Chapter 70

P.O.V. Ebon

I had decided to fight. Now that I'd managed to convince Lyall not to fight anymore, I could conduct things less rashly.

However, I would have to pay a price: Lyall would have to leave. As soon as the tournament was over, I would send him back to Valgerd and start a civil war against Viktor. It was past time to separate the wolf from the sheep.

My people have been repeatedly ungrateful and disobedient, but now I will only accept those who accept my throne - the rest should leave, including Viktor.

Everything was going according to plan, I was being accompanied by Viktor, who despite knowing that we were about to go to war, made a point of holding onto my waist, but I didn't give him the pleasure of seeing me fight, I would have done it another way and preferably by sticking my dagger in his chest.

But after a while I felt a tightness in my chest that I couldn't explain. I was in the arena box watching the first fight and I was startled by the level of the participants and soon realized that something was wrong.

I was in front of warriors I knew, not pickpockets or disobedient drunks fighting to entertain us and get some kind of prize.

Suddenly, John signals to me and points to someone in the arena.

I can't believe what I'm seeing... Lyall is there, facing an opponent much stronger than he can fight, especially in the conditions he's in.

We had an intense night of lovemaking, then he was arrested and not fed... he's weak.

He had been hit again and again and fear took hold of me.

I was about to get out of there to stop the fight when he looked me in the eye, freezing me.

Viktor noticed our silent interaction and whispered in my ear, while gluing himself to my body.

“He doesn't stand a chance. All of today's warriors have only one goal and that is to kill him. You have a signed contract with me and unless you want me to kill him right now, without even being able to try to fight for your honor, behave yourself and keep your promise.”

I didn't have time to react, as Lyall seemed to be hallucinating and possessed by uncanny strength, as in a few blows he knocked down his opponent, who was much stronger than him at the time.

After a few more rounds of sparring, he was at it again and with the same ease knocked down all the opponents who offered to fight him.

Viktor was still looking victorious, as I knew his plans to kill Lyall.

“Surprising all the spectators, I declare the Angry Lycan the winner of the tournament!” the narrator declared, as he drove the crowd wild.

I noticed Viktor’s move, but I ordered John to get ahead of himself before Viktor could arrive.

"As representative of Queen Ebon, I would like to call the winner up here to receive his prize."

As soon as Lyall stood before John and that crowd, John said he could choose freedom because he fought exceptionally and it would be granted to him.

In this type of fight, the winner can ask many things, but when it comes to a prisoner, he can never ask to be released.

"I don’t want freedom... I want a dinner with the queen..." he said and again drove the bleachers to madness.

"Is the Lycan trying to conquer our queen?" was one of the many screams that were heard.

John looked at me, but there was nothing that could be done at that moment and then I would have to use other means, but he couldn’t go back to that prison.

"Remember the contract... don’t get too excited... By the end of the night he will be dead and it’ll be just me and you," Viktor said in my ear with a threatening tone.

I turned, returning home and ordered Lyall to go straight to my room and despite the curious looks, no one dared question me.

I climbed the stairs that led to my room very slowly. I would have to face Lyall and knew it would be to put an end to our story.

John made sure that Viktor and any other allies of his were away from my house today, so I would be free to say goodbye and complete my plan.

As soon as I opened the door of my room, I saw a Lyall all dirty with blood and body covered in bruises. His breathing was irregular, signs of the extreme fatigue he felt.

"Take a bath first," was the first thing I said to my companion, who was standing before dinner served to us.

"Thank you for that. I don’t like the idea of being around you with the smell of other men."

My room was not an unknown place for Lyall, who immediately went into the bathroom and after a few minutes appeared wrapped in a towel and looking much better.

"Now it’s your turn. I don’t want to smell Viktor on your body."

Lyall spoke and pulled me, dragging me into the shower without even giving me time to take off my clothes.

"My... only my... ," I kept saying, while soaping my body.

"Lyall, we need to talk," he said trying to interrupt those strong hands that ran through my body, but it didn’t work.

I needed him too, at least one last time.

We gave ourselves to each other and he made me his, right there, with the warm water falling on our naked bodies, which united in perfect harmony.

***

After the shower, I invited Lyall to dinner because I knew his body was on edge and I was surprised by the ability he had to regenerate. As much as his body was still hurt, it did not seem to be as serious as a few minutes ago.

"Eat a little, we need to talk," he said to him, who gave me a gentle smile.

"Thank you, I’m really hungry," he started to feed himself and while he fed his body, I took the opportunity to record every part of his face in my memory, because I know that after I do what I am going to do, he will never come back.

"I didn’t use you to attack your kingdom, actually, even though I know they were werewolves, I have no idea where they are, which makes me think they’re unbanded wolves, mercenaries, who were under someone’s command," he tried to explain.

"I know... Probably some Viktor’s cutie," I replied.

As soon as I said the name of Viktor, I noticed Lyall’s body tense and then he looked me in the eyes.

"You’re gonna tear up that contract, right?"

"So it was because of him that you decided to fight?" I asked.

"I couldn’t let you sacrifice yourself for my sake, but now I’m here, healthy and right in front of you."

I approached and served a glass of wine, which he turned over at once.

Then I sat on his lap and kissed him.

It was a warm kiss and he was getting excited, but soon I realized that his grip was loosening. The time had come.

"What’s happening to me, did you drug me?" Lyall asked me and my silence answered.

"Sorry, Lyall, but I warned you our story would never work. I need to fight for my throne."

"You mean you’ll continue with that contract. Will you marry the Viktor?" he said, crying, with the little strength he had left.

"Yes, I’m sorry, but what we feel is not greater than my throne. I, Queen Ebon, heir to the throne of Arcane, reject you Lyall Valgerd as my companion."

Lyall gave a scream and passed out and I felt a link break inside me...