Read Online The Only Way by Jamie Sullivan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jamie Sullivan
Tags: Fantasy, FF romance
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arena-bred—saying the same sort of things that had crossed her own mind, every time Duncan went out to fight.
"Something," Ruby said finally.
"I'm already doing what I can. You know that. I'm giving these guys a chance when no one else would."
Whatever Ruby thought, Hart knew Leo was right. He had helped Hart the only way he could. He couldn't change the fact that her father was dead and her mother was injured. He couldn't change the fact that there wasn't enough work to go around or the unfairness of how it was distributed. But he could let her fight.
"They shouldn't have to fight just to survive," Ruby said, defeat in her tone.
Hart knew she was wrong. Everyone was fighting to survive. That was the way the world worked. At the sound of footsteps, Hart turned and slipped into the shower room.
*~*~*
Hart stepped out of the ring, her thoughts already on the shower waiting for her, when Leo popped his head into the gym. "Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Your first fight."
Hart felt her pulse spike. "I already had my first fight."
Leo smiled. "Your first fight where you have a shot at winning."
He walked off blithely as Hart fought down the panic rising in her throat. She didn't think she was ready; she wasn't sure she'd ever be ready. She walked to the shower in a daze, turning on the spray mindlessly and just standing under it for long minutes, until the water turned cool. Leo thought she was ready, she reminded herself, trying to pretend it was the cool water that was making her shake. He wouldn't send her in unless he was sure.
She hoped.
*~*~*
In the morning, Hart went with Finn and the girls to the heap for the first time in a week, trying to keep her thoughts off the ring. She was getting better, or so Ruby and Leo kept telling her. But was she good enough to win? Ruby still pinned her one time out of two, and Hart couldn't pretend the other fighters wouldn't be at least as good as the daughter of the arena owner. She still had a blind spot a mile wide when it came to kicks being thrown at her. It would only take her opponent noticing that she tended to forget about the lower halves of their bodies to take her down.
As the day crawled by, anxiety worked its way into her bones, tugging at her sharply. She half-heartedly combed through the heap, placing items in her bag without thought. She wasn't even sure what she was gathering up was worth the effort of carrying it all the way to the fence. Hart prided herself on her eagle eye when it came to trash, but today she couldn't focus enough to tell the junk from the treasures. She handed her bag to Finn at the end of the day with a shrug. Hell, she didn't even remember what was in there.
Before she left that evening, she hugged Roe and Penny for a long time.
"You don't have to do this," her mother whispered, drawing her close.
"I'll be fine," Hart lied.
The arena seemed different late at night. The streets were lit, the glow of the streetlamps tucking its dingier aspects into shadow. A crowd bustled out front, queuing to get inside. Rowdy men, some already drunk, talked and laughed boisterously at the door.
Hart slipped in the back entrance, trying not to think how all those people were there just to see her bleed. The small changing room was empty, leaving Hart no opportunity to sneak a peek at her opponent, to size him up before they got into the ring. Sighing, she stripped off her sweatshirt and shoes and sat down on the bench, slowly and methodically wrapping her hands, trying to steady her breathing. Focus on the task at hand, moving the tape around and around. Breathe in. Breathe out.
She didn't know how long she sat there, but suddenly Ruby was right in front of her, looking down at her with kind eyes. "You ready?"
Hart looked up. "As I'll ever be."
*~*~*
She hit the mat with a loud groan, disappointment flowing out of her like air. The other fighter stood over her, his foot pressed sharply to her collarbone, just enough pressure to let her know he
"Something," Ruby said finally.
"I'm already doing what I can. You know that. I'm giving these guys a chance when no one else would."
Whatever Ruby thought, Hart knew Leo was right. He had helped Hart the only way he could. He couldn't change the fact that her father was dead and her mother was injured. He couldn't change the fact that there wasn't enough work to go around or the unfairness of how it was distributed. But he could let her fight.
"They shouldn't have to fight just to survive," Ruby said, defeat in her tone.
Hart knew she was wrong. Everyone was fighting to survive. That was the way the world worked. At the sound of footsteps, Hart turned and slipped into the shower room.
*~*~*
Hart stepped out of the ring, her thoughts already on the shower waiting for her, when Leo popped his head into the gym. "Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Your first fight."
Hart felt her pulse spike. "I already had my first fight."
Leo smiled. "Your first fight where you have a shot at winning."
He walked off blithely as Hart fought down the panic rising in her throat. She didn't think she was ready; she wasn't sure she'd ever be ready. She walked to the shower in a daze, turning on the spray mindlessly and just standing under it for long minutes, until the water turned cool. Leo thought she was ready, she reminded herself, trying to pretend it was the cool water that was making her shake. He wouldn't send her in unless he was sure.
She hoped.
*~*~*
In the morning, Hart went with Finn and the girls to the heap for the first time in a week, trying to keep her thoughts off the ring. She was getting better, or so Ruby and Leo kept telling her. But was she good enough to win? Ruby still pinned her one time out of two, and Hart couldn't pretend the other fighters wouldn't be at least as good as the daughter of the arena owner. She still had a blind spot a mile wide when it came to kicks being thrown at her. It would only take her opponent noticing that she tended to forget about the lower halves of their bodies to take her down.
As the day crawled by, anxiety worked its way into her bones, tugging at her sharply. She half-heartedly combed through the heap, placing items in her bag without thought. She wasn't even sure what she was gathering up was worth the effort of carrying it all the way to the fence. Hart prided herself on her eagle eye when it came to trash, but today she couldn't focus enough to tell the junk from the treasures. She handed her bag to Finn at the end of the day with a shrug. Hell, she didn't even remember what was in there.
Before she left that evening, she hugged Roe and Penny for a long time.
"You don't have to do this," her mother whispered, drawing her close.
"I'll be fine," Hart lied.
The arena seemed different late at night. The streets were lit, the glow of the streetlamps tucking its dingier aspects into shadow. A crowd bustled out front, queuing to get inside. Rowdy men, some already drunk, talked and laughed boisterously at the door.
Hart slipped in the back entrance, trying not to think how all those people were there just to see her bleed. The small changing room was empty, leaving Hart no opportunity to sneak a peek at her opponent, to size him up before they got into the ring. Sighing, she stripped off her sweatshirt and shoes and sat down on the bench, slowly and methodically wrapping her hands, trying to steady her breathing. Focus on the task at hand, moving the tape around and around. Breathe in. Breathe out.
She didn't know how long she sat there, but suddenly Ruby was right in front of her, looking down at her with kind eyes. "You ready?"
Hart looked up. "As I'll ever be."
*~*~*
She hit the mat with a loud groan, disappointment flowing out of her like air. The other fighter stood over her, his foot pressed sharply to her collarbone, just enough pressure to let her know he
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