Tainted

Chapter Fifteen

"Binks," I murmur. She's supposed to be long gone, well on her way back to Bandelaire.

The finger holding Binks's arrow in place twitches. I hear the stretch of the string as it's tightened. It's the only sound I hear in the entire arena. It drowns out the foul words and jeers of the audience.

Her patron must've scrounged up enough money to restring and reoil her bow. The wood gleams in the sunlight. And the warden must've dropped his ban on long-range weapons for now. He must know that Binks works best with a bow. He must want to give her the best chance he can to kill me.

Binks hasn't taken her eyes from me since she stepped foot on the stone stadium floor. There's a cold, ruthless sort of look to them, and it makes my hand shake against the hilt of my knife.

Binks must've been given her bow and quiver of arrows in the holding cell. I haven't heard of that happening in a duel before. We've always been given our weapons on the arena floor, in case we turn them against the guards.

"What's this?" Warden's voice calls out.

Instinctively I shift, turning my ear to the sound while keeping Binks in view. She doesn't look up at the warden. She keeps the arrow trained directly over my heart, marking it with severe intensity.

"Can it be the Thief's furred friend?" Warden continues.

Shocked whispers rise amongst the audience while my heart sinks. The memory of the warden noting my friendship with Binks in the dungeon flashes through my mind. This is the jewelberry on top of his cake. This is my punishment for standing up to him in the hallway: dueling my best friend.

My only friend.

"Will the Thief steal the life of her only companion?" Warden asks, echoing my thoughts, and I can hear the smile in his voice. He's been planning this speech, and he's loving it. What better way to show just how evil I am than to have me slay my best friend?

"No!" a high-pitched noble screeches.

"Don't do it!" another one shouts.

But a lone voice calls out above the rest, and the word is taken up like a chant. "Thief. Thief."

"No," I say softly, "please. Don't make me do this." I taste salt tears on my lips and feel cracks in my heart.

Binks stares at me, unblinking, her fingers still tensed around the taught string of her bow.

"Thief. Thief." The nobles' voices grow louder. It's an unending mantra of what I have become.

"The bets are as usual," Warden says. He's still watching me with a grin, the king beside him looking equally pleased.

I take a step toward Binks, feeling my heart pounding wildly against my chest. My legs are like lead moving through water. Every muscle aches and I can feel fresh blood on my back. I don't know how many stitches have been ripped from my skin, possibly all of them.

The gravel coating the stadium's stone floor crunches as I take another step toward Binks. I try not to look at the stain of red where Myles fell.

Binks watches my every step, her yellow eyes betraying nothing of her feelings. I shiver despite the heat and take another step forward.

My feet come to a stop three steps from Binks. I can see the whiskers on her face, feel the waft of air as she curls her tail. Her eyes rove over my body, resting briefly on the open wound at my shoulder and the blood seeping through the wrappings on my palms. I can feel my wearied muscles begging for rest, but I stand tall, catching her glance.

We stare at each other, until I see Binks's chin quiver.

"I made a deal." Her eyes well. "I made a deal with the warden. If I kill you, he'll let me go."