An owl screeched above my head. And I heard its warning. Run.
I wished I could. Being denied sight, I couldn’t predict what came next. Should I spell them now? Cast them back and break my bonds.
But to what aim?
They were taking me somewhere. I needed to see where they were leading me. Otherwise, witches would never regain their seat at the council as a full member of Avalon.
A wolf howled. Chills erupted down my spine as the rest joined in. The symphony meant to intimidate me. And it worked.
Then my arms were jerked in front of me. Not two seconds later, I was forced to lift my feet and follow. Hard to do when I couldn’t see where we were headed. They moved quickly, but it was done on purpose with malicious glee. The crowd was rife with hatred for me and my kind. I stumbled and tripped over rocks and twigs.
Curse them all.
When I implemented my attack, they would wish for death before the end. No more witches would be slaughtered under my watch. I ran to keep up—in a fucking dress. They made me run in a damn dress. The skirt billowed and tangled around my legs.
I should have fought harder to wear pants. But I hadn’t wanted to raise a stink with the coven mother eyeing me with a promise in her eyes. Because she would have made me regret my defiance of our traditions.
I ran until my side ached. My foot twisted on a rock. Blistering pain shot up my leg, but I refused to surrender to it. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of my pain.
I intoned a prayer to the trinity.
Maiden, Mother, Crone, aid me this night. Heal the hurt caused this night. Help me save my people.
A sudden gust of wind blasted me. They were listening. The goddess knew what was in my heart. Knew I would fight for my people, for the right to be free from this burden.
And knowing I had their blessing, a calm descended over me. The pain in my ankle diminished until it was as if it never happened. The wolf shifters and other supernatural beings might try to break me. They might even try to kill me. But I knew something none of them did—the goddess was on my side.
Forest sounds gave way to that of people. Lots and lots of people. My feet no longer tread over grass. There was paved road beneath my boots.
That’s when the jeers and boos started.
Blindfolded and bound, I held my head high. They would never defeat me. I wouldn’t allow it.
We ascended, winding back and forth up what I assumed was a road. Were they taking me to Avalon City? Was my execution to be a public spectacle then?
Fury emboldened me. I felt the souls of the witches who’d been led to their doom before me as I marched toward my fate. If these jerks wanted a show, then I’d give them one. Witches who’d come before me had been tame by comparison. They could try to burn me and do their worst.
But I would rain witch fire upon them for the offense.
I’d bet none of the people we passed had ever witnessed an alpha witch. One who could summon and call upon all the elements.
But they would.
The number of people around me multiplied exponentially. And then I was manhandled. My arms yanked above my head. My bound wrists restrained against a column.
And then my blindfold was removed.
An Orc guard with pointed ears and a massive seven-foot body sneered at me with a chin nod. His gaze assessed my form, like he wouldn’t be averse to fucking me before killing me.
I grinned. Because I wouldn’t ever touch an Orc, not even for all the powers of the goddess. And my smile was full of malice.
He spat at me. His spittle landed at my feet.
“Nice aim there, Sparky.”
He scornfully curled his lip and marched away. Without his hulking brute form in front of me, I finally saw where the wolf entourage had taken me. I stood bound on a dais in the center of a crowded arena. Thousands of beings stood on their feet, cheering. It looked as if all of Avalon was present.
And it meant one thing—I was in Avalon City. It was the heart of Avalon. The seat of power for our enemies. And I was close enough to cut the head off the snake.
Purpose infused my limbs. And even if it meant I had to destroy Avalon City, the goddess would protect me.
Armor-clad beings entered the field. There had to be a hundred combatants or more. King Grayson, the snake himself, appeared on a balcony overlooking the arena field. He was a striking man, tall and built, with a head full of gray hair. About his head was a golden crown, and he wore a fitted charcoal suit. He really was full of himself, acting like he was moved by the enthusiasm of the crowd as they chanted his name.
He held his arms up and the arena went silent.
“We welcome the equinox and return of light with our gladiator tournament. Many will enter the arena, but there will be only one victor tonight. And to the victor go the spoils.” He gestured toward me, and the crowd went wild. Then he signaled the warriors that the competition had begun.
Two gladiators emerged from the pack. First up was an ogre with milky green skin and black eyes and a jinn, his deep blue skin etched with symbols that glowed in the moonlight. The pair were unevenly matched. Anyone could see it as their swords clashed. The ogre was far too strong. The jinn was no match for him and lost when the ogre drew first blood, gouging the jinn’s left bicep. He exited the field of battle with his head hung low while the ogre advanced to the next match.
As the night progressed, I watched match after match. Gladiators drew blood or tapped out to win the challenge. With each match, the field of warriors dwindled. Whoever won, I was their prize.
But what would they do to me once they won me? Was it for the honor of killing me? I didn’t know, and regardless of my plans to obliterate them, it still worried me.
The crowd’s roar competed with the clash of steel. I was close enough that I smelled the sharp tang of blood and heard the sickening thud as competitors were eliminated.
And through it all, I watched the man with the ice-blue eyes. He was the wolf in the clearing. I was certain of it. His energy was identical.
And after every match he won, his menacing scowl landed on me. My skin sizzled under his formidable glare. Like he had already stripped me out of this dress. Did he plan on defiling me if he won?
Arousal pulsed through me. I couldn’t possibly want the damn wolf. His kind went against everything I held sacred. His kind killed witches. But my girly bits didn’t seem to care. They were swooning at his battlefield prowess.
He wasn’t a horrible specimen. From what I could tell of the man beneath the armor, he was a handsome devil. Tall, broad-shouldered, with hair long enough that inky tufts stuck out from beneath his black helmet.
He was attractive enough that I wondered what he was packing below the belt. I had never considered banging the enemy as a way to gain the upper hand and defeat them. But then, I must use every tool in my arsenal to survive.
I’d fuck the wolf if it meant I got to live to see another day. All I needed was time to implement my plan.
As the night and the competition continued, the crowd became more raucous. They were celebrating even more than the coven, which I hadn’t thought possible. And it wasn’t only shifters in the audience. There were giants, ogres, orcs. A contingent of fairies tittered beside a group of sirens. I hated those skank bitches. A group of vampires sat still, their faces dour as the night progressed. And don’t even get me started on the demons. Their whole section had already ventured into the orgy portion of the evening.
I kept my face serene as the last two combatants entered the ring.