When the crowd calmed down and all the teams were seated, the fmboyant elven announcer had found his way to the center of the arena. His arms stretched out wide and a broad smile on his face.

  “Well, wasn’t that amazing! So, if you didn’t know only two teams survived this round.”

  The crowd was full of light mummers.

  Isran was seated by Alden. The blonde orc had been healed and told Isran he was in stelr condition. There wasn’t even a scar.

  “Team four has a cumutive average of zero points, they won no matches!"

  The crowd cheered.

  "Team one has one cumutive average point! This makes teams four and one the lowest and therefore eliminated!”

  Isran gnced at Isabelle and Darcy. They looked satisfied and Isabelle even looked sleepy, her head against Darcy’s shoulder. She was gd there were no hard feelings. Darvin had also been eliminated, but he had left already.

  “Team three has a cumutive average of two points!”

  The crowd cheered, although they were a bit confused about the significance of the points.

  “And stly! The team that never wavered! Team two with three points! A fwless victory!”

  The crowd cheered much louder and Isran could see several people pointing in her direction. It seemed she had a lot of fans, so much so they knew which team she was in."

  “Now, the next round will begin tomorrow. Teams two and three progress to the next stage… but not as teams.”

  The crowd murmured once again.

  “With ten people left we will be having quite the interesting fight. Their individual talents and strengths on dispy. Heck someone might overthrow Isran!”

  Isran blushed as the crowd screamed at the mention of her name.

  A loud chant started with Alden joining in. She elbowed him.

  “Yes, our beloved Isran. Quite the popur one isn’t she?”

  The crowd cheered back in response. Isran groaned a bit and put her hand on her face. It was embarrassing to be so admired.

  Isran looked through the crowd, looking for her girls.

  Alden, the ever-observant man that he was elbowed her back. “Looking for the dies?”

  Isran nodded with a smile. She would never be ashamed to admit that.

  Alden pointed in their direction and Isran mumbled a small, “Thank you.”

  Elysi smiled at her, it was a bit hard to see from the distance but Isran didn’t hesitate to smile back.

  As she smiled at Phaedra and then Calliope, the announcer continued to speak.

  “So here is how it will go. The matches will begin at twelve pm, be here early folks. Or you’re gonna miss front-row seats.”

  He turned towards the seating area for the competitors and with a smile materialized a piece of paper in his hand.

  “The match ups will be announced once again tomorrow, so more for the benefit of the contestants we will announce them today. There will be five matches tomorrow. Each contestant has been assigned a number. To keep things fresh for you excellent viewers—” The crowd cheered at the compliment.

  “—we will only mention the pairings with numbers. Don’t you worry contestants, you will have this information when you return to your barracks.”

  “The first match will be between contestants one and ten, the next match between two and nine, then three and eight, four and seven. And st but most certainly not the least, five and six.”

  The crowd murmured in confusion, some adventurers beside her were also whispering to each other.

  “Have fun guessing who these might be.”

  And after some more hyping up and a word from the governor--congratuting those advancing and those not advancing--they were allowed to leave.

  Isran hummed in satisfaction when Elysi jumped into her arms. She missed her. She buried her face into her girlfriend’s fluffy hair and sighed.

  “God I miss you guys.”

  Elysi hummed and pulled back slightly to beckon Phaedra and Calliope closer. Isran wasn’t going to cry. She was going to fight off that embarrassing urge. She missed her apartment. Her bed. Phaedra's cooking.

  When she looked at Phaedra once they were apart a strong sense of guilt overcame her. Maybe she should’ve asked Morgana to tell them. Hiding it would do none of them any good.

  “I uh… I need to tell you something.” She whispered, drawing closer. They all drew closer to her.

  “Morgana said your father filed a case against me.”

  Phaedra blinked in mild surprise.

  “Against you?”

  “Why would he do that?” Elysi frowned.

  Phaedra sighed. “I don’t know… what is the case about?”

  Isran swallowed and gnced briefly at Calliope. “Kidnapping, theft, aiding bandits with the aim of selling Phaedra to smugglers.”

  All three women drew in sharp breaths.

  Phaedra sighed and stared up into the sky. Isran knew that meant she was fighting tears. She was starting to wish she had waited till after the tournament.

  “Hey.” Phaedra smiled shakily, unshed tears in her eyes. “Focus on the games okay?”

  Isran swallowed. “Are you sure? I could drop out so we can deal with th—”

  Both Elysi and Phaedra cut her off with a firm no.

  “You finish the games. We will deal with it till then.”

  Elysi nodded and Phaedra asked another question. “Is it officially filed? Approved?”

  “Morgana said in two weeks.”

  “We can work with two weeks.”

  Calliope tugged her down and once Isran was squatting she looked into the mouse girl’s red eyes.

  “You are amazing.”

  Isran blinked a bit and smiled, on impulse, she gave Calliope’s cheek a soft kiss and almost ughed at how red the shorter woman got. “I am amazing.”

  Leopold jumped onto her shoulder and messed with the hair on her nape while red was unmoving on her arm.

  “Isran.”

  Isran turned to see Gautier.

  “Sir.”

  Gautier waved his hand dismissively. “Oh, no need for that. I would think we are friends yes?”

  Isran remained quiet.

  The cursed knight chose to ignore that. “These must be your companions. What a pleasure.”

  “I’m sure.” Elysi said back.

  Gautier smirked and nodded. “I’ll leave you to catch up then.”

  Once he left they spent the rest of their time together quietly. Isran decided not to think too much about his motive for coming to see them.

  Before they said their goodbyes a nervous Phaedra asked Isran to read her letter that evening. Isran didn’t think twice about saying yes. She had buried it under her clothes to sate her curiosity. She had a feeling about what its contents would be.

  When Isran returned from seeing them off she was pleased to see a bashful Elowin being charmed by Alden. She decided not to bother them and walked into the barracks.

  A paper with the number one written on it was on her bed. Isran hummed and thought back to earlier. She was fighting number ten. First match of the next day.

  She put the paper aside and took out her blue-haired companion’s letter.

  It was pin white. A bit expensive considering cheap paper was usually brown.

  Phaedra’s handwriting was beautiful, cursive. Isran had expected it

  To Isran,

  I have thought long and hard about my feelings, my emotions, and temperament.

  Jealously comes in different forms I’ve heard. But I have never truly experienced. I am jealous of Elysi, that she gets to kiss your lips, jealous that others get to look at you.

  Jealous that your extraordinary personality cannot be mine and mine alone.

  Gods I have never prayed to Sephia. My life has been devoid of the pleasure I could thank her for, but not anymore.

  I pray to her now. And thank her for the gift that she has bestowed.

  I really really like you Isran. And even if you do not feel the same way I want you to know how I feel. How my heart beats when I see you. When I hear you.

  The affection in none I have ever known, and one I wish to never unknow. So I pour my heart to you in this message. Because I am a coward, and I can hide behind this page.

  A kiss would be an appropriate answer of acknowledgment don’t you think?

  Or perhaps a date would suffice.

  I really truly like you Isran. And if you feel the same way, I hope we can be more.

  Love, Phaedra.

  Isran couldn’t help the blush that had overcome her face. She couldn’t wait to see Phaedra the next day, when the sun set she would have two girlfriends, instead of one.