Chapter 35 Chapter 35: Go to Her
Kalev’s POV
Senna’s wolf was beautiful. I was awestruck. Silver, like my wolf, but sleek, with a greenish tinge to her fur. Stunned, we all watched as her wolf burst forth and darted across the sand.
“Well I wasn’t expecting that,” someone said, leaning forward.
Orrin stood up on all fours, ear pointed forward. The mate bond pulsed through me as Senna’s wolf tore over the sand.
“Verity,” Orrin said in a whisper. Waves of yearning crashed over him. He shuddered with desire at the sight of her wolf.
My stomach was in knots. First, a girl had come out of nowhere and made a dash for the spire. Then one of Korrigan’s men had shifted and attacked her. It was clear that the wolf was going to go for the spire. But Korrigan shifted and pounced.
Now Senna was in the fray.
Her wolf was weakened though and she didn’t stand a chance. My heart pounded as Senna’s wolf tried to take on Korrigan’s. But he tossed her wolf around like a rag doll.
Then, to my utter horror, Senna shifted back to human form. But Korrigan didn’t see that. His wolf lunged. His teeth sank into her side.
“NO!” I hollered. My fists were clenched. All eyes in the main room turned to me. The atmosphere in the room was light. This was entertainment, after all. Someone rolled their eyes at me.
“He’s taking this a little too seriously,” the person scoffed. Beside him, others chuckled.
Too seriously?
Senna was bleeding, her blood staining the white sand. Everyone was kneeling around her. The gash looked back, even from the screen. I couldn’t imagine what it looked like up close.
Orrin let out a mournful howl. He began pacing, pressing up against my ribs. I pushed him back. But he was really riled up. He couldn’t stand the sight of Verity being injured. He howled with disdain. Every fiber in his being told him to go and protect her.
He couldn’t though. There was nothing we could do but watch.
“This isn’t right,” I said, biting my lip. Senna was in rough shape. Verity would try to heal her, but Verity was still a young wolf. She didn’t have her full wolf strength yet. Senna’s face was draining color right on the screen. Her breathing was raspy and shallow.
I was watching my worst nightmare unfold right before my eyes.
“It’s just a game,” Viktor said, his eyes locked on mine.
“It’s not!” I snapped back at him without thinking. Several nobility averted their eyes. I was making them uncomfortable. I knew it and I didn’t care. “She’s dying!”
“They all die, Kalev,” Viktor rolled his eyes. “Look at the beach. It’s scattered with corpses.”
I inhaled a sharp breath. I was making a scene. I had to get myself under control.
The girl with the bow strut forward, across the beach, towards the group. We all watched as she declared that she wouldn’t let it end this way.
“The spire is right there!” a man said, standing up. He pointed at the screen, his eyes excited. “One of you go! Go touch it! What are they doing?”
A rippled of murmurs erupted. The man was right. The spire was literally right behind them. Any one of them could turn and make a break for it.
They didn’t though. They were talking.
“I don’t understand,” a woman gasped. “Don’t they want to win? Why aren’t they fighting? Why aren’t they going for the spire?”
Viktor stood up and strode over to the screen, a drink in his hand.
“Hm,” he said. “They’ve formed a bond. They want to go together.”
“But that’s not how it’s done,” a man said firmly, shaking his head. “They can’t all win. That’s…that doesn’t make sense.”
Seething with anger, I started at the group. Their blood thirst made me sick. They were all shocked that this little group was sticking together. They wanted backstabbing. Betrayal. Massacre.
Not human decency.
“Well,” Viktor said, turning to the room. Then he looked at me. “You’re going to do something, aren’t you?” he asked.
Everyone turned their eyes to me.
“I mean, you’re still the architect. Technically. Do something. You can’t let them all win. Force them to fight.”
I shot him daggers with my eyes. My hands curled into fists. We stared at each in silence for a moment. Then I shook my head and lifted my chin.
“No,” I replied.
“No?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean, no?”
“Kalev,” my mother cut in sharply. “You can’t possibly…”
But Viktor cut her off with a flick of his wrist. “It’s okay, Petra,” he told her with a flash of a smile. “If Kalev won’t do something, I will.”
“ENOUGH!” My voice thundered around the room, startling everyone. “Enough of this. Let them all win. What does it matter? They’ve formed bonds and they are loyal to one another. Haven’t they gone through enough?”
“You’ve gone soft, Kalev,” Viktor replied, shaking his head. “Tsk. Tsk.” He clicked his tongue. “The rules are the rules. One winner only.” He turned his gaze to the crowd. “The council has granted me a temporary access code. Rest assured, I won’t let it end this way. I’ll force their hand. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.
The crowd applauded. They actually applauded! My stomach turned. Viktor strode out of the room. I watched him go.
There was nothing I could do.
My eyes went back to Senna. She was on her back. Isolde bent and removed the arrow from Korrigan’s leg.
Orrin howled. I could feel his blind rage surging through me. The full weight of his strength pressed up against me. It took everything in my power to push him back.
But I knew I couldn’t hold him back for long.
“Go to her,” Orrin said, snarling. He whipped his head back and forth. “Go to her now. If you don’t, I will rip you apart and go to her myself.”