Enclave

signal, we faced each other and bowed.

“Begin!”

We circled. She was wary enough of me to want me to go on the offensive first; I took it as a compliment. Seeing I wouldn’t, Pin spun at me with her big move first. I leaped away from her lashing leg. I faked an off-balance landing, hoping that would bring her rushing in. It didn’t. She grinned at me and shook her head.

Pin blocked both my attempts to punch and countered with a kick aimed at my knee. I wheeled her arm into a lock and flipped her. Ha. Didn’t see that coming, did you? She landed hard on her back, but she pulled until I fell with her, flipping over the top. I turned the fall into a roll and came to my feet with a bruised shoulder. The sounds of the audience hooting and cheering faded as I narrowed my eyes on her movements.

We exchanged a flurry of hits and blocks. My speed came into play then, but when she connected, it rocked me. Her fist felt like ten pounds of solid rock slamming into my stomach. I doubled over, but when she went to finish me, I snagged her ankle and pulled. Immediately, I dropped all my weight on her chest and sank an elbow into her throat. Not enough to hurt her, but enough to prove my dominance. I held her there until she slapped the floor three times.

I staggered to my feet and Silk threw my hand in the air. I don’t believe it. I won. Proud and happy, I beamed at the audience, despite my new bruises. Afterward, Pin shook my hand and slapped me on the back. I went to stand with the other victors.

The other fights were good, but I was too pleased with myself to pay close attention. I should have. I might’ve learned something.

In the second round, I got my butt handed to me by the Hunter who had come to get me. Crane rushed me, ignoring my attempts at finesse. Up in the air, I tried to overbalance him, but he was holding me too tightly. I could feel the bruises forming. He slammed me to the ground and shoved my face in the floor before I had time to get my balance. I felt like he’d break my spine before I tapped.

Afterward, I shook his hand and limped to join the other losers, but even that didn’t dim my glow. I hadn’t lost in the first match, at least. As far as I could tell, no other new blood had made it out of the first round besides me.

Bets flew fast and furious while the fights went on. In disbelief, I watched Fade claw his way up the ranks. He was grace personified, compared to most of the Hunters. He fought with lethal beauty and an escalating sense of urgency. Sometimes, after a fight, he stared with such ferocity the spectators backed away. Even the other winners gave him a significant amount of space.

Eventually, it came down to Crane … and Fade. Final match. This would decide who held the title until the next feast. Fade was taller, leaner, but Crane had more muscle mass. He had brute strength in contrast to my partner’s agility. After watching them both, I didn’t know which way this would go.

The big Hunter charged but Fade dodged. He was so fast he made Crane seem lumbering in comparison. I knew how strong Crane was, but he had to get ahold of Fade first.

Three times, Crane lunged, Fade evaded, and the crowd got restless. Fade was losing them. They wanted a final match, not to see him refuse to take a hit. Come on, I said silently. You can do this.

He attempted his first strike, and he was just fast enough to clip the big guy’s jaw. But that brought him close enough for Crane to grapple. He crushed Fade in a rib-breaking hug and lifted him up off the ground. I realized the mistake as soon as he did it. Fade slammed his brow into the other Hunter’s temple.

Yes, that’s the way. Fight to win. While the big Hunter staggered, dizzied, Fade went for the kneecap. He gave no quarter, becoming more ferocious with every passing minute. It was almost as if he’d forgotten this was a match, as if he thought he’d die if he lost. On his last hit, he dropped Crane to the ground and he went with him, fist upraised to pummel his face.

The big guy tapped.

The crowd stilled, breath caught. They expected Fade to hit him anyway. So did I. I shook my head slowly, hoping he wouldn’t, hoping he wasn’t crazy. Slowly, he lowered his arm, and let Silk pull him to his feet. When she threw his arm in the air, he stumbled. He’d fought a lot of matches today. His black eyes flashed as he glanced around. His fists were still clenched, despite Silk’s grip. I wasn’t sure he knew the fights were over, or that he was safe.

“Our winner!” she shouted, and the citizens surrounded him to thump his back.

He was the best the Hunters had to offer, and he was about to attack the congratulatory crowd. Before I could think better of it, I pushed my way through the throng toward him. When necessary, I connected with a discreet shoulder or elbow to clear a path. I snagged his hand and towed him out of the mix.

The pipers and drummers started up again, distracting everyone with a festive tune. All the better for us to make our escape. The dancers stomped and clapped, and I pushed clear, leading him away into a quiet section of the warren. He leaned against the wall, seeming grateful for my intervention, even though he blamed me for my inaction after Banner’s death. His breath churned his chest as if he’d been running, and sweat trickled down his face.

“I’ll get you some water.”

“Stay. I just need a minute.”

“It’s hard for you,” I said. “Because you fight to live, not for show.”

Eyes closed, he nodded. “I participate because Silk won’t let me sit out. But once I get going, I … forget it’s not real.”

What must those years have been like for him outside the enclave? This wasn’t the time to ask, but I wondered. I noticed he had a host of new bruises from all the matches he’d fought today, but they didn’t seem to trouble him. He pushed away from the wall, skin gleaming pale in the torchlight. For a moment I wanted to put my hand over his heart so I could feel it beating, and the impulse frightened me. I took a step back.

“You sure I can’t get you anything to eat or drink?” Ordinarily I wouldn’t offer; that was brat work, but he’d earned it. Tonight he stood as the Hunters’ champion, and he could have whatever he wanted, including a Huntress for a serving girl.

“You did enough getting me out of there.” The flat, unfriendly tone cut me, and my smile died. For a minute, I’d felt like we were back on the old ground.

I didn’t know why I was still trying to help him. If he still thought I had something to do with Banner’s death, then we shouldn’t work together. Hurt curled through me.

“If we don’t hammer this out,” I said, “I’m going to ask Silk for a new partner.”

“I would have already if I thought it would do any good.”

I exhaled. “I’ll go talk to Silk.”

As I turned, he grabbed my arm and wheeled me around. “You want to tell me why you did it? This is on me. I told her she could trust you.”

I’d thought he trusted me — and that he was angry because I wouldn’t do anything after I admitted I knew she hadn’t killed herself. It was much worse than I’d imagined.

With fierce resolve, I broke his hold on me. “You want to fight this out? I didn’t do anything. If someone found out her secret, it wasn’t through me.”

His black eyes studied me. “You willing to take a blood oath on that?”

“Get your knife.”

For obvious reasons, we couldn’t do this in the hallway, so he dragged me off toward the hall we used for ceremonies. That was fitting enough, and nobody would bother us. Once we arrived, he produced his dagger and offered it to me.

I cut a line on my palm and spoke the words. “On my blood, I swear I had nothing to do with Banner’s death. May it boil in my veins if I speak untruth.”

Fade watched me as if he expected it to happen, no matter what I said. He didn’t relax until I handed back the blade. I curled my fingers in as if I could trap the blood. Instead it trickled out between my fingers.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “She was my only friend, and I needed someone to blame.”

After our trip to Nassau, I’d thought we were friends. But I didn’t let on that his words bit deep. I kept my face blank. “Maybe I’d feel the same if it had been Thimble or Stone.”

“He’s that big Breeder I sometimes see you with.”