Page 69 of The Mercy of Dawn

“How much money is good money? More than you already bet on me today, or…?” She raised her brow.

“Well, I…” Ari looked away, coughing quietly, but surprise flared in Gunner’s eyes. The commander didn’t look quite so amused.

“You’re all going to drive me fucking mental. You included.” Mikael cast Cyril a pointed glare. “There will be no betting. No sparring. No group—”

“What if I have a proposition for you?”

Mikael groaned. “Can I not finish speaking?”

“Thought you’d just want to protect your pride.” Cyril shrugged. “But if you don’t want to…”

“My pride?” His expression hardened, and Cyril knew her bait landed perfectly.

She was certain she had an ally in Kaia now, possibly with Ari and Gunner too if their keen interest was any indicator, and the temptation to rile Mikael up with them was far too good to pass up.

“Correct.” She nodded. “You and I grapple. If you win, which I don’t see why the Commander of the King's Guard wouldn’t…then I won’t come back. But if I win, I’ll be back bright and early every day. For all activities.”

Kaia let out a low whistle.

The faintest hint of consideration passed through his face as Mikael studied her. He shook it away. “No, Cyril. I’m twice your size, and—”

“So are my uncles!” Cyril scoffed. “Ren sounds like a fucking tree when he goes down, but I still know how to get him on his ass.” She folded her arms across her chest. “You’re going to need a better cop-out than that.”

“If I hurt you…”

“Do your worst. It’s not like my bones will break.”

Mikael blinked. “What?”

Cyril waved her hand. She was sure the uncanny flexibility of nymph bones was common knowledge. “Try again. Or are you just worried I might actually knock you on your ass?”

“No, that is not what I am worried about—”

“Well, if you aren’t worried…” Cyril swept an arm out to the arena, a wild grin on her face. “Then what are we waiting for, Commander Kallan?”

Mikael’s shoulders sagged, and he scrubbed his palms over his face—Cyril knew she won, and the giddy excitement seeped in before he even opened his mouth.

Was it the smartest bet she’d ever made? Not at all.

But it would be the most entertainment she’d had in a while.

“Gods, every single fucking one of you is difficult,” he grumbled. “Fine. We go wrap up with the recruits and then…” A sigh of disbelief left him. “And then Cyril and I will spar.”

“So, uh, you think you can take him, hey?”

Cyril blinked up at Kaia, who came to wait out in the arena.

“I do. And about twenty minutes ago, you seemed quite confident in me too.”

Kaia laughed nervously and said, “Well, I mean, I’m sure you’re capable. But Mikael, he’s—”

“Bigger than me? Stronger than me?” She scoffed and leaned over her leg, wincing at the pull in the muscle. Stretching a bit while Mikael and a few of the guardsmen had gone to wrap up with the trainees seemed prudent. “I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

The look Kaia fixed her with spoke of nothing but conflict.

“Just try to not get hurt, alright? You definitely won’t be coming back to do anything with us if that happens.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Cyril grumbled.