"What the hell is going on?" Dawn snapped. The tent shook again.

"I don't know. I heard this rumble in the day also. There is something definitely odd!" said Brantley. "I am going to investigate it." He started to walk out of the tent but stopped and turned to say, "Remember Daryn, you need to go back to the tower before the sun rays fall."

​​

"I remember it. Don't worry," Daryn replied and Brantley left. Sedora's guards would ensure that.

Dawn poured a glass of water in a tumbler and drank it. She kept the glass with a bang on the table.

"What is it baby? Why are you so antsy?" asked Daryn, as he prepared the bed for them to sleep in. It was small but any space was okay with him. He would make her sleep on him if needed.

She took a deep breath and when she looked at him, there was gloom in her eyes. She was looking at him but not noticing him. She lowered her face and closed her eyelids. "I have become a murderer, Daryn. In two days I have killed two women, only— only— to get you, to claim you back…" She pulled her head up towards the ceiling and grabbed the fistful of her hair on both the sides. She stared in distance as her mouth pressed in a thin line. "For us to stay together, for us to remain happy, because of Sedora's whims, I have taken the lives of women who I didn't even know existed so far." Tears escaped her eyes. "When Ileus said if anyone wanted to join him for hunting, it reminded me that I am also a hunter. I killed them in cold blood." Her hands covered her face and she sobbed. "I don't think God would ever forgive me." She let out a whimper and tried to say a prayer in her mind, but words left her. She suffered with remorse.

Daryn ambled to his mate, held her hand and got her back to the bed. He brushed aside the locks that had fallen on her face and tucked them behind her ears. He cupped her cheeks and wiped away the tears with his thumb. "Lore is a cruel place, my dear. If you hadn't killed them, they would have killed you. Do you think that there aren't any conspiracies going on in the Norhall Castle to bring you down? Why do you think Dolgra was here?"

Her eyes darted to his face.

"She had colluded with Sedora long back to bring me in the picture, to bring you in the picture. Her main target was Ileus. You have done a great favor to Ileus," he said tenderly. "Why do you think Ileus came here with the dagger of Zor'gans?"

"I— I don't un— understand."

He held her hand and brought her to bed. "It is a long story to tell. We will talk about it later. Right now, think about tomorrow. You have Volara and Pia to handle." He pressed her shoulders down to make her sit. "Also, if it was me, I would have killed every male that came in my way to claim my woman. In fact I would have gutted them out."

Dawn chuckled. Her Lykae was a very jealous man.

"So don't feel repentance. You are my mate and I am so proud that you are doing what you are. This whole thing is going to teach a lesson to Sedora. I have plans for her when this is over…" He kneeled in front of her and removed her velvet sandals.

"What plans Daryn?"

He looked up and smiled. "Later baby, later…" He helped her to lie down and then covered her with the blanket. After removing his shirt, he lied next to her and pulled her to his chest.

His warmth suffused her and her lids became heavy. "Who brought me here? The aíma on my skin and the tiny graze of Dolgra's wing claw made me very dizzy." She remembered falling in the pool of dark blood. It smelled foul and she trembled.

"Brenda lifted you and rushed out of the entrance. She brought you to the tent and covered you with hot water. She scrubbed you hard to remove every trace of blood. Ileus was awake by that time. I don't know from where, but he got an antidote for you," Daryn explained.

"Sherwin…" she knew… He brought the antidote from the blind blacksmith.

"Brenda didn't leave your side at all until you woke up. Sedora had created so many spells that it took time for me to break them." He caressed her back. "Oh! By the way, Ixoviyans think that the Prince of Ixoviya, which is me, has fallen in love with the neotide." He chuckled.

Dawn grinned. "Why?"

"Because I shouted your name and blasted those demons!"

Dawn started laughing. "That's good then."

"Of course!"

She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent deeply. "I want to sleep…" she said. On the inside she felt so grateful to everyone who helped her that there weren't enough words. Daryn stroked her hair and within a few minutes she was in deep slumber.

When Dawn woke up in the morning, Daryn wasn't there. She brought her hand to cover her face and wondered when would this get over. She was afraid that the queen might try something else after the contest. Once again she dragged her feet to take a bath and get ready for the tournament.

The guards came to take her to the gold cage. The way they looked at her, it was with awe. One of them said in a low voice, "You have surpassed our expectations and I am so honored to be your guard."

Dawn pursed her lips and nodded.

"If you need any help on the outside, just ask us. There are so many people here who want to see you and talk to you. You have become so popular that they are throwing alliances and asking us to tell you their propositions."

Dawn laughed softly. "Thanks, but tell them that I am not interested."

A rumble sounded beneath the ground again. The guards looked tense.

The gates opened and when Dawn entered the arena, the crowd, which had swelled already, cheered for her all the way until she reached the center. She stood there with confidence oozing out. Her chin was up and her shoulders square. She looked proud to have survived two days of lethal combat. She looked at the stage towards Sedora who was visibly vexed. It only made her feel good on the inside. Daryn was sitting in the chair and he was looking… better. He wasn't drugged? Gayle wasn't there.

Brenda joined her next followed by Pia and Volara.

When the contestants lined up, Sedora picked up the loudspeaker. She cleared her throat. "Silence!" she spoke loudly. The crowd fell silent immediately. "The third task, which is your final task," she drawled, "is not tough. It is too simple. But… it will have a lot of tension and you might feel emotionally drained. It has nothing to do with muscle power." She stared at Dawn with hatred in her eyes, and then said, "All four of you are going to enter the tournament but two will die."

Dawn's heartbeat accelerated.

"And it would be Prince Daryn who would decide it."