to launch the first attack. Sinope feigned a strike to the chest before aiming for the neck, and Katell barely caught the blow in time.
Steel met steel, and with every strike, Katell felt her insides twist—until she lost her balance and stumbled to the ground.
“Stop holding back.” Sinope panted, brow furrowed. “You need to hone your skills. You’re relying too much on your kicks and strength. A great fighter has many tricks up their sleeve. If you rely too much on the same tactics, your enemies won’t need Gifted eyes to predict your next move.”
Katell jumped back to her feet, sending deafening applause echoing through the stands. Sinope was right. The Amazon was the strongest adversary she’d ever faced, yet Katell couldn’t bring herself to fight as though she were an enemy.
Sinope’s frown eased as if she saw right through her. “I know. I know how hard it is to fight your friend. Believe me, it is hard for me too. But it is a great dishonour for any warrior to face an opponent who is not truly trying. Let me die like a true warrior, Katell. Let my last fight be my most memorable one yet.”
The Amazon took her stance once more, her face set in grim determination. She looked glorious in her leather armour and white tunic streaked in dirt and blood. Katell couldn’t tear her eyes away, and her chest tightened.
“I hate this.” She swallowed hard. “But the last thing I could ever want is to bring you dishonour.”
The Amazon nodded and brandished her sword. “Then let us begin.”
The tension between them shifted, and Katell spread her feet, grounding herself. The tumultuous cheers faded into the background, and her blade became an extension of her arm. She let the magic she’d kept leashed for so long flow freely, saturating her from head to toe.
If she was going to defeat Sinope, she’d need all her strength.
She attacked first, thrusting forward. The Amazon sprang over her blade, flaunting her impressive agility, which prevailed despite her injuries. She snatched the round shield Katell had discarded from the ground and clutched it close, protecting her body. Their blades met again with a metallic clatter of steel that resounded through the arena.
Katell focused solely on the fight, pushing everything else to the back of her mind. The Amazon warrior was no longer the cellmate who’d taken care of her. She was no longer the friend who’d held her as she wept.
She was merely her opponent, albeit an exceptional one.
Katell jumped out of range to catch her breath, but Sinope granted her no reprieve. Instead, the Amazon seized the throwing knives at her belt and hurled them across the arena. Katell sprang out of the way, but not fast enough. The last one embedded itself into her thigh, and she hissed.
Pulse thundering inside her chest, she pulled the thin blade out with a grunt. Her blood boiled. Raising her sword, she launched herself at the Amazon and hacked at her shield, savagely pummelling it until splinters of wood flew in every direction.
Pitted against such inhuman strength, Sinope was forced to retreat. In an acrobatic series of flips, she vaulted out of reach and retrieved her discarded throwing knives, stashing them in her belt.
They circled each other, panting hard and keeping their distance. Blood trickled down Katell’s leg, and Sinope’s lithe body appeared more battered than ever.
Sinope lunged again, swift and sure, and Katell dodged assault after assault. The Amazon stumbled in her step. Seizing the opening, Katell summoned all her remaining strength in her sword arm and struck. Sinope blocked, and their swords clashed high in the air.
Under immense pressure, the Amazon’s blade fractured and split.
Without missing a beat, Sinope dropped it and seized her knives.
Katell ducked to the side and, with a flick of her wrist, stabbed upwards on instinct, using the Amazon’s technique against her.
Just as Sinope’s knives sank between her ribs, Katell’s blade pierced both cloth and flesh.
Sinope let out a sharp grunt, and Katell’s heart stopped.
“Sinope!”
The crowd gave a collective gasp. The short sword had pierced the Amazon straight through the abdomen.
For a moment, Katell could do nothing but stare. Then, a gurgling noise escaped Sinope’s throat, and she fell to her knees.
“No!” Emerging from her stupor, Katell caught her friend and gently lowered her to the ground.
“Kat…” Blood painted Sinope’s teeth and lips red.
“It’s all right, don’t speak.” Katell pressed her shaking hands down on the wound, Damocles’ lessons racing through her mind. “Save your strength. The healers will be here soon.”
