The warriors raised a powerful shield around the arena to protect everyone who watched. The light grey dome flickered with energy and slightly blurred the faces of those eagerly watching.

Nash lifted from the ground and hovered over the sun so I needed to squint to look at him.

"Already resorting to cheap tricks?" I asked.

"Just catching my breath," he said.

I rolled my eyes. The people loved to see him fly because no one in our area did that. If not for connecting with Jax, I doubted Nash ever would have figured out flight.

He drifted over me so I could see him without the sun shining in my eyes. "Ready?"

I answered by raising my palm to him and blasting him with an unseen wave of energy. He dodged in the air and impressed me with his steadiness. Even two years ago, Nash might have careened out of control.

Nash had advanced with his powers faster than I'd ever seen or than I could imagine. It reaffirmed Piercey's belief that Nash and I both somehow drew upon power from our previous lives. He was the only person I'd ever taken through time with me. That day when I'd slipped after he figured out I had power, I took him back to the eclipse, and I wondered over the last few years if entangling him like that unlocked something in him as it had for me.

But I knew with no doubt that Nash could not yet beat me in a competition using power. He must have known the same about me and his twin swords. No one could beat us in such a match, not even each other.

I loved that even more than I hated it.

We fired on one another to warm up with our powers, using shields or dodging to defend against each other. Nash flew straight down for me and I teleported out of the way just as his powered punch cracked the stone floor of the arena where I'd been standing.

I reappeared in front of him, already kicking. He blocked with both forearms but the force of the attack splintered the armor on his forearms.

He ripped the guards off and threw them to the side.

The people loved seeing us fight with our powers, only I worried about hurting Nash. I'd never seen anyone grow so rapidly with their abilities and yet it still took time to master them, a considerable amount of time and practice. Without the use of the necklace to bind our powers, I relied upon my own control, and no matter how much I grew in that area, losing control as a child always haunted me.

Every year that we dueled at the festival, Nash performed considerably better than the previous year with his power. So that actually made it more dangerous to spar with him using our powers, because I needed more powerful attacks that I struggled more with controlling.

Nash peppered me with small blasts of energy that I fended off with my forearms and knees. No longer did I need to lean on bulky shields that required more energy unless the attacks proved too powerful. As long as I matched or exceeded the energy thrown at me with my movements, I deflected the strikes with ease. Seeing these attacks as a waste of energy, Nash twisted and lobbed a more powerful attack at me.

I jumped and kicked it right back for him. He slid to the aside to avoid his own attack.

"Not bad," he said.

"You too."

"Get her, Daddy!" Elsie screamed from the sidelines.

I gasped. "I thought you were rooting for me."

"Not this match," she said.

Nash beat his fist against his chest. "That's right. She picks me."

"Because she knows you're the loser."

He wagged his finger at me. "That's not very nice, especially coming from someone who just lost."

I bolted forward and slammed my fist into his gut, leaving behind a small fog of energy that erupted as I sprang behind Nash. He shielded himself against the attack in time to avoid damage, but I knew it stung.

His elbow reared back for me. I blocked and hit him with enough force to force him a few steps back. Or, it should have been enough. It had been last year. This time, Nash grunted and held his footing, determined eyes on mine.

Impressive.

I couldn't keep from smiling at the progress as we returned to trading punches and kicks, sneaking in energy attacks at the most opportune times. One of my hits drew blood from the corner of his mouth and stopped me in my tracks for a second. Nash advanced, though, and when my heart accepted that I hadn't hurt him, I continued as if it hadn't happened.

The spectators enjoyed the show so far, many shouting for Nash to fly again, or for me to use my energy bow and arrow. They wanted to see their favorite moves from past years and we enjoyed showing it to them.

But there came a point in the battle when I realized that I no longer could defeat Nash in a match of my power against his without crossing a threshold I didn't want to cross. I needed to hit him with too much energy and even knowing warriors guarded us, prepared to intervene to save us from the worst attacks, I still couldn't actually hit him like that.

That left me few options to win this fight without making it bloody.

He flew around me in an attempt to find my weakness, but I gathered my power in my hands and teleported a few feet away from him. As he started to run for me, I focused the energy on the tips of my pointer fingers, packing into a dense ball. This much energy normally might be hard to control or would take a huge amount of space. Being able to compress it into a manageable size not only allowed me to shoot it through the air quickly, but to control it better.

Nash erected a full energy shield in front of him and shook his head. "Oh, so now you're not afraid of that attack?"

