Her Second Chance✔ (Published)

24

Andre

As they circled each other in that deadly art, the sounds of battle reached his ears. Andre had no idea who was fighting who. He couldn't sense any of his people so he imagined his mate had had something to do with the battle outside. Maybe the dragons were fighting each other.

His mate.

His heart was lighter than it'd been for most of the day that he wanted to laugh out loud. His mate was okay, was right there with him. Best of all, if he'd understood Dani correctly, Eric thought she was Cari. The other prince had bound Cari's cousin to him. His mate was no longer in danger of being taken.

He parried with the prince, met his every one of his thrust. The other male seemed to have calmed from his anger about Andre's sword. He became more focused, intent. Andre suspected it was Dani's presence that had that effect on the dragon, much as Cari's had on him.

Was this what their grandmother had meant? That Eric needed Dani? Which begged the question of why it was so important that the dragon prince mate with Dani. Was it a rearrangement of the power structure? Andre doubted the dragon race would appreciate having a werewolf as their second princess. Never mind when they found out their royalty would then be subject to the werewolf royals.

Andre felt the sting of a cut. 'Pay attention!' His wolf growled inside him and came forward even more.

'Why is he important?' Andre wondered.

'I don't care.' The wolf declared. 'Stop holding back!' He commanded.

Meeting the rather self satisfied look of the dragon prince Andre realized the wolf was right. It was time to show the dragon just how capable he was. Eric had set the rules thinking he was the better fighter. Andre though, had been testing Eric's style and now he truly fought the other male.

Where he'd been using water attributes, he decided to incorporate them all, keep the other prince guessing. The pace of the fight heightened, Eric was no longer looking so smug. A frown marred his forehead and when Andre gave him a debilitating cut on his dominant right arm. It was right where tendons flexed to lift or move the sword so he couldn't use it properly.

Eric tried to move back from Andre but Andre followed him, cornering him. Once more, his sword absorbed the blood from the cut. He saw the dragon prince pale as he realized the nature of the magic that resided in the sword.

Just as Andre was about to deliver another cut he felt the same magic that'd been in the tunnels lash against him. His sword was shattered as he was blown away from the dragon prince. He tried to reach for the elements, any of them, but they seemed beyond him as he hurtled through the air.

His movements were out of his control, the air slipping out of his grasp however much he tried to hold on to it. Fire refused to come to his call when it always was the first to manifest with his emotions. Had this magic been reading him as he'd done in the tunnels?

Andre felt the impact as he was slammed into the desks and chairs outside the arena. Cracks rang loud in his ears as he felt multiple sharp pains in his body. The wooden seats and desks weren't the only things that broke. Even whilst their splintered ends tore into his flesh, Andre felt some of his bones breaking.

It was excruciating. So much so that he felt himself losing consciousness. With an angry howl, his wolf surged to the fore. The beast lended him so much power that he felt an abnormal burst through his body. It was even more painful, burning every inch of him but it managed to knock the consciousness back into him. To ignite his focus.