Page 70 of Cage of Destiny
Felix laughed. “Finally got myself afighter!” The two men circled one another again.
Kerdan swung and punched toward hisopponent’s face. Felix leaned to the side, Kerdan’s fist narrowlymissing him. Felix threw a punch, but Kerdan blocked it and jabbedFelix’s stomach. Felix swung again. Kerdan ducked, avoiding theblow. They moved so quickly it was hard for Allyssa to see who hadthe upper hand. Kerdan wrapped his arm under and around Felix’sarm, twisting his body so he was behind him. Felix slammed hiselbow into Kerdan’s side, trying to get out of the headlock. Kerdandidn’t hesitate. He kicked the back of Felix’s leg, sending him tohis knees. The two men grappled on the ground, rolling on top ofone another.
Kerdan managed to trap Felix in an armlock. With a little pressure, he could snap Felix’s arm.
“Do you concede?” Kerdandemanded.
“No.”
Kerdan applied more pressure, andFelix screamed.
“Do you concede?” Kerdanasked again.
“Yes!”
Kerdan released him. The manoverseeing the match declared Kerdan the winner, and the tavernerupted with people stomping and hooting. A vicious smile spreadacross Kerdan’s face as he raised his arms in victory.
Felix reluctantly left the ring, andthe next man entered. Allyssa had no idea how many fights Kerdanhad to endure, nor did she care. This was barbaric—fighting forsport. Yet… yet… she had snuck out of the castle to meet Grevik, acommoner, to put criminals in prison. As a princess, she had nobusiness behaving in such a reckless manner. But she did it anyway.For the thrill, the freedom, to help her people. Perhaps this wasKerdan’s way of letting loose, of being himself.
The next fight began. Kerdan threw thefirst punch, his opponent easily deflecting it. The man managed topunch Kerdan’s cheek, his head jolting to the side, spit and bloodspraying off his skin. Allyssa gripped the rope railing, unable tolook away. After a quick succession of punches and blocks, both menflew to the ground. Kerdan managed to be on top, the man below himbucking wildly, trying to throw him off. Kerdan dug his knee intohis opponent. A moment later, the man conceded thematch.
The crowd went crazy, everyonescreaming for Kerdan.
A whistle rang out. The tavern quieteddown as a woman stood on the bar, holding her hands in the air. “Myfellow Russeks,” she bellowed. “Fighting is over, drinking hasbegun.”
People all around Allyssa stomped onthe floor while hooting and hollering. The room shook from thecommotion. Were all taverns in Russek like this one? She had neverexperienced anything like this before. Several men donned apronsand carried round trays filled with mugs. They walked through thecrowd, passing out drinks to those who paid.
Kerdan came to the edge of the ringand climbed out, three women immediately surrounding him. One hadthe audacity to wipe his face with her sleeve. Allyssa took a stepback. When she was at Odar’s palace in Fren, he’d been callous anduncaring, flaunting other women in front of her. She refused to betreated that way ever again. Turning around, she marched toward theexit. There were so many people packed inside the tavern that shewas jostled from side to side.
And then ran smack dab into Kerdan,her head hitting his bare chest. His hands clasped her shoulders,steadying her. “Where are you going?” he asked, sweat dripping downhis face.
“I, uh, am leaving.” Hedidn’t have a shirt on.Bloodyhell.Was he going to just stand there,holding her like that, half-naked in the middle of a tavernsurrounded by strangers?
“Why?” He grinned. “Are youjealous?”
“No.” Shehuffed.
He chuckled. “I didn’t think it waspossible for someone as confident as you to be jealous. Especiallysince you only consider me a friend.”
Instead of staring at his chest, shelooked into his eyes, and her breath hitched. Suddenly, the tavern,and everyone in it, faded away. Kerdan was unlike anyone she hadever met before. Rough around the edges, big, burly, unrefined. Sowhy did he elicit this response from her? Why was she jealous? Whydid she care? Standing in such an intimate manner was highlyinappropriate. Yet, she couldn’t make herself move away fromhim.
The way his eyes dissected her everymove, the way he always seemed to know what she was thinking andfeeling, and the way he treated her like an equal made her bloodrush.
“I wasn’t—I’m not—jealous.I just wanted something to drink.” The lie rolled off her tonguebefore she even realized what she was saying.
“Oh.” He released her, andthe sounds, smells, and noises of the room came flooding back.“Let’s get you something to drink then.” He abruptly turned andweaved between the people until he found a server. He paid for twomugs, downing half of one before handing the other toAllyssa.
People slapped Kerdan on his shoulder,congratulating him for his wins. Allyssa stood and sipped herdrink, not sure what to say or do since things were so vastlydifferent here in Russek. No one seemed bothered by her skin orhair color. If anything, they welcomed her as one of their own.Would Emperions be so accommodating?
A group of musicians started playingand people cheered. “Now for the fun part,” Kerdan said.
“What?” Hadn’t the fightingbeen enough excitement for one evening?
“Dancing. And not thatstuff they do at court—that’s for pansies. I’m talking about goodold-fashioned dancing.”
People flooded into the rings wherethe fighting had taken place. They paired up and moved to themusic, stomping their feet and clapping. It was unlike anythingAllyssa had seen before.
“Drink up,” Kerdan said.“Can’t let that go to waste.”