"I felt particularly inspired."

"You are so vindictive," Nash said.

"You know how I hate to lose."

Sweat wet Nash's temple as he continued to power his shield, the energy undergirding it growing more powerful. I stepped forward until the dense ball of energy touched it and immediately the shield dissolved like the powder scattering in the wind during the opening ceremony. I stood still now with the energy aimed at Nash's chest.

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He sighed long and slow. "I lose."

"Yeah, you do."

Markus joined us to rile up the crowd again and though I waved at our people, shouting my hello to visitors I didn't see often, Nash consumed my thoughts. I replayed our first match in my mind and analyzed the moves we made to improve for next time, which inevitably drew my mind to his kiss.

We mingled as we waited for the rest of the day's matches to begin. On the first day of the festival, the commanders and most renowned warriors competed against one another. Elsie sat with her friends and made bets on the potential winners of each match. Elara proudly carried Finn around, much to the jealousy of many others who wanted to hold him. She offered to do us the favor of watching him today, but I knew she silently begged for us to share him.

Once the next match began, we managed to extricate ourselves from conversations with our guests, and stepped in the slim walkway between two houses.

Nash eased me back against the wall and spoke close to my lips, his thumb trailing my chin. "Get us out of here, Sharpshooter."

"Only if you agree to a third match."

"I agree to anything."

"Whoever lands the first kiss on the lips, wins." I focused on our room and teleported us away from the festival. my lips brushed his. "Winner takes all the glory."

"Another one I'll win at," Nash said with a sneer.

I pushed his shoulders hard so he fell back on his hands.

"A little rough, but it's a good effort–"

My fist rapidly connected with his sternum, packing enough power to attempt to break through a defense he might erect. With the speed of my hit, I expected I might land it, but I was shocked when my punch plowed into him completely undefended.

Nash coughed and clutched his chest, gasping.

"Why didn't you block me?" I cried.

"I didn't think… that's what you were going for…"

"I thought it was clear."

"Flirting, Max. I figured you meant whoever got the other to cave first." He rubbed his chest. "Damn, that hurt."

I winced and reached forward to touch my fingers to the spot I hit in apology. Unless he only wanted to fool me right now so I drew close enough for him to trick me. I froze and narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

"What is happening in that head of yours right now?" Nash asked.

"I don't like losing. You know that. I have to fight you the way I best know how." I jumped on top of him and yelled as I tackled him onto his back. "Now lose!"

Nash caught my hands before I could grab his face. "Max!"

With a small blast of power, I shoved his hands away from mine to grab his head like catching a ball. My lips dove for his but he smashed his palm against my mouth.

He turned his face away, laughing. "Stop it."

I scurried away from him just in time to dodge him suddenly trying to catch me about my waist. Nash caught my leg and dragged me beneath him, rolling on top. A laugh pried free of my lips as I covered my mouth with both hands, fending off his kiss. His mouth landed against my knuckles.

"You're driving me crazy," he said. "There's no kids, no advisors, no farmers complaining about land divisions, or townsfolk bickering over their feuds. Who knows how much time we have."

My laugh only grew when he pulled my hands away and I hid my face against his chest. I bit him and he drew back.

"Ow." He caught my cheeks and ran his thumb along my bottom lip. "Cut it out, Max."

"I'm going to win this time." I craned and my lips almost found his, but he stuck his fingers in my mouth to block me.

I gasped and drew back. "See. You don't want to lose either!"

A touch as soft as feathers tickled behind my ear and Nash nipped my neck. Hot breath wafted over me.

"No, no, no," I said, slapping his shoulders. "Don't you dare."

"It's not my fault you aren't using all the weapons at your disposal." He spoke the words slowly, tugging my sleeve down until he could speak against my bare shoulder. He kissed me softly. "Concede."

I shook my head, closing my eyes at the chills from his mouth gently gliding to my collarbone. My body remembered how he pulled me into his kiss after we fought. How he ripped me to him.

I wasn't the only one he distracted right now. My hands circled his wrists and I used my power to pin them down against the bed, pulling him close against me. "Ha," I said.

Our breath washed over each other's lips.

"You're going to lose," I whispered.

"You," he said, looking so close to kissing me.

Our eyes met for only a moment and then we both pressed closer, lips parting in a deep kiss.

My palm glided up to his shoulder and he released my arm to drag me closer.

We never decided who won or lost.

----------------------------------------

"Hold it steady, Els," I said. "Better to take a few extra seconds than to miss."

