Astrid's POV
The crowd was thick by the time Lucien and I reached the training ground. Warriors stood shoulder to shoulder, looking around eagerly, their feet shuffling in the dust. The air buzzed with whispers and heat, but I didn’t care about any of that. I pushed my way forward, ignoring the elbows and the stares. Lucien followed close behind.
“She is already in the ring,” someone muttered beside me.
I pushed harder. “Move.”
The man in front of me stepped aside without a word. They always did. I had that effect on people.
Finally, we reached the front and there she was.
Ravena Kaelith, standing in the center like she owned the damn kingdom.
I crossed my arms and tilted my head. “This will be over in seconds.”
Lucien didn’t answer. I could feel his mood change beside me, but I d
