dazzling reversal, pushing his hips off the floor and throwing his body weight into Nojus. London fell on top of him and secured his hulking arms around his neck. Now the crowd was cheering loudly for him.
London squeezed with all his might. Nojus grabbed onto his arms and tried to break the hold, but it was no use. London let out a deafening roar as he increased the pressure. Still, amazingly, Nojus kept fighting. He leaned forward and got his hands on the floor. He pushed up and rose with London dangling on his back. It was an impressive display of strength.
Nojus tumbled toward the wall and turned his back just before he hit. London banged against the sandstone wall and lost his hold. He fell to the floor, but Nojus stayed on his feet. I stood up in awe and watched as Nojus dropped down and hammered London with brutal strikes.
There was blood all over the place. I couldn’t even tell who it was coming from. London desperately tried to crawl away but Nojus was relentless. He pounded London down until his body finally went limp.
The crowd exploded into an uproar. London was unconscious, and the Interim Champion had been crowned.
After the fight, I went down to the stadium floor. Everyone was still going crazy. Giedre and a team of caregivers hurried out of the tunnel and tended to London. I walked over to Nojus and led him to the center of the stadium.
He kneeled and bowed to me. The crowd lapsed into silence as I prepared to make my announcement.
“Congratulations, Nojus. As the winner of this fight, you have become the Interim Champion of all Mamluks. You will serve as my protector until Samantha is ready to defend her title. At that time, if you defeat her, you will be become the Undisputed Champion of all Mamluks, and your mother will be crowned Ruler of all Mamluks. ”
He bowed lower. “I am truly grateful, My Ruler.”
“Rise.”
The crowd danced and cheered as he rose. I took his hand, and together, we turned and headed to the exit.
A short while later, I went to London’s building to check on him. He was in his bedroom, lying down with his arm covering his face. I walked to the bed and sat down beside him. “Hey, Dear.”
He uncovered his face with a smile, showing me a collection of horrendous bruises. “Hello, My Ruler.”
I kindly touched his chest. “You fought well today.”
His eyes squinted. “But not well enough.”
“I’m still proud of you, London. Always will be.” I firmly gripped his hand. “You are a champion of your kind.”
“Your grace is uplifting, Great Emily. It is an honor to serve you.”
I bent down and kissed his wounded cheek. I rose and gave him a caring smile. “Be ready at sunset.”
“Certainly, My Ruler.”
Chapter 18: Emily
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A fter visiting London, I took Nojus to Dalia’s building to have dinner with her and Ignas. We met them at the entrance, and Dalia kneeled and bowed to me, then Ignas kneeled and bowed to Nojus.
“Welcome, My Ruler.”
“Welcome, My Champion.”
They rose as one, and we headed to the dining hall. There, a servant was setting a small, circular table. We gathered around the table and took a seat.
Ignas stared at Nojus with a smile, then glanced at me. “You were very wise to select Nojus, Great Emily. He was one of my finest students.”
In response to the kind words, Nojus gave him a nod. “I am honored, Ignas.”
Within minutes, the servant brought us our food and filled our plates with boiled meat, steamed vegetables, and a side of fresh fruits. For a drink, she served us chilled water.
We took our time as we ate, chewing slowly. At the end of the meal, I took a big gulp from my cup, letting the cool, smooth water wash everything down. It was a great meal, and a peaceful setting before departing for such a daunting mission.
Before leaving the table and saying goodbye, Ignas and Dalia had words for us.
“You are stronger than you know, Great Emily. Fight well, and rescue our dear
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