Page 71 of Heart of the Cursed
“I’m fine,” he said quietly to Taredd before saying louder, “I can’t believe you’re hiding behind a female. I always knew you were a pussy, now I have proof of it. It’s just a shame the rest of the family aren’t here to see you like this.”
“I’m not you,” his brother sneered. “I don’t have to hide behind anyone.”
He pushed Selene so hard, she fell to her knees. Arun fisted his hands even tighter. His brother was going to pay dearly for what he’d done to Selene.
“Do I look like I’m hiding?” Arun held his arms out and looked around him.
“One of your lapdogs are right next to you,” he nodded at Taredd. “Where is the other one today?”
Now it was Taredd’s turn to growl.
“I’m not the one with lapdogs,” Arun said. “Remind me, how many guards do you employ?”
Arun knew he shouldn’t have brought up the guards, but he hadn’t been able to hold back the dig. If they hadn’t abandoned him already, soon his brother wouldn’t have any guards left. Dain was taking care of them as they spoke.
The few that were left for Arun and Taredd to deal with were standing behind his brother, waiting to be given orders.
“It doesn’t matter how many I employ,” his brother said. “I don’t need any of them to take you out.”
“Well, are we going to get on with it? Or are you hoping to bore us to death?” Arun taunted.
His brother growled before turning to his guards. “Watch her,” Arun heard him say to them. “Do not let anyone near her. Especially not Arun.”
“Yes, sir,” they said in unison.
As if they could stop Arun from getting to her. He could easily wipe the floor with all of them. But they weren’t his target. His brother was.
Agnarr turned back to him and started walking, leaving Selene exactly where Arun wanted her. She was still in the hands of his brother’s cronies, but at least she was far enough away from the battlefield not to get caught within the shield that would be coming down around him and Agnarr.
“Watch out for the shield coming down,” Arun reminded Taredd before meeting his brother halfway.
The plan wouldn’t work if Taredd was trapped inside the shield with him and Agnarr. Taredd needed to remain on the outside in case Arun couldn’t defeat his brother. That way, he could easily reach Selene and get her out of there should the worse happen.
He would have felt better if Dain had been there as well, but he knew Taredd could handle it on his own. Plus, Dain had his own mission to complete.
They stopped a few feet away from each other, and in unison, they lifted their arms up to the sky. Using a mix of both of their magic, they created the shield that would prevent anyone from getting involved. It also protected those on the outside from getting hit by stray magic. Not that magic was supposed to be used during a duel, but that wouldn’t stop someone like his brother. Especially if he thought it would give him the upper hand.
The shield would stay in place until one of them surrender, or until one of them was dead. Neither of them would give in, that was for sure. And Arun didn’t plan on dying, but if it was the only way to free Selene from his brother, he would gladly forfeit his life.
Agnarr kept an eye on Taredd until the shield was fully in place, only then did he turn his attention to Arun.
“Are you sure you want to do this over a half Human?” His brother spat the last word at him.
“I’m not the one that started it,” Arun replied. “You did when you took her from me.”
“She wasn’t yours to begin with!” Agnarr raged. “She belonged to me!Youshouldn’t have touchedher.”
“How was I supposed to know you had claimed her as yours?” he asked.
Even if he had known, it wouldn’t have changed a thing. He knew what his brother was like when it came to the females in his harem. Selene was better off away from him. The world was better off without him in it.
Agnarr burst out laughing. “Who said anything about claiming? She’s my property, not my mate.” Arun must have had appeared relieved at the news because Agnarr laughed harder. “Oh, this is precious. You think she’s your mate?”
Brother or not, I’m going to put an end to him today.
Instead of answering the question, Arun produced a ball of white light that would act like a timer. When the light turned red, it was time to battle.
“Weapons at the ready,” his brother said.
