Winning the Legend by B. Kristin McMichael Read Free Book Online Page B

that they held enough power that they
wouldn’t need weapons if they wanted to fight. Weapons were a moot
point. Each was the head of their family, or would be soon. They
were all powerful night humans.
    The men lined the wall as Arianna sat
carefully on the table of weapons, between an axe and a pair of
daggers. The men were close behind her but taking their time
entering. As the last person entered, she stood to face them.
    “For the first competition, I need to see
how accurate you are with a weapon.” Arianna gestured to the table
that was filled with mainly knives but also axes, bow and arrows,
and a few weapons she couldn’t name. “The competition was planned
to test each of you, looking for the best possible match for me.”
Arianna paused. Nothing they tested would even come close to making
that one man the best match. Arianna kept her focus on the men, but
wanted to look at Andrew. He was her match and always would be.
    ‘Keep going,’ Thomas urged from one of the walls. He was behind
the one way mirror, observing the retainers that were all there
watching the training room. They needed more information on the
retainers, and Thomas was the best choice to collect it.
    ‘Ugh,’ Arianna grumbled to Thomas. ‘We need
to rewrite some of this. I can’t keep pretending like everyone has
a chance when I’d rather die than marry them.’ Arianna closed her eyes and tried her best not to look at
Andrew.
    ‘Look above them while you
talk. That way you don’t have to look at them,’ Thomas suggested. He was watching the retainers like a
hawk.
    ‘And what do I do about all
the feelings thrown at me every time I mention choosing one of
them. It’s an emotional roller coaster. I can’t believe how many of
them actually think they are perfect and will win this. They are
all a bunch of-,’ Arianna wanted to rant
more but Devin coughed, bringing her back to the staring men. She
gazed above them and continued her prepared speech. It didn’t help
much.
    “My clan’s biggest need is to know that
whoever is chosen is the best warrior. All competitions will test
your strength as a warrior.” Several of the men puffed out their
chests with pride. They all viewed themselves as the best warrior.
Arianna tried not to laugh. Most of them couldn’t even stand in the
same room as Andrew on strength alone. “This first test is to gauge
your accuracy.”
    Arianna picked up a dagger and tossed it
across the room at a target with just a flick of her wrist. She
didn’t even look to see where it hit as by now she already knew it
would be dead center. Half the men gasped in shock at the accuracy
of her throw. Everyone in the room assumed that she was a helpless
female, since she had such strong men around her to protect her.
Rhys openly clapped for her, and smiled. Arianna quickly bowed to
him, as he was the only one, aside from her own clansmen, without
his mouth on the floor.
    “Get the point?” Arianna asked. “Practice
today, and we will compete tomorrow outside. It is worth one third
of your points for the first competition.” Arianna gathered the
courage to look at the face of each man. They were now eagerly
looking at the weapons.
    ‘Are you sure we should
leave them around weapons?’ Arianna asked
Thomas. They were not a threat to her, but they might be to each
other. She sensed murderous contempt coming off several men aimed
for each other.
    ‘Once you are out of the
room, we don’t care who they throw knives at,’ Thomas explained that her safety always came
first.
    ‘Really? Because we are
leaving Devin, Turner, and Ken in that room,’ Arianna looked over to Devin. He didn’t seem worried at
all.
    ‘Devin can take care of all
three of them.’ Thomas replied.
    Arianna left the men standing around in the
practice room. Her security team of Molina, Nelson, Nixon, and
Jackson all stayed in the room to oversee it. Andrew followed
diligently behind her as she stopped at the hallway behind the
training room.