The Night Out- Episode Three

After three more matches, Kastien has completely lost his pride.

"No one guesses right so many times in a row!"

"It's not luck," I say. "It's careful observation."

Despite my having won every private bet between the two of us, Kastien looks doubtful. I suppose I will have to continue proving it to him.

But the floor begins to clear, the men in the circle leaving, soaking people who don't get out of the way quick enough in sweat.

"The night is still young. The matches are done already?" I ask.

Kastien shakes his head, a new grin surfacing. "Only the matches between the men."

"Between the men?" I repeat.

A mop swipes over the floor, then some sort of powder is sprinkled in the area meant for the contenders. Chalk, I would guess.

Then a lady walks into the ring. She's dressed plainly, but scandalously, with her skirts hiked up to midthigh, held in place by strings.

So she can fight, I realize.

She's very impressive, all lithe muscle and feminine grace.

With round cheeks, small eyes, and a dainty nose, no one would ever guess how she spent her nights. She wears her hair pulled out of her face, pinned tight to her scalp.

Her face is all business, not a smile to be found.

"Who will compete against last night's champion, the Viper!" the mediator asks, walking in a circle to survey the crowd, which has somehow doubled. A body from behind me

pushes, and I shove my hips right back at it.

"Why do they have the ladies go last?" I ask.

"Because they're far more entertaining to watch," Kastien answers.

"No doubt it has something to do with the fact that the crowd gets an excellent view of their legs?" I muse, raising an eyebrow.

Kastien says nothing, confirming my suspicions.

Finally, a woman steps into the chalked-off circle. She's bigger-boned than the Viper, with more curves on her, but by the slower way she moves, I know she won't win.

"The Viper will beat her," I say to Kastien.

"I'll take that bet."

He loses.

In seconds.

The Viper has well earned her name. Her strikes come rapidly, one after the next, and the bigger woman has no chance of fending them off. She shouldn't have let her opponent strike first.

The Viper faces off against a second opponent.

A third.

The barmaid comes by with more ale, and I lose track of how many more drinks I take from her.

There are things I'm supposed to be asking Kastien. Questions about Kallias and if he's had past lovers. I'm supposed to learn … something. Something that will help with my reputation, I think?

But I can't quite remember, and right now, I don't care one bit about any of it. I'm having far too much fun watching the Viper.

I can't remember the last time I had so much fun.

And I notice that every time she's about to go in for a jab, she clenches her jaw ever so slightly. Her movements are fairly predictable. She likes to start high, striking the face to disorient her opponents before moving down lower to the stomach and knocking the wind out of them.

"Who's next!" the mediator asks. "Who will face our champion and win a cut of the house's earnings if you're victorious? How about you?"

He singles out a young petite girl at the front of the circle.

She shakes her head vehemently.

"You?" He approaches another girl, this one sturdier, better built for fighting, but she, too, declines.

Maybe it's the ale. Or the high from all of my previous victories. Perhaps it's my deep-down desire to be acknowledged by the world.

"I will compete!" I say.

Kastien snaps his neck around, a look of confusion crossing his features, as though someone perhaps threw their voice in my direction.

"Excellent! We have a contender! Step forward, young

miss!"

I move my legs, but Kastien grips my arm in a vice.

"What are you doing?"

"Competing."

"You can't do that. The king will have my head."

I lean forward. "Good thing we need never tell him of this."

"Loralie! You're the princess of Hell!" he whispers the last part.

"Not tonight," I remind him, and yank back my arm before stepping into the circle.

I look down at my heavy skirts, but I lose my balance as I do so. Luckily I catch myself before toppling over. "Does anyone have a tie they could lend me?"

No fewer than five men rip hairbands, cravats, belts, or other items from their person to hand over. I accept a belt and use it to heft my skirts up and away from my legs, before cinching it all in the back.

Several whistles sound appreciatively.

I'm glad Kastien gave me scraps to wear tonight. I'd hate to ruin one of my own dresses.

"What do you call yourself, miss?" the mediator asks me.

I think to give my real first name, but I rather like the idea of something more fun, such as the Viper.

An image of Kassian comes to mind, of the role I desire so fiercely. "Call me the Shadow Queen."

The mediator shouts the title for the crowd to hear. The boy with the cup runs around the outside, and the gentlemen and ladies place their bets.

"Step up to the center, ladies."

I keep my eyes on her chins.

Yes, there are two of them. Didn't she have one when she first started fighting?

"Fight," the mediator says as he slaps his hand on the ground.

The Viper strikes high toward my face immediately, as I knew she would. I drop down in a crouch and shove my fist as hard as it will go into the middle of her stomach.

She careens backward, her arms going to where I struck her. The crowd goes wild, and my hand throbs. I know enough to keep my thumb outside my fist, but my skin and knuckles are unused to such contact.

The Viper recovers an instant later, shaking out her hands as if she can will the pain away. She bounces toward me, and I keep my eyes on her face.

Her jaw clenches, her left fist coming forward. I sidestep, trying to get in a jab toward her face, but she blocks with an arm like steel, the movement sending a jolt up my arm.

She follows with a punch to my face.

I don't dodge in time.

Her fist connects just below my eye, and my neck cracks backward from the force of it. Gravity claims me, pulling me toward the ground. I can see rows and rows of pant-clad legs from where I land.

They're spinning. No, the whole room is. I feel liquid running down my face. Blood? Tears? Spit? Somewhere distantly I think I hear Kastien's voice.

Then everything goes dark.