My eyes quickly scan the playing field in the room. On one end are tiny tables and chairs—something you’d expect to see in Barbie’s playhouse. On the other end are huge wooden structures—slats propped up on piles of bricks. Despite the tables’ sizes, glass pitchers of amber ale and wiggly snacks are set out, which the invitees are enjoying.
I could go for beer, too, though tequila might work better. I immediately spot Alwar and Tiago seated next to something that resembles a freaking dinosaur.
Alwar’s blue eyes lock on me, and the shame I feel is instant when his eyes zero in on my purple, scabbed-up arms. He knows I gave in, that I failed him.
His beautiful face turns rage red.
No, I mouth and shake my head. Don’t do it. Don’t react. I flash my palm, urging him to keep calm. Trap, I mouth.
Alwar turns away and pretends he hasn’t seen me yet, but it won’t take long for everyone else in the room to notice my wounds. What will happen? Will they egg Alwar into a fight, or will everyone ignore the fact that Benicio broke the rules and bit me? He’s feared by many and revered by others.
In the center of the room is a collection of creatures more my size—furry monsters with long fangs, leafy moving bushes, and a host of were-looking things. At the long table, I find Benicio. Shirtless. Leather pants. His dark hair pulled back.
I resist my urge to beg him for a bite, but how long will I last? Stay strong. You’re Lake Norfolk. You can handle anything.
I walk over to Benicio, and his eyes lock on me, sweeping over my body. “Your dress is sexually appealing.”
“Thank—yes. It is,” I catch myself.
“And I see you have eaten well and drunk many cups of nectar. Your cheeks are rosy, and your heart rate is strong.”
No. Your sister gave me her blood.
I bow my head and whisper, “I did it for you.”
He masks his displeasure with a fake smile. I know he doesn’t want to see me strong. “I am pleased. Now let us get on with the festivities.” He holds his hands above his head and claps. “It is time. Take your seats. The introductions are to be made.”
The room of monsters falls silent, and he gestures for me to take the seat next to him. I walk around the long table, looking from side to side. Where is this other unlucky SOB proxy? Who is this person chosen against their will to fight in a world that doesn’t belong to them?
Benicio stares across the room where Uhrn is standing by a door. “Bring her forward.”
Uhrn nods and marches toward us, but I don’t see a proxy. She’s only accompanied by…
“No.” I slap my hand on the table and stand up. The little girl coming toward me can’t be any older than five. “No. Absolutely not! She’s just a baby.”
Benicio turns to me, and the room breaks out in chaotic chatter.
“What is the issue?” he whispers.
“How can you bring a child to the Blood Battle?”
“A life is a life. Worth the same whether small, young, big, or old.”
Maybe that’s the way things are done in this world, but not in mine. “Where are her parents?”
“Dead. She is the last Wessfolk. And if you are displeased, perhaps you should consult your husband, since it was he who initially evoked the Blood Battle and planned to have you face off with her.” He shrugs dismissively. “I tried to stop it.”
I turn to face Alwar across the room. “You knew?”
“No.” He shakes his head.
“But it was you, Lake Norfolk, who called for the Blood Battle this time,” says Benicio with a snide grin. “It was you who reinstated the Proxy Vow. Did you not? You only have yourself to blame.”
I seethe with heavy breaths, knowing my mind isn’t fully functioning after my time with Benicio. I still want to please him, touch him, kiss him, even if he’s a wicked snake.
I have to make my move. Now or never. But this isn’t how I saw things playing out. I expected to win the Blood Battle. I expected to name my price as victor.
I would demand each kingdom come up with a plan to become self-reliant for food. I would ask each kingdom to send ten percent of their population to begin digging lakes immediately. They would be filled with enough water to last them years when the floodwaters come. With enough water, they could create lasting food sources that could sustain them without all the raiding, killing, and war. They would have no reason to bother us.
If they refused, I’d cut off their water.
So that was my plan. Force them to coexist, to rally behind a common cause: survival. Because having history repeat—kingdoms calling on proxies, making them face each other in the Blood Battle, a constant struggle for power—means instability, which would always be a threat to my world.