I feel the impact of Ton’s fists as just dull thuds now, as he continues to smash me again and again. My battle brothers can’t do anything but watch, for entering the sacred circle will curse us all to exile.
Yet I accept my fate. I embrace my sacrifice, as sweet darkness creeps over my vision. My last sight will not be of the man killing me. It will be of my fated mate, the one woman I cannot be with, because I could not be without her.
And then, as I watch, I see her eyes groggily open. Those blue orbs fix on me.
No! No! No!
My mind suddenly rebels against my fate. I will not leave her. I will not leave my mate in this world without me. I see the horror in her eyes as she watches me beneath Ton’s crushing fists, and feel the despair pouring from my battle brothers through our shared Bond.
“I seduced her,” I suddenly spit out, my words barely a mumble through my broken mouth. I know I must look like a smashed tomato, but Tammy stares at me as though she can’t imagine losing me.
“What did you say? What the fuck did you just say?” Ton yells the words, spittle flying out of his mouth. His eyes are crazed. He pulls me up, knowing he has me beat.
“I said I seduced her,” I spit, my words garbled. “I took your little whore and I corrupted her.” I spit out a mouthful of blood and wipe my face as Ton holds me close to his face. “I corrupted her and I took her as mine,” I continue. “Then I threw her off the cliff when I was done with her.”
My voice filled with venom. Ton’s mouth drops as he listens to the lie – and his shock and horror gives me exactly the opening I need.
Summoning all my strength, I suddenly reach up and jab my thumbs into Ton’s eyes before he can react. He instantly loses his grip on me and I put everything I have into one swinging punch that carries my whole weight behind it.
It knocks Ton right to the ground, and I straddle him - raining blows down on my enemy the same way he’d done to me; losing myself to the animal within. I let out all the violence I’ve kept pent up for years – unleashing it on the man beneath me, who tried to take everything from me.
25
Tammy
I awoke and found myself staring at a fight.
As my grogginess cleared, I watched in horror as I witnessed Hadone being brutally beaten to a pulp right in front of me.
Then he spoke, and his words gave Ton reason to pause – enough for Hadone to turn the tables and knock his rival to the ground.
But Hadone’s words… They horrified me. They had to be lies, right? They had to be.
I know that my man could not have done such a horrible thing to a woman.
Regardless of his words, though, the horror continued as the man I thought I’d known became an animal, instead. I know we’d only known each other a matter of days, but I still had never imagined Hadone could succumb to such feral, brutal violence.
I try to speak, but the words won’t leave my mouth. My throat is raw and sore and my head still feels like it’s been filled with fluff. I took a full hit of whatever poisonous spores have been causing this sickness, and I’m surprised I even woke up at all.
I might not be able to speak, but I can think. Words form inside me head.
No! Don’t do it, Hadone! Don’t!
I know that Hadone and Ton are fighting to the death, but every blow Hadone rains down on his now helpless opponent makes me feel sicker.
It was torture watching him receive such devastating blows, but it’s a new kind of torture to watch him lose himself to the animal inside. Ton has lost consciousness now, his body limp, and yet he still receives a beating.
“Stop,” I whisper, my voice cracking.
Somehow, Hadone hears me. It is as though he suddenly comes out of a trance. His hands are balled fists, ready to crush Ton’s face, but he holds them above his conquered foe, and instead turns his head to face me.
Hadone’s nose and jaw are clearly broken. Blood drips down his face. He looks like the animal he’d been acting as – and yet, somehow, Hadone finds his humanity by following my voice. Against all odds – even the beast snarling within his own soul, he doesn’t continue the brutal beat down of his opponent.
Hadone slowly rises.
“He’s not dead,” gasps out Chief Rattler.
Hadone looks over at his Chief. “Death or mercy are the rules. I know death has always been the way until this day – but perhaps it is time for a new way; and a new chief.”
Hadone raises his bloody fist toward me.
“My mate solved the mystery of the sickness, and so I will be the new chieftain.”
As Rattler absorbs this, Hadone turns to the fish-eating triad, and barks:
“Cornal, listen to me. Take Ton away and go. You are banished; all three of you. If any of you ever set foot on jungle land again, you will lose your life.”
Cornal stands near the circle of the battle ring, but does not step in. Hadone bends down instead, and rolls the limp body of Ton out of the circle, to gasps from the crowd.
“This is blasphemy!” Chief Rattler yells, before he doubles over with his cough again. He tries to stand, but can’t – slumping limply onto his seat again.
“You did not lead us to safety,” Hadone growls. “You let your people rot here. You failed your tribe, Rattler – and therefore I claim my right to be chief!”
Chief Rattler looks at him with shrewd eyes. He motions to one
