The words fly out of my mouth before I know what is happening. From the delighted gasps and titters around me, everyone around heard what I said, both in and out of the room. I slowly realize I have made a mistake. A spoiled and good-natured prince does not demand a duel of anyone, especially not with a hulk of a man like Seyonn.

If I were wise, I would fall back with a grin and a shrug, relying on my birth and status to take back the words I have just spoken. One look at Perri’s flushed face and rumpled clothing is enough to make me turn back to Seyonn with grim purpose.

I know I should withdraw from the duel. It will work in my favor if Crucis and his friends think I am a coward. But the more I think of Perri being accosted by Seyonn and his hands on her body, the less I am willing to let it go.

There is a rustle in the crowd behind us as Seyonn tries to figure out if I meant what I said. The courtiers part respectfully, allowing Crucis to step forward. He is half-dressed with a dozen dark love bites scattered over his bare chest. He looks like he has not seen anything more amusing in ages.

“What’s the problem here? Are you in the middle of trouble again, brother?”

“Your friend cannot keep his hands to himself.” I point at Seyonn. “He accosted my wife.”

“I see. And Seyonn, what do you have to say about this?”

Seyonn shrugs, rolling his shoulders forward with a complete lack of interest. “I came in here looking for a good time. I thought Rasulus’ girl might provide it for me.”

“I see, I see. And does Rasulus’ girl have an opinion?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Perri jump when she is addressed. A flash of dislike and fear crosses her face when she sees Crucis, but she speaks steadily and with a respect my brother certainly does not deserve.

“My husband sent me here to wait for him. A man came in and decided he was free to touch me as he pleased. I disagreed.”

“Why would you disagree to such a thing?”

Perri bites back a few answers before she settles on one. “I was brought here for Rasulus. I am his wife. The thought of another person’s hands on me is repugnant.”

Crucis laughs, and I feel something warm in my chest. She is a stranger in a foreign place, and I am the only person who has been kind to her. I am the only thing that she can depend on in this madhouse. It makes sense for her to prefer me, but I feel a warmth all the same.

“TerraMates has certainly brought you a loyal little wife. And you seem devoted to her as well.”

There is something speculative in Crucis’ tone, but I know better than to push. I shrug. “She belongs to me. I have never liked sharing very much.”

“Yes, selfishness is very much a family trait, isn’t it? Well, I see no choice but to settle this. The two of you will fight. Let’s get everything out in the open right now.”

Seyonn grins. A bloodthirsty look appears in his eye. “To first blood, or to the death?”

“To first blood, of course. Rasulus’ poor wife looks like she is going to faint. I don’t think she wants to see Rasulus’ guts spilled on the floor.”

The courtiers giggle dutifully at his remark. I struggle to keep my expression flat. No one in this room grew up with me. They do not know what I can do.

A glance at Perri’s face tells me Crucis is right. She looks horrified, and she is shaking her head in denial. As we file toward a large open area in the center of the hall, she grabs my hand.

“Don’t do this. Please. You can’t risk anything for me.”

“Have a little faith. I promise everything will be fine.”

She doesn’t look convinced. Seyonn and I are being drawn toward each other in the makeshift ring. Someone has produced a case with dueling knives. There are four, a long blade and a short one for each of us.

As the challenged party, Seyonn chooses his weapons first, looking down their deadly length and grinning. “There’s still time to pull back, prince.”

“Under no circumstances.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Crucis pull Perri to stand beside him. Despite the anxiety she must be feeling, she holds her head up high and even smiles coolly at something he says. I feel my heart lurch as if she has squeezed it within her hands. I knew she was a beautiful woman before, but for the first time, I wonder what she would be like as my queen.

A man steps forward to officiate the duel. He gestures for Seyonn and me to come to the center of the cleared space and touch our knives together. The chime of good steel silences the rest of the crowd.

“Fight with honor and only to first blood. May victory go to the one whose cause is right and whose arm is strong.”

He steps back. Seyonn and I circle each other slowly, knives pointed out and ready to cut. He is larger than me, but I am faster. He is an experienced duelist and has fought to the death on more than one occasion. As far as anyone in the crowd is concerned, I have no experience dueling.

Seyonn offers a compromise. “Throw down your knives. I will be merciful. A quick nick on your arm is first blood as well as a deep cut. We don’t need to worry anymore about this misunderstanding.”

“No. I challenged you, and I will have my satisfaction.”

“That’s a pity. You know, prince, things go wrong even when the duelist is as skilled as I am. Knives slip. Accidents happen. Who knows what might happen today? Perhaps even more than a simple cut.”

“I’ll take the chance.” The words are barely out of my mouth before he lunges toward me. Seyonn is faster than I thought. His short knife is fending mine off as his longer knife seeks my arm. I pivot, getting out of his way and avoiding both sharp blades.

Seyonn laughs as I spin around to face him again.

“Is talking your opening move?” I ask. “Not very impressive for a great duelist.”

