Chapter 10 · First Win Costs Blood

The arena lights hit me like a slap.

I didn't get a warm-up. Didn't get a pep talk. Kade shoved a vial of clotting gel in my pocket and told me not to die stupid. Then they opened the cage door and the crowd noise rolled over me like a wave of broken glass.

My opponent was already inside.

Big guy. Shaved head. Tattoos crawling up both arms in script I didn't recognize. His familiar sat on his shoulder—some kind of chain construct, links moving like a living thing, each one glowing dull red at the edges. It looked heavy. It looked like it could wrap around my neck and squeeze until something popped.

I stepped into the cage. The door slammed shut behind me.

The ref didn't waste time. "Bonded fighters, show your marks."

I rolled up my sleeve. The shadow mark coiled dark along my forearm, still fresh enough to ache when I flexed. Across from me, Chain Guy touched his chest and his familiar slithered down, pooling at his feet like liquid metal.

The crowd was chanting something. Couldn't make out the words. Didn't matter.

What mattered was Lena.