"I'll win this one," I boast to the group, grinning.
Neela shakes her head. "Not so fast, you have to offer something up as well."
I smile. "I'll give you one of the plants Ulla and I have been growing."
Plants in this dark, albeit beautiful, under mountain were impossible before I came. There's something about the triumph of nurturing life in such a harsh environment that excites and motivates me. And Neela seems pleased by my offer, so I know it's a fair bet.
Then Liana wanders into the space. She doesn’t move like normal, she saunters with her familiar confidence. Her grace has been earned by her long years spent on this earth.
"This looks like a game best played drunk," she laughs.
I chuckle at her joke and point to the pile. "Play with us? Winner takes all."
It's then that I realize the others have been quiet and respectful of the wise woman. I look back, remembering that they all view her with respect. Like she's a royal as well.
Liana, catching my gaze, nods in agreement. "I could use a little fun," she says. She removes her shawl, revealing her toned arms. "But I wouldn't enter a friendly bet without something to back me up." Then she reaches into her pocket and withdraws a small phial that glitters in the dim light of the cavern. Its contents are a red powder of sorts.
One of the women behind me snorts. I turn to see Iryth, Svanna's mate. "A whole phial? Are you trying to kill us? Not everyone is mated in this group."
"Some of us like to have fun," Lyria says, raising her hand to smooth back her tightly coiled bun. “There are so many new men to meet with the humans.”
"What's that?" I ask, trying to stop thinking of the kiss and the way my lips continue to burn.
Liana holds up the phial and twists the cap off. Inside, a fine dust sparkles in the light. "We haven't covered this in our classes. Carnelian powder. It's used as an aphrodisiac."
My cheeks heat up as Liana explains the powder's purpose. I exchange a glance with Neela, who is still laughing. But the excitement in the air is palpable, and I can't help but feel a tingle of curiosity run through me.
"Shall we begin?" I say.
Neela laughs. "Yes. Our king will need to be occupied somehow when he returns from his fight."
There's an unexpected hurt from their words. They don't understand how complex my life has been before now, but a part of me is grateful for the moments of levity. I don't know what to say, but no one pays attention to me as we take our positions around the ring, and the count begins.
"One, two, three!" Liana shouts, and we all lunge forward, our hands grasping for the pebbles on the floor.
The game starts with a frenzy as we all run for the pebbles, trying to grab as many as possible. There’s laughter all around me, but I am determined to win. I feel my feet slipping on the smooth stone as I lunge forward.
The room starts to whoop while we run. I hadn’t realized they’d started watching us. Some cheer for their friends and family. No one cheers for me.
But I don't let that cloud my focus. I reach down and grab three pebbles in one go, feeling their weight in my hand as I stand up and grin triumphantly. But my victory is short-lived, as I see Neela has grabbed six pebbles and is already heading out of the ring. I groan inwardly.
Just as I reach for a pebble by her feet, a sharp pain wracks through me and I stumble, dropping my pebbles. A pain in my neck so acute black edges my vision, and I scream.
Arlet is at my side in a second and that's when the screaming in my head starts. Deep, utterly masculine agony.
"Teo," I breath.
Liana rushes over to me and helps me up. "What's wrong?" she asks worriedly, and I grip her arm for support.
"The King...he's hurt," I gasp while the pain in my head intensifies. "We have to go to him."
The women around us exchange concerned glances, and Liana steps forward. "I'll go with you," she offers, her expression serious.
I nod, grateful for the help, and we start to make our way towards the source of the pain. As we move through the tunnels, the pain grows stronger and more unbearable with every step.
We finally reach the entrance to the tunnel, Vann and another Enduar is dragging him from the tunnel. His silver hair is coated with blood, and there is a wad of cloth on his neck, also soaked through with red.
My mind can't comprehend the image. As my breath picks up, I think of what he told me. He wasn't afraid of dying. He told me he would come back.