Page 102 of Ashborne Phoenix

I wouldn’t give any man reason to challenge me after this. I would win this with such obvious dominance, none of them would dare. I had to.

“Excellent. In that case, I submit myself to the Dominus, to her will, and to the hunt. And to defy any—clearly unnecessary—plot or scheme to remove the prize, I claim victory by the winner’s touch.”

My heart skipped a beat, though in theory, this was much safer for Grace. But the fact that this slippery eel called for it must mean he saw some benefit to himself.

As my mother turned to me with one brow arched in a question, my mind whirled with options and angles before I responded.

The ritual of a hunt was usually conducted for victory by blood. That is, the blood of the prey drawn by the weapon or flesh of the hunter. However it was achieved, prey wasn’t considered taken until their blood had been spilled.

But to account tonight’s challenges as victory by touch meant that whoever laid his hand on Grace first was considered to have taken her.

It offered advantage to speed. And of the two of us, I was more likely to be swift. Breckon was older, thicker, and though strong—he probably outweighed me by thirty pounds or more—if Gil had been here to wager on a footrace between us, I had no doubt his money would land squarely on me.

Was Breckon angling to have our weapons removed?

Did it matter? I would beat the bastard, regardless.

The silence was stretching too long, and Mother tipped her head in impatience.

“I have no argument,” I said finally. Easily. But concern niggled. What was he up to?

“And the dragons?”

“I told you, they won’t pursue anything, or anyone, I do not tell them to.”

“Not that we’d know if you did so,” Breckon pointed out.

I stared at him as if he were confusing, and irritating. “What precisely are you angling for, my lord?”

“True leadership comes not from strength in magik, but strength in will,” he snapped. “I propose the ritual be completed through no use of the power—including the dragons. Any man—or woman—could win her if one of those creatures flew in for them.”

“Certainly. As I said, I have no plan—or need—for the dragons. And I will not use the power if that is agreed. I already possess everything I need to take you.”

“Excellent,” Breckon replied. Then, to my shock, he offered his hand to my mother, and when she took it, he continued. “In that case… Dominus, I submit. I came as a child into this world. Powerless. I will meet this challenge as a child.”

Apparently, Mother was taken off guard, just as I was. Her expression didn’t change, but her eyes glittered as she slowly nodded to Breckon, accepting his offering. Then her gaze slid to me as she offered her other hand.

I hesitated, alarm screaming in my head. Breckon had just allowed my mother to cage his magik for the duration of this challenge. And while I was certain I could defeat this man, even if we came naked, I was equally sure that there were machinations afoot. Only, I couldn’t see them.

Other than my using the power to kill him from a distance—something I could still do with the blades secreted in my leathers—what did he gain by stripping me of magik for the time?

I didn’t know. But the circle grew restless, staring at me with suspicion because I’d hesitated.

If only they knew how happy I would be to never hold the power again…

‘Kham? Can you see?’

‘Yes.’

‘Is there something I’m missing? If I agree to this, we take the challenge with no access to the power. Our magik would be caged until the prey was returned to the circle. I couldn’t even touch it out there as we fought to win her.’

Kham growled. ‘You have no need for the darkness. You unravel darkness by shining light into it.’

‘But what if I lose my gifts?’

‘Your God-given gifts cannot be removed from you by any earthly means.’

“Nervous, Vane?” Breckon taunted. “Don’t believe you can win without sucking the power from your mother’s teat?”