Gilded Serpent by Danielle Jensen (top 10 novels txt) 📕

moved out of range of Baird’s grasping hands, watching while the giant rose, ignoring the crowd’s boos. Again and again, Baird attacked, but Killian anticipated every blow, using his speed to move out of the way and land blows of his own.

Yet he never attacked.

He was wearing the giant down, that much was clear, for while Killian was barely breathing hard, Baird was panting, his massive torso dripping sweat. “Quit dancing around and fight like a man!” he bellowed, the crowd screaming their agreement, but Killian only laughed and circled.

It carried on that way, the crowd growing angrier as their favorite stumbled and bled and failed to land a single blow, and Lydia gritted her teeth, uncertain why Killian was baiting them rather than finishing the fight. What was he waiting for?

Then she got her answer.

Baird slowly rose from the mud where he’d landed after Killian’s last blow, and then in a blinding burst of speed that tore a gasp from her throat, he charged.

Instead of dodging, Killian stood his ground, allowing the giant to take him over backward and using his feet to send Baird flying over his head. But the giant caught hold of him as he flipped, and instead of rolling away, Killian ended up on top of him, Baird gripping one of his wrists like a vise.

Killian’s fists flew, breaking the giant’s nose and then cracking his cheek, but with lightning speed, Baird caught his other wrist. Rolling, they grappled, but as Killian freed a hand, using it to strike the giant in the kidneys, Baird pulled an arm back and slammed his massive fist into Killian’s ribs.

Pain washed across his face, and instinct causing Lydia to leap forward, but Agrippa caught her arms, jerking her back. “You getting in the mix will only cause him more trouble, girl.”

Both Killian and Baird were bleeding, their bodies covered in livid red marks and their faces swelling, but neither made any move to concede. The crowd was wild with delight and growing in numbers, people lured from all over town by the noise.

And Killian wasn’t winning. Even without her mark, she could see his movements slowing down, the pain of dozens of injuries written across his face, and panic filled her because if the giant landed the right blow, it would kill him.

Fear grew in her guts, stealing her control, and she struggled against Agrippa, using the tricks Killian himself had taught her. But Agrippa stymied her efforts easily enough that she grew certain he’d been trained at Lescendor itself, and he only chuckled, forcing her to her knees in the mud. “He won’t kill him, lass. He’s just teaching the boy a lesson.”

Fury mixed with her fear, and she inched her bare fingers over his hand, feeling her mark catch hold of his life. Take it, a dark voice whispered in her head. Silence his laughter, his mockery.

Her eyes leapt to Killian, who was on his back in the mud, hands up to block the blows the giant was raining down on him. And he turned his head to look at her, his mouth moving silently. Don’t.

Then Baird’s knuckles struck his forearm, and she heard the crack of breaking bone. Yet it was her that screamed, the dark half of her mark rising—

But before she could take Agrippa’s life, Killian jerked his knee up, catching Baird hard between the legs.

The giant howled, rolling off him and clutching his crotch, his face purpling and tears rolling down his cheeks as Killian staggered to his feet.

“You bastard,” Baird groaned. “You truly are a woman to be going after a man’s jewels.”

Killian spit blood into the mud and grinned, his teeth smeared crimson. “Like any good woman, I was merely checking to see if you had a pair. Given your size, my friend, I can’t say that I’m impressed.”

“Oh, shit,” Agrippa said as Baird’s face turned an even darker shade of purple, and then the giant charged, hands reaching for Killian’s throat.

How he did it, Lydia couldn’t have said, but in a blur of motion, Killian was on the giant’s back, one arm around his throat and his legs pinioning Baird’s to his sides. Grabbing his broken arm above the elbow, Killian squeezed, Baird’s mouth wide as he tried and failed to draw in air.

The giant launched himself backward, landing on Killian hard enough to make him cry out in pain from his fractured ribs, but he held on, ankles locked. Holding tight, even when Baird got one arm free, his meaty fingers leaving claw marks on Killian’s arms as he struggled.

And then, finally, Baird went still.

Killian held on for a few moments longer, then relaxed, releasing the giant’s throat and rolling him off.

Baird came to a few seconds later, shaking his big head and climbing to his hands and knees, glaring at Killian. Then he grinned. “Not bad, you skinny little bastard.”

“We have a victor!” Agrippa shouted, and tugging Lydia to her feet, he pushed her toward Killian. “And to the victor go the kisses!”

Her heart in her chest, Lydia stumbled through the mud, falling to her knees in front of Killian. Leaning against her, he said softly, “I’m going to see what I can learn from them.” Then he pushed her back with his unbroken arm. “Go back to the room, woman. You’ve caused me enough trouble tonight.”

Before she could answer, Baird reached down and caught Killian under the arms, lifting him to his feet. “We need some drinks!”

Leaving Lydia to gather up the discarded clothing, they moved back into the common room, the crowd cheering and hammering the men on their backs as they passed. Digging the key out of Killian’s coat pocket, she tossed his clothing, boots, and weapons on the table, and ignoring Agrippa’s laughter, she strode to the stairs, heading for their room.

Not that she had any intention of remaining there.

 73TERIANA

They spent another two days in the cave, eating mice—along with a rabbit that Marcus managed to catch in a snare—and then they started