Page 85 of Trial of Bronze and Blood
“It’s not that,” she interrupts his thoughts. “I haven’t done that move in years, not since…”
She doesn’t finish, but he can guess what she would’ve said:not since you taught me how.
“There’s no possible way I should’ve been able to execute it so perfectly,” she whispers, almost to herself.
He wants to reach out to her, to assure her that what she did in the arena was phenomenal. But he keeps his thoughts—and his hands—to himself.
“That doesn’t change the fact that you did.”
When she doesn’t respond, he looks down pointedly. “And what do your hands have to do with that?”
“I have no idea.” She draws in a breath and laughs. “I’m being ridiculous.”
“You’re not,” he assures her.Not after what you went through last night.
Looking up at him, her muddled expression turns to concern. She lifts her hand, nearly touching the cut on his cheek before letting it fall back to her side. “What happened to your face?”
He feigns hurt. “Don’t tell me you weren’t watching?”
“Of course, I was.” She pushes off the wall and leads the way up the stairs, dismissing whatever frightened her before. “You were amazing. I swear he was three times your size.”
Marcus chuckles. “He wasn’tthatbig.”
She glances over her shoulder. “Well, maybe not, but I’m surethey sent him out there with the purpose of beating you. Just to prove they could handle the praetor to the king of Anziano.”
“I thought the same.”
“Now we only need to worry about Cato.”
“Glad to hear you’re worried about me,” the king cuts in, meeting them at the top of the stairs. “I’ve been told I’m the last act of the day.”
Marcus nods. “That makes sense. There are only a few more participants left in the Durevolian area.”
Cato’s mouth draws downward. “I’ll be surprised if they don’t pit me against one of my own.”
Marcus places a reassuring hand on his arm. “I think that depends on whether or not you plan to win this round.”
Cato smiles. “It’ll be a surprise.”
“Cato,” Marcus chides.
“Trust me,” the king assures him. “I know what I’m doing.”
He and Dru share a look before he pushes past them, master of his own fate.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
DRUSILLA
Dru can’t believe she let Cato and Marcus convince her he was ready for the trials.
Cato and his opponent continue to circle each other, drawing out the inevitable fight. Enough time has passed since the single drum beat sounded that the crowd’s impatience sours the arena. The jeers and boos grate on her own restlessness.
Cato wipes sweat from his brow and Dru sighs. “He has no idea what he’s doing.”
“Give him time,” Marcus says beside her.
“Time to what, circle around again?”
