CHAPTER 348: NEEDS II

SAGE

But the royal family was more stunned by Darius and I’s seemingly good relationship, more than my smart mouth. Very evident, when I smirked at my next contestant and winked at him in the same vein, when he laughed and leaned toward me as if wanting to whisper.

Nothing was whispered, but the royals wouldn’t know it. They were probably thinking we were clothing our words from their ears with magic.

If I had known our little greeting would stir the entire royal family into silence, I might have done it sooner. The looks on their faces now—shock, disbelief, and a pinch of fear—were almost too delicious to resist.

I leaned back slightly, watching them through lowered lashes, my lips curving into the faintest smile. They didn’t know what to make of me and Darius laughing like old friends. Perfect. Let them stew in their confusion.

Too bad that same Darius and I were supposed to kill each other in two days—or maybe not. Who knows? Fate could be unpredictable. Maybe we’d both live long enough to share another laugh.

Still, the thought of crossing him in the arena, feeling his power pulse against mine, made a low thrill run through my veins. I couldn’t wait.

"So," I said, breaking the heavy silence that had descended over the dining room. "When is this little spectacle of yours supposed to happen?"

Adam’s gaze lifted slowly to mine, unblinking. He looked like a man calculating his next move, jaw tight, eyes darker than usual. For a long second, he didn’t respond. The rest of them waited, shifting uncomfortably. Even his father’s fingers drummed on the table.

"Two days from now," Adam finally said, his voice flat but loaded.

A silence thicker than before followed. I could feel their tension gathering again—coiling around the room like invisible smoke. Darius turned to me, one brow raised, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Two days, huh?" he said. "You ready to fight?"

I cracked my knuckles and grinned. "Born ready. You sure you can keep up?"

He chuckled, low and easy. "Guess we’ll find out."

If the royals had been hoping for civility, they were sorely disappointed. Watching us banter like we were about to spar in a friendly game instead of a fight to the death unsettled them further. Noah’s scowl deepened, and Daniel muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like disrespectful brat.

Adam cleared his throat, trying to reclaim control. "It’s not just about the contest," he said, his tone sharp now. "We need your help... before the contest."

I forced my expression to stay neutral. My heart thudded once, hard. So it was happening. The plan was shifting into place faster than I’d expected. I only needed to keep my composure and not give away too much.

"My help?" I tilted my head, pretending to be intrigued. "That’s new. I thought you all preferred to throw me into pits and watch me bleed."

Adam’s jaw flexed, but he kept his cool. "We need both of you—your magic—to extend the protective dome. It needs to cover not just the central pack, but the outlying colonies. Vampires have started targeting the borders again."

My stomach hummed slightly at the mention of vampires, but I masked the excitement with a smirk. "That’s a lot of territory. You do realize that, right?"

Before Adam could answer, Darius let out a quiet snort. "That’s not part of my job," he said, shaking his head. "I’m a fighter, not a spellcaster. If you want a dome that large, you should hire an actual witch."

Daniel’s impatience snapped through the room. "You’ll be paid handsomely. More than the contest’s prize pool."

Darius’s eyes flickered briefly with interest, but he still looked unconvinced. "Even gold can’t buy power that isn’t mine. I only know fragments of the old magic. I’d need someone to balance the spell. A witch—one who knows the craft."

I could feel every gaze swing toward me. Noah, of course, was the first to voice what everyone was thinking. "Then she’ll do it," he said simply, nodding in my direction.

I raised a brow. "Oh, will she?"

"Yes," he snapped. "You will. You need the money, for all your talks of being a royal..."

That made me laugh—softly, mockingly. " You have an interesting memory, Noah."

His jaw clenched, but he said nothing. I looked from one royal face to another, letting the silence stretch until it was almost painful. "No," I said finally, tone light but unwavering. "I’m not working with you."

Adam’s eyes narrowed. "You’ll refuse—just like that?"

"Just like that," I replied, shrugging. "I have no interest in being your convenient little tool. Besides," I added, flashing a sidelong look at Darius, "I already have a match to prepare for."

For a fleeting second, I thought Darius might expose me—the vampire encounter, the whisper in the alley. But he didn’t. He only leaned back, watching me through hooded eyes, unreadable as ever. I wondered if he was keeping my secret out of strategy... or curiosity.

The royals began talking over one another, voices rising. Daniel offered more money, the queen pleaded for reason, even Noah softened his tone—though his glare never wavered. Through it all, I kept my posture loose, my expression calm, though my pulse raced beneath my skin.

Every word they spoke was proof that the control was shifting—to me.

Then the queen’s voice cut through the chaos. "What do you want, Sage?" she asked.

All eyes turned toward me again. Claire’s expression was the most entertaining—tight, anxious, angry and hopeful all at once. She probably thought I’d ask for Adam’s hand or some foolish attempt at power.

Poor thing. She didn’t understand me at all.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table, my tone slow and deliberate. "I’ll give you my answer after the contest."

Adam’s head jerked up. "That’s not acceptable," he said, voice laced with authority.

"It’s not a negotiation," I countered. "The contest comes first. Then we talk about magic domes."

Silence settled again, thicker than before. It was a standoff, and we both knew it. His father’s brows knit in disapproval, and Claire’s nails dug into her palm, but Adam just stared at me—measured, restrained, maybe even curious. He wasn’t used to being denied.

Finally, Naomi looked toward Darius. "And what do you think?"

Darius hesitated, then gave a faint nod. "I agree with her. Let the contest happen first."

Their disappointment was almost palpable. Adam’s shoulders stiffened, and his father muttered something about stubborn children, but that was the end of it. We were dismissed.

As we left the dining room, I felt the stares follow us like daggers between my shoulder blades. The air outside was cooler, fresher, and I drew a slow breath, letting the tension ease from my body.

Darius fell into step beside me, silent until we neared the outer gates.

"So," he said casually, glancing sideways at me, "you’re not going to tell me about that vampire you were chatting with last night?"

I turned my head, giving him a sly smile. "Win me first."