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“Sister! You survived the night,” Kronk stated the obvious,thumping my shoulder with his heavy hand, nearly knocking me over.

“And yet you didn’t kill the leech?” Drazen arched a brow.

“Tell them,” Custodis snapped, getting straight to the point. Seriously, the vampire had zero social skills. It was a wonder he’d ever risen through the mortal world’s ranks.

Drazen narrowed his eyes, leaning in. “Tell them what?”

I cleared my throat, my palms growing damp. My brothers weren’t going to like this. Hell, I didn’t like it. “The vampire and I have come to an agreement, of sorts.”

I explained quickly.

“Are you crazy? You’ve never even opened a portal. You have no idea what it could do to you,” Drazen said, dark scowl on his face.

Even though he wasn’t wrong, this was a worry for another time. We’d need to survive before I would have to hold up my end of the bargain, and the chances of that happening were slim.

“We do not need his help. He will get in the way,” Kronk added, a matching scowl on his face.

The corner of Victor’s mouth twisted. “I wasn’t in the way last night.”

Sweat trickled down my back as my chest tightened.

Drazen’s brows furrowed with concern. “Runa?”

“It was nothing.” I flicked a hand. “A minor altercation. I had everything under control.”

Kronk grabbed my forearm, eyeing the bruises on my wrists. Rage poured off of him, and he clenched his fists, taking a menacing step toward the vampire.

“No, wait.” I moved between them. Some strange impulse rising to his defense. “Not him. Custodis…helped.” The last, I croaked past my rebelling throat.

Embers blazed in Drazen’s eyes. “Tell me they are dead.”

Victor sniffed as though offended. “It’s been handled.”

Caught in a testosterone sandwich, I started shoving,throwing elbows. “Back off, will you? You’re making me sound like some helpless damsel.” They should know better.

Once I could see daylight again, I folded my arms over my chest, casting them all a petulant glare.

“Back to the matter at hand,” Victor stated. “I provide Runa with protection, both in the cells and the game, along with the intel we need. During the trials, we work as a team and plan our escape together.”

Drazen sputtered. “Now, hold up—”

“Done.” Kronk stuck out his meaty paw, accepting the deal, and Victor reciprocated.

Smoke puffing from his nostrils, Drazen muscled up to his too-eager brother. “Wait a minute. Don’t you think—”

Horns blew. An announcer shouted Kronk and Drazen’s names, calling them to their respective rings.

Before they could leave, Victor stood in their path, ordering, “Hold back.”

“I don’t take orders from you,” Drazen snapped, stalking across the sand.

Though separated by their individual rings, Drazen and Kronk worked together for their demo. With the torque deactivated, Kronk shifted and tossed a boulder into the air while Drazen set it aflame. As it returned to earth, Kronk punched the flaming missile and launched it clear out of the amphitheater. Screams echoed from outside.

Demonstration complete, they made their way to my side.

“Nicely done,” I beamed, proud despite the circumstances.

Victor scrubbed a hand over his weary face, then turned to glare at me. “Your brothers are idiots. When you enter that ring, you must think of everyone who watches you as your enemy.”