“They’re not coming…” Sinope’s face was ashen, her silver eyes open wide. “Aurelius was clear… One of us had to die.”
Katell shook her head frantically, but her friend’s warm blood was already soaking her hands. “No, don’t say that. You’re not going to die.”
“You used my own technique against me… You didn’t hold back.”
Nausea twisted her insides and rose in her throat. What had she done?
“I’m sorry.” She cupped Sinope’s cheek, smearing dark blood over the Amazon’s pale face. Her friend’s body seemed so fragile in her arms. “I’m so sorry. It should have been me…”
With great difficulty, Sinope wrapped a hand around Katell’s wrist. “If I had to die today, I’m glad it was by your hand.”
“No, don’t say that.” Katell shook her head, tears burning her eyes. “I’m not who you think I am. You don’t know what I’ve done. I almost destroyed my home and everyone around me. I left my sister in the care of a stranger instead of saving her myself. And now, I’ve just killed my only friend.” Her throat tightened, and she stifled a sob. “Ever since I became Gifted, my life has been filled with misery and death. It should have been me…” Grief throttled her voice.
“You’re so much stronger than you think,” Sinope choked out, her voice trembling. “Don’t resent your Gift. It is a blessing, I promise you…” The Amazon gazed up at the sky. “It is a blessing…”
Her head rolled back, and then she was gone.
Katell tightened her hold, cradling Sinope’s broken body against hers. “No… please…”
She couldn’t be dead. She couldn’t be…
A wail tore from her throat, and she buried her head against Sinope’s chest, unable to suppress the onslaught of tears.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she had to move. She knew she couldn’t break. Not now.
Drawing ragged breaths, she forced her body into action. Sinope’s face was as pale as the moon, but her eyes glittered like stars, still holding their magic.
Nik’s words rang through her mind. Don’t let them take her Gift.
With trembling hands, she set Sinope down and pulled the dagger stashed in her boot. Sucking in a deep breath, she plunged the blade through Sinope’s eyes until they were damaged beyond repair.
A scream echoed in the crowd. Saturius sprang up and pointed at Katell, shouting furiously at Aurelius.
At the sight of him, rage pooled in her gut, and she shot to her feet. Spotting Sinope’s discarded spear, she snatched it up and sprinted towards the raised deck where the nobles were gathered.
Saturius’ gaze turned to the arena, and the blood drained from his face, a stark contrast to the vivid hues of his robes.
With a ferocious cry, Katell hurled the spear towards the frozen patron—the only one standing.
The perfect target.
Achaean spears were heavy and stout, designed for melee, not for throwing. Still, with Katell’s violent strength, the weapon sailed through the air, heading straight for Saturius’ chest.
At the last moment, a guard shoved him out of the way, and the steel point impaled the patron’s shoulder instead, pinning him to the wall.
Gasps and murmurs erupted through the stands, and Aurelius yelled at the guards. Saturius let out an agonised shriek, blood blooming from his wound and staining his robes.
It was just a fraction of what Sinope had endured, yet hearing his screams and seeing the other nobles’ horrified expressions brought a smile to Katell’s lips.
She walked away from them, returning to Sinope, as the heavy arena gates groaned open and guards poured through.
Her strength slipped, and a bone-deep exhaustion washed over her, leaving her shaking and dizzy. An achingly cold sense of emptiness overwhelmed her. Red-clothed Samnites grabbed her from behind without warning and latched the burnished gold shackles around her wrists.
Focusing on her friend’s lifeless body, she whispered in the Freefolk tongue, “May your ancestors watch over you for all eternity.”
The guards dragged her away, and Aurelius appeared in the arena, his face awash with fury. Castur was on his heels.
Katell’s gaze locked on the pulse at Aurelius’ neck. She shifted, ready to kill the arena master, but the guards kicked the back of her knees and wrestled her to the ground.
She didn’t fight as they held her down. There were too many. Instead, she lay in the sand and closed her eyes.
