War of Faeries

Chapter 29

Matthew was still ignoring me, acting as if he wasn't about to talk to me earlier. I was okay with it though. I know he wants to talk to me, and I was willing to put up with this until then.

"Henry have you decided what guards are going with you?" My mother asks I guru ping my thoughts.

"I have." Henry states, which makes my heart race.

What if Matthew already knows? What if that was what he was going to talk to me about? What if that's why he is ignoring me now? What if he found out when he went back to Max...

"Valarie?" I glance up and realize everyone is looking at me.

"Yes?"

"Are you excited for the upcoming competition?" My mother asks me. For what might have been the third time tonight, although I am not sure. She could have asked me more than that.

"Yes."

She looks at me, wanting me to elaborate more than a simple yes. Yet how can you elaborate on how you are feeling when they don't know who you are? And the person you have told them you are would never be interested in this tournament.

"After all the work Henry and others have put into training me, I want to show everyone what I can do." I smile meekly at her, hoping she will leave me alone now that I have answered her question.

"What about you Henry? Are you excited for the upcoming competition?"

"I am excited to win. They beat us on our land last year, now it's time for us to do the same to them." His grip on his fork tightens.

The loss for our kingdom was felt by everyone. Especially us assassins, we couldn't get away with half the things we did the previous years.

"This time the assassins won't be able to mess with our competition. Unless they feel like entering enemy territory beyond our walls." He Frits the words out.

Everyone blamed the assassins for last years loss, but we weren't there. None of us were. We were too busy saving our own skin to be messing with them and their silly competition.

"Alex is going to be there." The queen says lightly as she takes a sip of her wine.

"I know." Henry tells her, a smile appearing on his lips.

The news surprised me, I knew it shouldn't have, but it did. They would do anything they had too so they could win this competition. The thought of me competing in this tournament while people risked their lives for this kingdom irked me. I have been able to press those feelings down for the past week, but hearing that Alex will be back- it just brings up all those suppressed feelings back.

"Where will he be competing?"

"Axe throwing." Henry tells me, his smile dropping. "He is the best of the best. No one has ever been able to beat him, and no one ever will." he threatens me.

He knew I was better, he watched me throw axe after axe, and each time he winced. He knew that I was just as good if not better than Alex. I wasn't going to fight with Henry on this topic however, Alex was keeping a secret for me and I didn't plan on pissing him off.

"I'll let you two get back to work, you don't have much time to practice anymore, and losing isn't an option." my mother states setting her wine glass down.

I get up from the table at the same time as Henry. We both got the message. If we lost this time we wouldn't be coming back. I pass Matthew without a second glance, he was trailing Henry now, not that I had ever seen a guard following him before.

Brandon nudges me before he trails behind me, his way of letting me know he was there. I followed Henry and Matthew and Brandon followed us to the War Room. It was time to train again, and this time we wouldn't stop until one of us had either passed out, or died.

*****

Matthew was still my sparing partner, Henry didn't change that. He didn't think Matthew and I sparing together was that big of a deal. I dodged another one of Matthews punches and landed one of my own on his jaw.

We had been in the ring for hours, both of us were a sweaty tired mess. Both of us wanted out of the ring. Matthew glares at me as I land another punch to his jaw. I see movement from the corner of my eye, I watch Henry pace back and forth while dodging another one of Matthews punches. This match was clearly not going the way he wanted. I had landed too many punches on Matthew, and he hadn't landed enough on me.

Enough. I have had enough of this.

I pushed Matthew to the ground so I was straddling him, I pressed my arm against Matthews throat cutting off his air way just slightly. He tried to push me off, but I was a force unmovable. I heard Henry groan in disappointment, and it made me think about throwing the match. But I wasn't about to do that for anyone. I had only lost a handful of matches in my life, and I wasn't about to add this one to the list.

Matthew looks into my eyes, and I see the understanding in his eyes. He knows that I am not throwing this match, and he knows that he is going to loose. I press down harder just to end the fight quickly, but that makes Matthew fight.

Clearly he wasn't just going to let me win, I bit back a groan at that realization. Matthew starts moving more forcefully, trying to get me off of him. I press down harder, and lean in closer to him. If he was moving so was I.

"Give up, it will be easier." I whisper to him, he shakes his head at me. Sweat flying off of his face with his movement.

"I don't give up."

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So I have officially made up my mind. This will be a series. I am now working on the next book. So drop a comment down below telling me what characters you would like to see more, or read from their perspective.