"BOTH COMPETITORS ARE DOWN! REFEREE IS CHECKING STATUS!"
The ref knelt beside Reyna first. Checked her pulse. Her breathing.
"REYNA CABANA IS UNCONSCIOUS!"
Then he moved to me.
"SATORI NAKANO IS... STILL CONSCIOUS! SATORI NAKANO WINS! THE STRAY DOG TAKES THE ONE-ON-ONE DUELS!"
I tried to stand. Failed. Tried again. My arms shook. My legs refused to cooperate.
A hand appeared in my vision.
Isabelle.
She pulled me upright with strength that shouldn't exist in her elegant frame. Her wine-red hair framed a face showing something I'd never seen before.
Pride.
"Well fought."
"Thanks."
"You owe her dinner."
"You heard that?"
"Everyone heard that. The arena microphones are surprisingly sensitive."
I looked at the VIP section. Found Natalia's face in the crowd.
She was smiling. That was bad.
Her smile showed too many teeth. That was worse.
The temperature around me dropped ten degrees despite the afternoon sun. That was catastrophic.
"I'm going to die."