Her focused eyes narrowed as she aimed her arrow at the target. I watched her take in a deep breath and then release her arrow. It cut through the air with a perfect spin, its path arching up to take the breeze into account. I knew the moment she shot the arrow, much before it cut right into the center of the target, that it was perfect.

"Yes!" I shouted. '

Nash clapped loudly. "You've got it, baby girl."

A subtle glare shot in our direction while Elsie nocked another arrow.

I covered my mouth. "We distracted her."

"No," Nash said. "We embarrassed her."

"Same thing."

When the next arrow plunged directly into the second target, I had to bit my lips together to keep from cheering.

The kid next to Elsie started sweating as she continued to shoot with lethal accuracy. The next two flew slightly off-center, but still earned her good points. Many of the other kids missed their target entirely.

Elsie trained with the bow and arrow every day, just like with her twin blades. No matter how many times I watched her shoot, though, it always amazed me. In a few years when she was strong enough to hold a bigger bow, she could compete against the older teenagers.

Ten minutes later, the competition ended with Elsie the clear victor. She walked through the gate toward us with her bow secured on her back and Nash took hold of her arms. "You did it, Elsie!" He hoisted her in the air and spun in a circle. "Look at you!"

"Oh gods," Elsie cried, kicking her feet. "Put me down."

He obliged and set her on the ground, but only to grab her up in a big hug. His large frame seemed to swallow her whole. Elsie screamed with embarrassment and pushed away.

"Would you stop it," she whispered.

"I can't be proud of my little warrior?" he asked.

Her hands flew over her face. "Ma, please."

True joy filled Nash's eyes as he patted her head and more quietly said, "You did well, kid."

Despite Elsie acting so ashamed, I caught the little smile that sneaked its way onto her face. She started to say something when her eyes widened. Elsie stomped past us and stopped in front of a young man. His sandy brown hair looked ruffled with bits of sticks and leaves in it. He must have just finished fighting. It was Raylen, Elara's youngest grandson.

"You," Elsie said.

He leaned in, eyes sharp. "Me."

She drew back, pinching her lips together. "You better sign up to face me with the twin blades. I need my rematch."

"You didn't hear? I'm a warrior-in-training now. We're not competing against each other anymore."

The realization seemed to horrify Elsie. "Fight me anyway. Come back to the tower later and–"

"Elsie," Nash said. "You're not dueling at the tower."

"Why not? You fight there all the time."

"He's a guest. He traveled a long way. I'm sure he wants to visit with friends and family, not fight you after dinner."

The boy was still looking at Elsie. "I'd fight you." Then he looked up at Nash. "But I won't fight you." He chuckled. "Not yet, at least. Give me a few years."

Oh, Nash liked the kid. My husband was grinning now. "You'll fight me, huh?"

"Yes, War Chief. I'll fight you and I won't be easy to beat."

Elsie groaned at her challenge seeming to be forgotten. "You're not getting to him unless you can beat me. I've been training. If you ever want to fight our war chief, then you fight me first. You're not worthy if you can't beat me."

"Deal." He raised his forearm in her direction. "I need to prepare for my next match." Walking away, he turned back around to Elsie. "We'll compete properly when you're a warrior-in-training too. You better prepare, because I won't go easy on you."

Elsie watched him walk away, and I couldn't help watching her, stunned to see how much she grew up each year. Nash looked from Elsie to me, the admiring look he'd given the boy now turning to a pensive expression.

"What do you think–"

"Don't think," I said. "Elsie is like me. She doesn't like losing. Don't get paranoid."

"I'm not paranoid."

"You're a little paranoid."

"It's just that if any boy wants to even think about charming my kid, he's got to meet some standards. Elsie might have a whole kingdom of boys wanting to marry her, especially if she keeps winning competitions."

"Dad." Elsie turned around slowly. "I can hear you. Rylan is my enemy. He beat me and I cannot ever allow that to happen again."

"Well, you can't assume that's all you are to someone. Ask your mom."

I hushed Nash. "I'll deal with him Elsie."

"What did I do?"

"You know," I said in a whisper. "For someone so annoyingly charming, you're a real idiot when it comes to your daughter and her relationships."

"Being a father makes you stupid sometimes."

I sighed. "Yeah." In the moment's pause, my mind wandered to the days when the festival ended and we planned to journey to the coast. "I hope the summit with the other Prophets goes well."

Nash smiled away my worry. "Pretend it doesn't exist today."

I often needed to live by those words.