My entire body is rigid as I watch the match between Reginald and Victoria.

Around me, the crowd is getting louder and rowdier with every passing moment. The people of Montovia hate watching Reginald win our tournament every year, and while I know many of them still don’t know quite what to think of Victoria, they certainly would prefer her to win over Reginald.

But I’m not as concerned with the results as I am with the way Reginald is looking at Victoria right now—like a cat playing with a mouse. I can’t see his eyes through his fencing mask, but I can see it in every line of his body—he sees her as his prey.

I push through the crowd, trying to get closer to where the two of them circle each other. When people recognize me, they let me pass, but my progress is still slow.

Meanwhile, my eyes never leave Victoria.

She says something to Reginald, and he laughs—the same way he laughed last night when he was talking to me. I don’t know what he’s said to her, but it makes my blood boil all the same. And the way Victoria’s back stiffens makes me move that much more quickly toward the pair of them.

Reginald scores another point on Victoria, and some of the people around me start to boo. I’m not entirely sure what the score is—I can’t tear my eyes away from Victoria—but it’s clear that Reginald is winning.

I shouldn’t have let her compete. What was I thinking, letting her subject herself to this?

I’ve reached the edge of the fencing arena now, and it takes all my energy to keep myself from running into the ring between the two of them. But I know that won’t solve anything. I have to let this play out.

They’re circling each other again. I hear the sharp tones of Reginald’s voice again, but I can’t make out any of the words. Victoria says something in return, then lunges toward him again. She manages to land a point, and a cheer goes up around me.

You can do it, my love. You can beat him.

They’re both speaking again—it sounds almost as if they’re arguing. But I still can’t understand what they’re saying—they’re too far away, and the crowd around me is too loud. And their masks keep me from even attempting to read their lips.

Reginald moves toward Victoria. For a moment, I think he’s scored another point, but Victoria manages to parry at the last moment. I’m holding my breath. For all that I agreed she should be able to fight for us in her own way, it’s nearly unbearable to stand by and do nothing while she and Reginald spar.

You have to let go of some of the control, I tell myself. You have to trust her.

My hands curl around the velvet rope encircling the tournament grounds. I want her to show Reginald that we won’t be intimidated by him. I want—as unprincely as it sounds—for her to kick his ass.

He’s the better fencer—that much is clear, even to me. But Victoria has a spirit and a determination that is unmatched. And she’s fighting for something bigger than this. In spite of everything, I have every hope in her.

And indeed, as the match goes on, she seems to be gaining some ground on him. She scores two points in a row, and nearly scores a third shortly thereafter. She and Reginald continue to argue, and if I’m not mistaken, some of the arrogance has left his tone. He’s starting to grow careless—perhaps because something Victoria’s said has shaken him.

Somehow she’s done it. Somehow she’s managed to rattle him. I have no idea what she said to him, but I’ve always had a feeling that Reginald’s pride would be his downfall—perhaps because I’m all too aware that pride is one of my weaknesses as well.

My eyes move to Victoria again. Never has that fact been clear than since meeting her—my pride has been challenged again and again since she came into my life. And though at times I haven’t reacted very well to that challenge, I know I am a better man because of her. She has that sort of power.

Perhaps she can make a better man out of Reginald, too.

They’re circling each other again.

The crowd erupts into boos around me, even as Reginald takes a sweeping victory bow.

I can’t take it any longer.

“He cheated!” I shout over the noise. “Judges! He cheated!”

A couple of people around me hear my shouts and echo me. Soon cries of “He cheated!” start getting louder and louder.

Across the way, I see the judges look at each other in confusion. They didn’t see what I saw—Reginald made sure of it. And this is only the Montovian Salt Festival, not the Olympics or some professional sports league—there’s no “instant replay” here to check for things like this.

I leap over the velvet rope. A small cheer goes up, while angry shouts of “He cheated!” get louder and louder.

Reginald turns toward me. He takes off his mask in one graceful movement, then cocks his head as if listening to the cries of the crowd around us.

“You cheating bastard,” I say through gritted teeth as I approach him. “Victoria should have won.”

“Ah, how adorable,” he says in a mocking tone. “Crying ‘cheater’ to protect your American whore’s feelings.”

“This isn’t about her feelings. This is about a fair and honorable match—”

“Ah, I see. You’re defending her honor again. After you didn’t have the courage to face me yourself.” He grins. Even though his face still bears some bruises from our fight yesterday, he doesn’t look much the worse for it. In fact, he’s positively gloating.

Involuntarily, my hand curls into a fist at my side.

Control yourself, I think. Don’t do this in front of the crowd. But I’m very quickly losing the battle with my temper.

Until I feel a gentle touch on my arm.

Victoria.

I look down at her. She’s taken off her mask, too, and she looks up at me with those deep, beautiful eyes of hers.

“Don’t,” she says softly. “He’s trying to bait you.”

“You should have won,” I say through gritted teeth. “This was your match—”

“I know,” she says. “But it’s not worth it.”

“Of course it’s worth it. Victoria, I—”

“It’s not,” she says firmly. “There are more important things than winning, Andrew.” Her eyes flick away from me, toward the crowd around us that is growing louder and rowdier with every passing moment. “Do you want there to be a riot? Because that’s where this is heading.”