The Immortal Guardians: Book II

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Byron's eyes softened but he held his stern mouth.

"I know what I'm doing. If I didn't know then I wouldn't have challenged him." Byron put a comforting hand on the top of my head. "Stop doubting yourself so much. You can beat him, Iris." He took a seat next to me. "I see it in you. You are a great swordswoman." He nudged me gently. "There won't be a tie and if there is, you are going to kick his ass in front of everybody." He pressed his forehead to mine. "I know it." He got to his feet adjusting his plate.

I stayed seated.

"I will dress you Burke" He replied sternly. "Now get ready"

I let out a squeak but nodded. He left me to get ready.

I made my way slowly out to the gym. Byron was standing to the side intently watching the set up. The Duke wasn't present, he was probably still getting ready.

"Where is the RFG?" I whispered to Byron.

"The RFG?" he shook his head at me.

"Royal Families Guard, for a smart guy you are kind of slow" I rolled my eyes at him. I was trying to ease my nervousness. His lips twitched.

"Probably with him" he shrugged. He didn't look concerned about the match. But, I was sweating bullets. My hands were clammy and I was sure my feet were going to drench my socks.

"Where are your knives?" Byron brought his fingers to his lips. The Duke was walking in with his RFG.

"In my locker" I turned to him confused. He motioned for me to follow him. I shook my head but he grabbed my arm and dragged me behind him.

"Are you ready?" The Duke held out his hand. Byron shook it. The Duke's eyes flickered to me.

"Yes. Iris is going to be my Second" Byron grasped me tightly and made me stand by him.

"Perfect. Victor will be mine" he signaled Charles to stand by him. My jaw clenched tightly. "Rules?"

"None" Byron shrugged. My jaw almost fell. How could he possibly want a no rules match? I was starting to question his sanity.

"Entries?" The Duke asked.

"Sure" Byron glanced at me once. "Four of them and the first drop of blood from the Seconds loses" I was confused.

"Perfect. We are going to have an excellent match." The Duke, he looked pleased by the conditions that had been set. "Victor get ready"

They shook hands one last time. Byron dragged me away.

"Byron, no rules. What?" I was starting to hyperventilate. My head was spinning at the idea of a no rules match. He was losing it..

"Go get your knives" Byron ordered. He had his training voice on. "I'll explain it to you, hurry" I ran to my locker room and grabbed my halter with my knives. The gym was packed, there were people standing around. Others were seated on the ground.

"It will be a no rules match" Byron whispered to me. He was adjusting my halter quickly around my thigh. "So anything goes, okay" I nodded. He grasped me tightly by my shoulder plates and tugged on them. "If I fall to the ground with my back exposed to him, you have the opportunity to jump in. An entry by my second is allowed four times during the match since I asked for a no rules match. If his Second entry jumps in while he is on the ground you jump in"

"Byron" I shook my head frantically. "Are you joking?"

"No" he scoffed. He shook me slightly. "Be ready at any second to jump in, draw the first drop of blood and he is out and you will get your chance to keep going in the allotted times. If the match ends up tieing you will have a match with him either way."