The Return Of The Queen

The Pits

I had spent the last week quietly observing all the fae currently at the academy. It was a week of mingling events and talks of the arena opening, which was set to happen tomorrow.

The arena is a magical battle ground where fae males fight each other to keep their magic in check. An unmated Fae male is volatile when it comes to his magic. The more powerful the male the more unpredictable his magic. Once a fae's magic surfaces they are given a suppressant to help control their abilities but by age twenty two the suppressants stop working. Something about reaching the age of a maturity and the body starting the process to ascension causes the suppressants unable to work.

The arena provides an outlet for fae males to use their powers in a controlled environment. A mate bond is the only permanent way for a maules magic to be completely under control.

Females are neither required nor prohibited from fighting in the arena but none ever has. I plan to be the first, I need to show them that I'm not one to be messed with. Cardan thought I was some weak nobles daughter, he'll find out tomorrow how wrong he was.

"My Lady, I just received word that he's arrived and Prince Cardan plans to announce his courtship at tonight's opening ball." Cas informed me when I entered the training room floor of my tower.

"Guess I'll have to make an appearance tonight. It'll be entertaining to see Cardan's reaction." I head over to the sparing mat and gesture for Cas to join. He chuckles, shakes his head and readies himself in front of me.

"You know Nyx, there are other guards you can spare with. Why am I always the one getting beat up by you."

I throw a few warm up jabs at him before answering.

"Because you know my fighting style well enough to not get hurt, and the others are too afraid of hurting me to go all out, you aren't."

We spend the next several minutes exchanging blows and dodging each other. Sparing with Cas is easy, an equal give and take between moves. There's no challenge in it, but it's relaxing as muscle memory takes over and I sink into the movements.

At one point in our young adulthood I thought he could be my destined mate. As the years passed with no sign of the fable pull towards each other I gave up on the idea. Destined mates are extremely rare. Books record a destined bond not only tempering magic for males but also increasing a female's magic among other things. Before the bond is solidified a destined pair would feel a pull towards each other, like a tether going taunt until both sides met as one.

Every little fae girl dreams of a destined mate but there hasn't been a recording of one in centuries.

Lost in thought Cas's punch almost makes contact with my nose but I move just in time. Following his forward momentum I drop down and swing his legs out from under him.

"Let's call it for the night Cas. I should rest before the arena tomorrow." cas grunts as he flips himself up from the mat and back to his feet.

He doesn't say anything as we head for the awaiting towels and bottles of water.

"You still haven't changed your mind about the arena?" He asks after downing half the bottle.

"No I haven't. How can I expect the other kingdoms to accept and respect me if they don't know what I'm capable of?" I ask him.

"I know, he will be there and he promised a rematch Nyx. After what happened in the fighting pits." he paused sighing. "He won't go easy on you, and he might actually be the only fae alive who could evenly match you in a fight."

I knew cas was worried about him but cas doesn't know that he didn't go easy on me in the pits.

The prince of Notorn doesn't do easy.

////FLASH BACK/////

I've been in the fighting pits for three weeks. I had to work my way up from the bottom. Now I could've gotten to the top a lot faster had I put my full abilities into every fight. I didn't though, I wanted a show, I wanted my presence to be loud, loud enough that he couldn't ignore me.

My fighting name was now everywhere. Every fae or beast who attended the matches held my name on their tongues. Half wanted to see me finally lose, the other half wanted to see what their prince would do.

Tonight I was fighting the biggest beast I had ever seen but it didn't come close to the one I knew lurked under his skin.

I could feel his eyes watching me as I stood at the edge of the ring. His gaze felt like a flame dancing on my skin.

"Tonight's opponents approach your gate!" The mc announced, their voice booming through the room.

I stepped up the gate that would let me into the caged arena. The crowd roared as the mountain of a beast stepped up to his.

large horns jutted out from the top of his forehead with a slight curve towards the back. His dark skin glistened in the light, giving off hues of purple. the top half of him was pure muscle, his bottom half was covered in coarse fur that ended with hooves for feet.

"Fighting tonight is the undefeated champion! The demon Albuss!" The crowd got louder.

"And the newly rising champion Shadow!" The gates opened and the crowd fell silent.

Albuss and I stepped through our gates at the same time. We weren't allowed to start until they closed and locked behind us. There are only two ways of leaving an arena in the pits if you aren't the winner, either unconscious or dead. I wasn't leaving this pit until I won. As soon as the locks clicked into place, the beast Albuss charged toward me, head down, horns pointed right at my chest. This was going to be fun.