Page 28 of Ironhold: Trial Five

“Let's just say the things aren'tvery stable right now,” I say. “That isn't the part that matters. What mattersis whether you're safe.”

“As safe as I can be,” Alaric says.“They haven't told me much, just that there has been a stay of execution fornow. Although the fact I'm here rather than in a prison cell is… confusing. Areyou telling me that Vex did this somehow?"

“The emperor did that,” I say. “Ihad to beg him, and… he agreed that as long as I keep fighting in the arena,you will be safe.”

“No!” Alaric says, sharp andsudden, standing as he does so. He looks shocked by my words, by what I havechosen to do. “Lyra, you can’t.”

“I have,” I say. “If I don't, thenthey will kill you.”

“Then let them kill me!” Alaricsays, storming now around the box as if he might find a way out.

“I can't do that,” I say.

“And do you think I can stand hereand watch you fight again and again until you die?” Alaric asks. “No. This is astupid thing to do, Lyra.”

I'm taken aback by the force in hisvoice. I had thought he would be pleased to know that he would get to keepliving. My arrangement with the emperor is far from perfect, but at least itmeans that Alaric will not be executed.

“This is just temporary,” I say.

“Until when?” Alaric replies.“Until you can find a way to break me out of here? Trust me, I've looked. Thereisn't one. And even if there were, then what?”

“We would run away somewhere,” Isay.

“And spend the rest of our lives onthe run?” Alaric says. He comes over to me and takes me by the arms, looking medeep in the eyes. “Even if we weren't caught, it would mean giving upeverything. I went into the games for honor and glory, for status. Out in theworld, we would be nothing.”

“Would that be so bad?” I ask.

He laughs then, with morebitterness in that laugh than I had imagined he could hold.

“If you think I can live withoutbeing the center of attention, you don't know me, Lyra Thornwind.”

“Don't do that,” I say. It hurtstoo much to see him acting like this.

“Don't do what?” Alaric counters,even though he must know.

“Don't put your usual mask uphere,” I say. “Don't pretend you don't feel anything, or hide everything behindhumor.”

“It's better if I do,” Alaric says.“There are some things you won't want to hear.”

“There's nothing you can say thatwill drive me away,” I say.

He looks at me. I can see thetension in his face, as if he's debating what to do next within.

“How about if I tell you that Iwish I hadn't interfered with Callus?” he says.

The shock of that takes the breathfrom me. Alaric saved my life with Callus. If he hadn’t, I would be dead now.

“You don't mean that,” I say.

“Why not?” Alaric says. “You'replanning to throw your life away fighting again and again until the emperorgets bored with you. At least if Callus had killed you, I wouldn't be stuckhere facing execution the moment you fail.”

He puts more venom behind the wordsthan I could imagine being within him. He throws them at me like a weapon.

“At least this way we can still-”

“No!” Alaric snaps. “Do you think Iwant to be stuck here waiting for you to come to me for brief romantic moments,like some courtesan waiting at the whim of a noble? Do you think that's whatthe rest of my life is worth? I will not see you again, Lyra. I won't allowanother moment like this.”

“Alaric-”

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