Chapter 205 A Winner Will Be Announced
Trixie’s POV
The arena had never looked like this before.
Bright daylight poured across the stone grounds, the wide open space alive with movement and voices. Banners hung from the upper railings, their colors shifting in the breeze while rows of tables stretched along the far side of the arena floor where the banquet had been arranged.
Food, drinks, long white tablecloths, polished dishes catching the sun.
It looked like a celebration.
But beneath the music, the laughter, and the chatter of guests, there was a different layer running through the entire place.
Security.
Warriors lined every entrance point. More walked the upper railings. Even more moved through the crowds like shadows pretending to be guests.
Every single one of them armed.
Clarence was still out there somewhere.
And none of us had forgotten that.
Which meant the celebration was happening. But the palace was ready for war if it had to be.
I walked along the stone path beside the arena floor, my maroon dress brushing lightly against my legs with each step. The fabric hugged my body perfectly, the deep color rich against the sunlight.
I’d barely made it ten steps before a strong arm wrapped around my waist. Coban. He pulled me gently back against him, his chin lowering near my shoulder. “You disappear for five minutes,” he murmured, “and suddenly I’m looking for you everywhere.”
I turned my head slightly with a small smile. “You knew exactly where I was.”
“Still didn’t like it.” He said as his touch never left me.
Before I could answer, another hand slid along my lower back.
Caden. “I agree,” he said casually beside us. “Five minutes was pushing it.”
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t stop the small laugh that slipped out. “You two are ridiculous.”
Coban didn’t release me. “Possibly.
Caden’s gaze moved over the arena before returning to me again. “But you do look incredible.”
I glanced down briefly at the dress before looking back up at them. “Flattery isn’t going to distract me from the fact that both of you are supposed to be watching the tournament.”
“We are watching,” Caden said calmly.
Coban nodded toward the center course. “Very closely.”
I followed his gaze just as another competitor launched himself across the final obstacle. The crowd erupted in cheers. The warrior landed hard, rolled, then came up on his feet just across the finish line. Another completed run.
Cheers rippled across the arena while the man bent forward, hands on his knees trying to catch his breath.
“Good time,” Caden said thoughtfully.
“He pushed through that last climb faster than the previous group,” Coban added.
I nodded slightly. Every man competing today had something to prove. Twenty remained when the morning began.
By sunset we would have our winner. And that warrior would earn a place among our ranks. Not given. Earned.
Behind us a sudden burst of laughter caught my attention. I turned just in time to see a cluster of children running across the grass near the banquet tables.
Above them, balloons floated. Dozens of them. Not tied to anything. Just drifting lazily through the air.
Cassian and Atlas sat near the edge of the grass watching them with absolute delight.
Their small hands lifted every few seconds and another balloon would rise into the air like it had suddenly decided gravity was optional.
Children chased them everywhere. Little hands grabbing the strings, giggling when the balloons drifted higher again.
Kael crawled right into the middle of the chaos, clapping his hands loudly every time one floated past his head.
I couldn’t stop smiling. “Those two are going to spoil every child here,” I said.
Caden watched the scene with a quiet chuckle. “Looks like they already have.”
One small girl jumped and managed to catch a string. The balloon immediately lifted again and she shrieked with laughter as she held on, her feet nearly leaving the ground before a guard gently caught her and set her back down.
Atlas clapped excitedly. Cassian squealed.
Coban shook his head slightly. “They’re enjoying themselves.”
“They should,” I said softly. They deserved that much.
Nearby, groups of women stood around the banquet tables talking easily. Dresses in every color moved through the sunlight while servers carried trays between the tables.
Laughter rose occasionally as conversations overlapped. For a moment, the tension of the past days faded just enough to let everyone breathe.
Darien walked across the arena floor toward us, his eyes briefly scanning the crowd before stopping near the railing.
“Security rotations just shifted again,” he said quietly.
“Everything holding?” Coban asked.
Darien nodded once. “Every entrance is covered. Outer patrols doubled.”
Lucian joined him a second later, glancing toward the balloon chaos. “Well,” he said dryly, “at least someone is enjoying this day.”
A balloon suddenly floated past his shoulder. Lucian looked at it. Then at the twins.
Atlas giggled. Lucian smirked. “I see.
Another cheer rose from the arena as the next competitor launched himself across the swinging bars of the course.
The man nearly slipped but recovered at the last second, pulling himself up with a powerful swing.
The crowd roared.
I stepped forward slightly, resting my hands on the railing as I watched him finish the final obstacle. Every man today was giving everything he had left.
Sweat. Strength. Pride. And by the end of the day would be our answer. Only one would stand above the rest.
Caden moved beside me again. “Who’s your pick so far?”
I watched the competitor land hard across the finish line. “He recovered fast after the slip,” I said. “That kind of control matters.
Coban nodded slowly. “He’s strong.
Behind us Cassian suddenly let out another loud squeal. A whole cluster of balloons lifted into the air at once. Children scattered beneath them laughing as they floated higher above the grass. Even some of the women paused their conversations to watch the moment.
For a brief second, the entire arena felt lighter.
Lucian folded his arms. “You know,” he said thoughtfully, “those two might accidentally start a festival.”
Kevan’s voice suddenly came from behind us. “Not accidentally.”
We all turned. Kevan stood there watching the balloons with an amused expression. “They definitely know what they’re doing.
Cassian clapped again. Another balloon floated upward.
Kevan shook his head. “Yeah,” he muttered. “They’re enjoying this way too much.”
I leaned slightly against Coban again, watching the children chase the drifting balloons while another competitor stepped up to the starting line.
The final twenty. The last day. And by the time the sun dropped behind the arena walls, we would have our champion.