Dawn stared at Brantley wondering what he meant by saying that. "You want me to murder her in cold blood?" she asked. "How do you expect me to control my emotions? I can't simply walk to her and stab her, can I?"

"Remember what I said," he said and then started to leave. Before stepping out, he said, "You can change your clothes. Ileus is in deep sleep and will probably stay like that for a few hours until those green lights glimmer around him." He lifted the flap of the tent and then stopped. "He risked his life to acquire that dagger for you. Dolgra had sent those demons after him as soon as she sensed that he was at the tavern. If you will not kill her, I will." His voice was so chilling that Dawn shuddered. And yes, what Ileus did weighed upon her conscience like a gigantic iron ball. She looked at him and his pale body, which was marked black and blue. Her heart clenched and she closed her fists into tight balls.

​​

The guards came to pick her up in an hour. Once again she wore the usual dress for the arena— black breaches and a long grey tunic. She noticed that the crowd had begun swelling. The display of gold just blinded her eyes. They all cheered for her and her lips lifted in a semblance of smile.

This time she didn't turn back to see the contestants when they entered. All of them came and stood in a line in the middle of the arena. Brenda stood right next to her followed by Volara, Pia and Dolgra.

Her gaze darted to the stage where Sedora was sitting on the middle throne and Daryn to her left, but Gayle wasn't there. Daryn was looking straight towards her with his eyes looking so drugged that she knew he was trying his best to keep somber. Who the hell was drugging him?

Sedora took the loudspeaker from a servant and tapped it twice. "Hello Ixoviyans!"

The crowd cheered. "Long live the Queen!"

She chuckled. She turned her attention to the five contestants. "Today is going to be your strength testing day." She looked at Daryn. "You see that my son is one of the strongest in the Lore. Naturally he desires a strong woman. Soooo…" she drawled her voice.

Dawn's muscles tightened under her skin. The air smelled foul. Her heartbeat accelerated. She scanned the gold cage. Her werewolf senses tickled. Suddenly the gates of the arena opened and fifty winged demons flew in.

A hush fell over the entire crowd. Some of the audience who were sitting in the first rows, moved back.

One demon flew in front of the contestant, then the other and the next. All of them with sharp horns, grey skins and bat-like wings that flapped behind them as if in slow motion. The air filled with so much stench emanating from their bodies that that Dawn felt like puking. They were hovering above the ground, each with at least ten feet long giant wings and claws jutting out of their hands. Their red flinty eyes were looking at the contestants with intense hatred.

So this was the conspiracy that Pia was talking about? Dawn looked at Pia and Dolgra who were smiling. Pia turned her eyes to see Dawn and mouthed, 'I told you so.' The winged demons belonged to Dolgra's realm. They were sent as an army to kill her. Such blatant cheating. The demons wouldn't even touch Dolgra or probably Pia too. So it was Volara, Brenda and Dawn.

Blood boiled.

No remorse.

None at all.

She clenched her jaws and eyed them, studied them, measured them. Her gaze traveled to Brantley who was watching her. He had leaned forward and his elbows rested on his thighs, as he clasped his finger in the front. He was ready for her signal. Dawn knew that it would take everything she had in her to take these down.

"Bring it on!" she murmured. Her teeth clenched in fury.

Sedora's voice came back on the loudspeaker, this time with joy. "So you have to fight these demons to get your bounty, which is my son. These creatures will attack you in batches of five. Once again you can access your choice of weapons from there." She pointed to the heap of weapons from yesterday. Then added, "Now I don't know who will get killed in the process." She just shrugged. "But whoever wins will get a chance to eliminate the person she would like. Also…" she held her finger up, "that contestant would get to spend the night with Daryn." She chuckled. "Let the contest begin," she said with glee.

"Dawn, there is no way we can kill them," Brenda murmured. "The claws on their wings are poisonous and so is their aíma. One touch and we are dead!"

A roar in the ground diverted Dawn's attention. It was as if there was a minor earthquake.

"Brenda, I want you to go to the left of the arena and watch this quietly."

"What? No! I will stand with you," Brenda said stubbornly.

Dawn snapped. "That is the only way I can protect you, so go!"

Brenda's chest swelled with pride for her Luna. "Then you have underestimated the dedication of a Lykae to his or her Alpha and Luna. I am going to stand at your back!"

Dawn shook her head. The Lykae were stubborn creatures. From the corner of her eyes, she watched Dolgra and Pia walking to the edge of the gold cage to pick their weapons. She scoffed.

"You have deceived us Sedora!" Volara shouted. "The creatures will never kill Dolgra. So what are they here for? This isn't a fair game."

Sedora only waved her hand of dismissal in response. It irked Volara. "You dare mess with the dark elves?"

Sedora only turned her head away.

An ally—Dawn thought with a smile.

Brenda stood close to her. They rushed to the weapons heap. "Do you know how to shoot arrows?"

"A little!" Brenda breathed.

"Pick up that quiver and arrows," said Dawn pointing to white arrows with feathers on them. Their tips were black and they had symbols written over them. Brenda didn't question her and picked the quiver of arrows along with the bow.

Dawn walked to Volara and offered in a cold voice, "Join us to fight them."

Volara's black irises filled the white of her eyes. "I will join you today but I am going to fight you tomorrow."

"Done."

They walked back to the center of the arena. The first batch of fifteen demons, five for each contestant surrounded them. The girls stood with their backs facing, watching the Zor'gans tightening the circle.

With a horrible screech battle cry, the Zor'gans charged at them.

With utter calmness, Dawn withdrew her dagger and started throwing it in arcs, slicing the wings of the beasts as they tried to capture her.

As the jambīya made its way through their wings, it seared them, burnt them and they were left yelping. So this is what the dagger did. It burned through their skin so that the blood wouldn't flow out while killing them.

Sharper… she remembered Sherwin's words. And now she understood that he spoke those words out of his hatred for those who deceived him. He wanted to kill them. Sharperrr…

Plunge the dagger. Ileus had said.

And she would.