He jabs at me again. This time, I see him coming and manage to dodge. I know what he is doing. He is testing my defenses and trying to figure out my weaknesses. Despite appearances to the contrary, Seyonn is no fool, and I remind myself to be careful.

I let him thrust again before I make my move. As he recovers from his charge, I turn toward him, feinting at his ribs. I don’t need to test him any longer. I have gotten his measure already.

He falls back with a curse. It is a close miss, and he narrows his eyes. He can tell I almost cut him, and I can see him resolving to take me more seriously.

I let him come at me a few more times. The people around us would be shocked if I ended the battle too early. They don’t expect skill from me. In fact, most of my plotting for the throne relies on them seeing nothing more than a foppish prince when they look at me.

Except now. I am in a fight I cannot bear to lose, and I do not care in the least if it costs me everything.

Seyonn is tiring rapidly. It occurs to me that his reputation has won more battles than his skill in recent years. I am younger than he is, and he is bulkier than I am. His face is flushed an unhealthy red, and his brow is wet with sweat.

He bares his teeth and slashes at me. For a moment, I wonder if he remembers we are only fighting to first blood. He seems almost crazed as the duel goes on, attacks getting sloppier and sloppier. He manages to evade my attempts to wound him, but as the fight continues, I can tell it is more due to luck than anything else.

Finally, he lunges too far, and I step forward at the right time. With a swift slash of my smaller knife, a red line opens on his arm. It is a minor wound, something he could have gotten hunting or from a young kashak.

At first, I am not certain if he has felt anything at all. Seyonn still looks like he wants to fight, spinning around and staring at me with furious eyes. His large hand comes up to the wound, wiping at the red and staring in dismay. The courtiers, fickle as ever, rise in a cheer, and I finally let out a long breath. The fight was far closer than I cared to think about, and I paint a lazy smile on my face.

“It’s finished, then. No hard feelings?” I turn to the man officiating the duel. “Will you declare me the victor and let us all go on with our night?”

The exhilaration from ending the fight has left me slower than I should be. It takes me a moment to realize that the officiant is staring behind me in shock. I turn around, dimly aware that I may be too late to save myself.

I see a flash of green silk from out of nowhere. Perri hits me from the side. She’s much smaller than I am, but she manages to push me aside as Seyonn’s blade comes slicing down where my body was a moment ago.

It was a poor attack, clumsy and slow, but it might have killed me. If Perri hadn’t turned me away, he would have cut me. With a furious growl, I push Perri back into the crowd and launch myself at Seyonn. I’m not angry about what has happened to me. The rage comes because I see the blades come too close to Perri. She shouldn’t be in danger.

I throw myself at him without pretense or any intention of stopping at first blood. I cut him again, a deep slash across the shoulder, then another across his chest. He is faltering now, driven back by my furious attack. He wounds me once. It’s a shallow slash over my thigh, but I barely feel it. All I see before me is someone who has tried to hurt what belongs to me. Slowly, Seyonn understands our fight is now to the death, and his face turns into a mask of fear.

In the end, he throws the knives down, holding up his clasped hands and asking for mercy. I stop myself from slitting his throat, taking a deep breath and making sure he is not tricking me again.

“That’s enough, brother.” Crucis steps forward, holding his hands up to bring an end to the proceedings. For a moment, I consider killing him as well and ending all my problems. I could cut him down in the middle of his pampered courtiers. To hell with my plans. Sanity reasserts itself, and I shrug, stepping back from my defeated foe.

“Well done, Rasulus. I genuinely didn’t think you had it in you.”

There is something menacing in his voice and a speculative tone, as well. He watches me with a predator’s stare. I wonder who sent Seyonn to Perri’s room. It seems like Crucis would send a man to pick a fight with me. It would let him measure my strength in a way that couldn’t be traced back to him. If tonight was a test, Crucis has won, and I have lost.

“I didn’t like his attitude.”

“Well, you made short work of him. Finish him off, brother. His life was forfeit as soon as he attacked you from behind. I certainly won’t complain.”

For a moment, I want to do as Crucis suggests. Seyonn attacked me when I wasn’t looking. Even worse, he almost hurt Perri. I take a step forward to do it, ready to bathe in the revenge waiting for me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Perri’s pale face. Seyonn might deserve retribution, but I can’t frighten her more. I pull back with a shrug.

“I don’t care about this anymore,” I say casually. “It doesn’t matter to me what a man with no honor does. I will not be troubled by him, Crucis.”

Crucis nods as if my statement decided something for him. He is all smiles as he hands Perri back to me.

“My soft-hearted brother, I suppose we should all take lessons in mercy from you. Seyonn, stay out of sight for a while. You are not wanted. Brother, I wish you joy for your evening.”

Seyonn slinks off. The courtiers return to the business of pleasure as if my duel hadn’t happened. It is just another night for them.

Perri presses close to me. “Can we go now? Please?”