?Chapter 0338


    And as my brother stands next to me and my cousines to my other side, I refuse to let myself be intimidated by these horrible


    men.


    Not by their cruelty. Not by their brute control.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    No, I won''t be cowed by it.


    And by the low growls that I can almost feel rumbling in Rafe and Jesse''s chests, I know that they feel precisely the same.


    As thest of the Atxians file in, the stadium is quiet for a long moment. And then, slowly, our people begin to talk again, to make noise, to shake off the control that these men just demanded with their disy. After a moment my shoulders loosen, and Jesse and Rafe begin to move too, and Daphne and Ben step closer so that we form a little circle.


    "I''ve never seen an Atxian before," Daphne says, her voice low. "I didn''t realize they''d be so...disciplined."


    Ben just looks down at his feet, perfectly silent, and I frown at him for a second, wondering if he''s all right. I''m distracted, though, when Rafe begins to speak.


    "They''re disciplined in everything they do," Rafe says, with a little bit of a sigh. "It''s kind of their whole vibe - it''s the only thing that they do."


    "My mom told me that your mom has a connection over there," Jesse says, his voice serious for once as he looks at Rafe and nods towards the Atxians. "An old friend. Do you know if he''s here? It could be beneficial."


    Rafe sighs and nces over at the Atxian delegation. "Unfortunately, no. He''s be someone of a persona-non-grata over there. After he and mom developed their friendship, he started advocating hard for peace. It made him very unpopr with his family, the royals, but...he made some inroads, I think."


    I frown a little, because I didn''t know mom had a friend in Atxia. I make a mental note to ask her about it, but before I can do anything a huge cheer begins to echo in the stadium. And then suddenly the lights drop, and a huge boom of bass music echoes throughout the stadium - so deep and low that I can feel it throughout my whole body.


    "Holy crap!" Jesse whispers, his face bursting into an eager grin despite the serious talk from a moment before. "It''s starting!" The music changes now, raising into something rhythmic, pulsing, and intense. Lights start to sh with the music - red and purple, then blue and gold with white lights shing all around. I gasp, because Jesse is right, and we all immediately break our little circle and press against the edge of the box, staring down at the ring. Jesse and Rafe stand steady on either side of me, Ariel to Rafe''s right. Ben, I think, is standing on her far side - but I''ve lost track of him a bit.


    Because it''s time for the fight now.


    And for better or worse, Luca''s going toe out soon, and face this Atxian champion - whoever the hell that is.


    I nce up at the Atxian delegation which stands stoically, not pping or cheering at all like the residents of Moon Valley. And as I run my eyes over them...


    I realize, truly now, that much more rests on Luca''s shoulders than I think I knew before.


    Because the Atxians...they''ve got something up their sleeve here, don''t they?


    They''re here for more than peace, more than a match.


    And somehow, it all starts with this.


    With my mate, Luca Grant against...whatever it is they''re bringing out to face him.