The victory should have felt sweet. It did not.
Kael walked through the tunnel beneath the arena. The cheers from above were still echoing. His name was on everyone's lips. The Ghost Tamer. The masked wonder. The fighter who came from nowhere and kept winning. But all Kael could think about was Seraphine's face in the crowd. Those tear filled eyes. That look of recognition. She knew. She knew exactly who he was.
And she was coming for him.
He reached the small room where he had been staying. He closed the door. He leaned against it. His heart was pounding. His hands were shaking. He pulled off his mask and took a deep breath.
Zephyr looked at him with those golden eyes. The creature seemed to understand. It pressed its head against Kael's leg. It was trying to comfort him.
"She knows,
