The Arena novel Chapter 30

I’m in and out of consciousness. I have no idea how much time has passed. Each time I wake, the pain is lessened. At first, the pain was all-consuming. I felt sore everywhere. I couldn’t even make my body move.

Over time, it became easier to manage the pain, but my body’s exhaustion from trying to heal wouldn’t allow me to stay awake long. I have no idea where I am or who saved me. Was it Cedric? Avani? Ishir?

“Open your fucking eyes, Tana,” I hear Avani order me. Even now, he’s so arrogant. As if I would open my eyes just because he demanded it.

However, since I want to know where I am and what happened, I open my eyes.

When I do, I’m shocked at what I see. Avani looks terrible. He’s always prided himself on being composed, stoic, and in control. His black hair now has emerald-green streaks in it. A definite sign that he’s agitated. It takes effort for him to keep his dragon’s coloring out of his hair. If the streaks are there, then he’s lost some of his carefully held control.

A heavy sigh pushes out of his mouth when he sees my eyes open. “Finally.” I watch as he takes a couple of breaths before looking at me again. This time, his eyes are full of anger.

“What the actual fuck, Tana? Why would you go into an arena without me? Do you know what would have happened if Ishir hadn’t contacted me and told me to meet you? You’d be dead. DEAD Tana. Do you get that? Not only would your child be alone in this world, but you’d have put her at a huge risk of being found and captured. Did you think of that? And you know that, as dragons, we are responsible for helping those weaker than us. That’s our job, all of us. Not just you, not just me. The last four of us all carry that responsibility. And don’t even get me started on how, with only four of us left, we can’t risk even one of us being killed by hunters.”

He stops to take a breath. Okay, he makes some good points. And obviously, Ish didn’t listen to me and called him. I’m thankful he did. I hadn’t anticipated harpoons. If Avani and Cedric hadn’t saved me, I’d surely be dead. The thought of my daughter having to grow up without her mother or father causes my throat to close up.

“I know we haven’t always gotten along. I know you think I’m an arrogant asshole, and I’m sure I can be sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” I ask quietly.

I see a ghost of a smile on his lips. “Don’t go into a fight like that without me again, Tana. You have too much to lose, and there is too much at stake. Our kind can’t afford another loss, and your daughter can’t afford to lose her mother, especially when she doesn’t have her father to protect her.”

“Where’s Ish?” I ask, needing to know that he’s okay.

“He’s getting some much-needed sleep. You’ve been out for a week. We’ve been taking turns looking after you.”

I jolt upright, regretting it immediately. “A week?”

Avani’s strong, sure hands push me back down. “Don’t worry. Ishir called the kestrels and let them know what was going on. When your daughter became distraught, I flew to your penthouse … nice place, by the way, and I told her I was looking after you. I told her that the best thing she could do is be good and wait until you are healed.”

“She listened to you?”

“It took a bit of persuasion. She’s stubborn like her mother. And those little kestrels you left her with mean serious business. One tried to hide her while the other dive-bombed me. I had to call Ishir and have him tell them I wasn’t there to hurt them or Kenna.”

I smile at that.

“You know, when you’re not being an arrogant asshole, I almost like you.”

He snorts. “Don’t get used to it.”

He looks thoughtful for a moment. “So, this guy. He marked you?” He nods at my neck.

I nod. “Yeah, then rejected me when he realized I wasn’t an Alpha werewolf as he thought.”

“More fool, him. And he doesn’t know about Kenna?”

“Hard to know you have a child when you leave right after you have sex.”

“If you ever need my help protecting her from him or anyone, let me know.”