War Bringer by Elaine Levine Read Free Book Online Page B

punch that spun his attacker around. Kelan blocked a right hook from another guy who came at him, and countered with an uppercut to his jaw. A couple more punches and Kelan’s opponent fell back against a table on top of a card game just as Val dropped his to the floor.  
    “I’ve told you clothes don’t make the man, Val.”
    Four more guys got up to replace the three they’d dropped.  
    “Enough!” the bartender shouted. “Either sit your asses down and have a beer, or get the fuck out of my bar.”
    Val nodded at Kelan. “That’s more like the welcome I expected.”
    The bartender put bottles down in front of both of them. “You guys cops?”
    Kelan took a sip. “Nope.”
    “Feds?”
    “Nope.”
    “What’s your interest in King?”
    “Heard he bought a girl,” Kelan said. He hadn’t exactly heard that, but putting two and two together, he made the assumption.
    “So?”
    “I want to buy her back.”
    The bartender laughed. “That ain’t gonna happen.”
    “My money’s as good as his.”
    “Nothing’s as good as his. Going up against him is a fast way to end up dead.”
    “How about you let me worry about me.”
    “Yeah, how ’bout it?” A new guy joined their convo, leaning an elbow on the bar. Kelan noticed the bartender took a step back. Maybe he was talking to a shot caller, at last. “There’s still time to squeeze one more competitor in tonight.” His gaze shifted from the bartender to Kelan. “There’s one way you can get in on the action.”  
    “What’s that?” Kelan asked.
    “Get on her delivery team. Or compete to be on her delivery team, anyway.”
    “This girl have a name? Or did King just grab someone off the streets?”
    “Oh, she’s got a name. Princess Fiona. She’s his kid.”
    Kelan felt the room go still, or maybe it was just that his senses blanked out for a second. So Fiona was King’s daughter. Fiona’s not your worry anymore. She’s heading to her true home , her kidnapper had said.
    “So how do I get on her delivery team?” Kelan asked.
    “There’s a competition for the honor. The winner presents her to King and becomes her bodyguard.”
    Kelan took a long pull from his beer. “I’m in.”
    “ We’re in,” Val corrected.
    The guy smiled and shook his head. “Only one of you goes.”
    “Then I go,” Val said.
    Kelan’s eyes narrowed. “She belongs to me. It’s my privilege and duty to fight for her.”
    “It’s a rigged game, K. Let me take the fall—that way, you survive to have a life with her. When she’s free.”
    “I’m going.”
    “Fuck. Me,” Max growled over their comm units. “Neither of you is doing jack shit. Kit and Angel are on their way. String it out until they get there.”
    “Where is this competition happening?” Kelan asked.
    The guy leaning on the bar smiled. “An undisclosed location.” He looked at his watch. “It’s a time-sensitive offer that’s quickly expiring. The competition begins in an hour, and we still have to transport the princess.”
    Kelan stood. “Let’s do it.”
    “Where can I pick him up afterward?” Val asked.
    “No need. If the winner beats three guys, Princess Fiona owns him—you’ll never see him again. If he loses, he’ll be dead, and you’ll never see him again. So say your goodbyes now. Leave your wallet, phone, and weapons here.” The guy looked at Kelan. “And if you’re wearing any other communication or transmitting devices, get rid of them.” He nodded to the bartender, who took his phone out of his pocket and texted someone.
    Kelan started disarming. He removed his earpiece and set it on the bar. He met Val’s solemn eyes; they both knew it was going to be up to him to reach out to the team when he could, because it was highly likely they weren’t going to be able to follow him to where Fiona was.
    He shook hands with Val. Something pressed into his palm. Val’s earpiece. He glanced at the bar where his own comm unit still lay.
    “Let’s go,” the guy