Page 58 of Court of Lies and Deceit

“So, little rebel.” Draven flexes his hand around my throat, that devilish smile still on his lips. “Now what?”

I moan. “Choke me again, sir.”

He blinks in shock.

And in that second of absolute stunned bafflement, his grip on my wrists loosens just a fraction. But I was waiting for it.

Yanking my left hand free, I press the edge of my dagger against his throat.

He starts in surprise, staring down at me in utter shock.

I grin up at him, still holding my blade across his throat. “And now you’re mine.”

A dark laugh, full of approval and wicked promises, escapes his throat. Desire flares up like flames in his eyes as he holds my gaze. His right hand is still resting around my throat, and he brushes his thumb over the side of my neck. Pleasure skitters down my spine. His other hand still pins my right hand to the ground above my head. But with my dagger to his throat, I’ve won. And he knows it.

He leans forward, and I move my knife with him, allowing him to bring his face closer to mine.

“You really are a little menace, you know that?” he murmurs.

I stop moving my hand, forcing him to stop as well, when his lips are just a breath away from mine. My spine tingles as his warm breath caresses my lips with every breath. And his firm weight on my hips is making my clit throb with need. I purposely roll my hips, grinding my body against his. His eyes shutter, and a soft moan comes from deep within his chest.

Tilting my chin up slightly, I close a little more of the distance between us so that my mouth almost brushes his. “Now, about that submission.”

Another one of those amazing laughs full of approval and wicked promises rolls from his muscular chest. And his breath is like a gentle caress as he whispers against my lips.

“I submit.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The entire arena practically vibrates with anticipation. Cheering and shouting and clapping echoes from the other side of the door. We can’t see them from where we’re waiting in this small room adjacent to the main section, but it sounds as if the whole place is filled to the brim with people.

“Remember,” Jocasta says from where she is standing next to the door that leads out into the main section of the arena. “Entertainthem. Shock them. Delight them. Make them crave you.”

Draven narrows his eyes at her. “Why is this so important?”

“Because during this first game, members of the crowd can…affectthe course of the game.”

“In what way?”

“I’m not allowed to say.” She casts a discreet glance at a man who strides in through the other door behind us. “But remember what I’ve said.”

“Alright,” the guy who just walked in says. It’s the same man who gave us our number at the team selection earlier. The rings in his pointed ears glint in the faelights as he comes to a halt in front of all six of us while Jocasta moves out of the way. “Welcome to the first game.”

The week we had to train before this game passed faster than I feared. We got a little better at working together, but I didn’t improve much in terms of magical ability. Yesterday, I finally managed to figure out how to stretch my own emotions towards someone else. But I still don’t know how I’m supposed to attach them. Learning new skills takes time. And a week was not nearly enough.

Not to mention my continued utter failure to create emotions from nothing. It doesn’t matter how many times Jocasta explains it and tries to guide me through it. It doesn’t work. I can’t even do the very first step. And I can’t help but worry that it’s because I’m somehow defective.

“The objective of the game today is to get both keys and make it through the door at the center of the arena,” the administrator continues. “There are two types of keys. One black. One white. Half of the teams have the white key and the other half have the black key.” Reaching into his satchel, he pulls out a white key. Then he thrusts it into Alistair’s hands. “This is your key. You need both keys to open the door, so you need to take a black key from one of the other teams.”

“How do we know which teams have which key?” Alistair asks.

“You don’t.”

Alistair rolls his eyes. “Great.”

“Any questions?”

“Yes,” Galen replies, frowning at the brusque man. “What are the rules?”

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