Born of Defiance

She rose up and placed her cheek to his. “Thank you.”


When Talyn went to salute her father, he pulled Talyn into a tight hug. “May the gods watch over and protect you, son. Always.” Then he pressed his cheek against Talyn’s as well. “Thank you for doing what you could.” Pulling back, he saluted Galene, who returned it with tears in her eyes.

“I’m very sorry for your loss,” Felicia breathed. “I know the gods and saints are welcoming her home.”

“Thank you.” They bowed respectfully before they left.

Felicia moved to rub Talyn’s back while he ran the beads through his fingers. “Berra?”

“Nightdice. I tried to keep Anatole from attacking her and Syndrome. They were both punished for it, and she died on Onoria right as I was rescued.”

“I’m so sorry.”

He turned and wrapped her in a hold so tight, she could barely breathe. “I won’t let that happen to you, Felicia. Whatever it takes, I will keep you safe. To my dying breath.”

“And what about you?” Galene asked angrily. “You are my baby, Talyn. But right now… it’s taking everything I have not to shoot you where you stand.”

Releasing Felicia, Talyn went pale. “What? What did I do?”

She held the link out to him. “I’m on the Ring newswire. Ferrick just released to the media that you’ve accepted blood matches with the Mortician, Widowmaker, Soulless, and Slaughter House? What the hell is this? Why would you do something so stupid? Have you lost your mind?”

He clenched his teeth before he answered. “I had a reduction in pay and rank.”

Shaking her head, she moved to confront him. “I forbid this! Do you hear me? They are four of the most ruthless killers in the business. They make Death Warrant look like a petulant schoolboy. All of them pride themselves on killing anyone dumb enough to step into the Ring to fight them. You’ve always refused their invitations. Why would you accept now? For a title blood match, no less!” She turned to Felicia. “Talk to him! Tell him no!”

Felicia swallowed hard as she met Talyn’s sullen gaze. “What’s a blood match? Is that different from normal somehow?”

“Oh yeah,” Galene said, breathlessly. “Blood matches are fought with Warswords.”

For a moment, Felicia couldn’t breathe. Talyn had left one extremely important detail out of their discussion. At no time had he told her he’d be fighting to the death… with swords! Good thing he outweighed her by about ten times over. Otherwise, she’d start a blood match with the Hammer early.

Like here and now.

Dizzy with fear, she gaped at him. “Why them? With that?”

He glanced to his mother before he responded. “Bloodier the match, the higher the purse. We needed a full house. It’s what I told Ferrick to do. I handpicked them as my opponents.”

Felicia felt sick to her stomach. “I’m with your mother. I don’t want you up against anyone with those names. Definitely not with swords. Are you crazy?”

“I have no choice.” He looked from her to his mother. “I can’t even put in for a promotion for three full years. Walking into the Ring with them isn’t as dangerous as what I do every time I report to post. Especially now.” He flicked his claws against the scars on his shoulders that marked him as an Outcast. “So long as I bear these marks, any Andarion who sees them is honor bound to attack me. At least they pay me in the Ring. And I can legally fight back there.”

Galene shook her head in denial. “Tylie promised that she’d get you transferred to the palace again. And that wasn’t to me. She made that promise to her sister, who wants you under my command.”

“And Tylie isn’t the tadara,” he growled. “She doesn’t run the military. She’s never even worn a uniform. I’m a fighter, Mum. It’s all I know to do. The tadara herself reduced my rank. You think for one minute that bitch is going to let me into her personal guard and that close to her family members I want to tear the throats out of? Unfortunately, she’s not quite that stupid.”

Growling, Galene flicked her claws at him. “I’d throw dirt at you if I had some.” Furious, she left them, cursing him and his father under her breath as she headed to her guest room in back.

Talyn met Felicia’s arched brow. “She needs to calm down. I can’t talk to her when she’s like this. She’s completely unreasonable. My luck, she’ll shoot me, just to keep me out of the Ring.”

“Maybe she should. The gods know, I’m tempted.”

“We talked about this, Licia.”

“No. You talked about fighting. Not…” She gestured after his mother. “Walking into a killing match with Andarions out for your throat and wielding Warswords.”