Sinope didn’t deserve to die in the arena. She’d already been through so much with her family.
Katell should have found a way to save her. But much like with Alena and the Gifted boy, she’d failed.
After another string of angry Rhaetic from Aurelius, the guards picked her up and dragged her towards the arena wall.
The audience watched, subdued, as two Samnites made her face the wall and untied her breastplate. They lifted it over her head, and Katell flinched at the stabbing pain in her ribs but kept silent. Her body sagged with weariness, extinguishing her will to fight. She’d tried to kill Saturius and failed. Now, Aurelius could do as he pleased. Whatever punishment he had in mind, she would welcome it.
When the Samnites chained her arms above her head, the crowd hissed and whistled in disapproval. One of the guards ripped the back of her linen tunic, exposing her bare skin beneath. Out of the corner of her eye, Castur appeared, a whip in hand.
Katell breathed hard, pushing down her rising fear.
She had killed Sinope. She deserved it.
The hissing only grew louder.
“Here, bite down on this,” a Samnite said, thrusting a piece of wood into her mouth.
She did as she was told and fixed her gaze on the wall ahead.
Alena’s face flitted through her mind, and her jaw trembled. She’d failed her sister so terribly.
She thought of Damocles and how disappointed he would be with her for losing Alena and turning into a killer to entertain crowds. She thought of Scylas, and the look of betrayal on his face when she’d left. And finally, she thought of Nik, chained in his cell, waiting for either Sinope or her to return.
A warm flow of blood trickled down her side, and her body grew cold. Aurelius barked a series of orders and she held her breath, gripping the chains in her hands.
The crowd fell silent, waiting for the inevitable.
In the distance, a gate groaned, and a deep voice boomed across the Pit. Rhaetic bounced back and forth between Aurelius and whoever had arrived.
Shaking, Katell peeked over her shoulder and found her patron, Quintus Fabius, an older man with grey temples and dressed in a gold-stitched tebenna, arguing with the arena master.
Had he come to save her?
Oddly, Fabius didn’t turn her way but focused on another instead.
Katell craned her neck and spotted a soldier in a Rasennan helmet mounted with black feathers and a crimson red cape. She’d encountered enough deserters in the Freefolk Lands to recognise an officer from the Rasennan army. His muscled breastplate was solid gold and shimmered with magic.
A Gift from the gods.
A wave of excitement rippled through the crowd.
Aurelius, wide-eyed, held his tongue, and the officer stepped closer to Sinope, examining her body. Finally, he glanced at the arena master and gave a single command.
Katell’s legs wobbled with fatigue. The manacles dug deeper into the chafed skin of her wrists, and the world spun around her. Spitting out the wooden block, she panted for air, cold sweat drenching her ripped tunic. She was losing blood—and fast.
Before her legs gave out, two strong hands grasped her waist and held her up. She glanced up, and steel-grey eyes framed by dark lashes locked with hers. The Rasennan officer stood so close she could feel his warm breath fan across her face while a guard detached her wrists from the chains.
Katell could only blink at him. What was happening?
Arms freed, she dropped like a stone, her ripped tunic slipping from her shoulders. The officer supported her weight with ease and pulled her flush against his shining, golden breastplate.
“You’re bleeding.” It took her a moment to realise he’d spoken in Koine. His gaze roamed over her side, and his square jaw tightened. “Looks like the Amazon got you good.”
“Her name was Sinope.” Katell winced as his hand came in contact with her wound. Two throwing knives stuck out from between her ribs.
The officer nodded. “Sinope,” he repeated. “She was a formidable opponent. I saw her fight. I saw both of you fight these last few days.”
“She wasn’t… an opponent.” Her voice came out weak. “She was my friend.”
He grabbed one of the knives, and a sharp hiss escaped her.
“They need to come out,” he noted.
“Then what are you waiting for?” She gritted her teeth and muffled a scream as he pulled them out, one after the other.
Black diamonds flecked her vision, and blood soaked her tunic. Before she could say another word, she collapsed.