Chapter 83

DEREK’S POV The moment I heard that Maya had challenged Eliza, a feeling of anger burned through me, hotter than any battlefield fire I'd ever faced. How could she do that? It was madness. A fool’s errand. No, worse—a death wish. I barely took the time to think before I stormed out of my tent in search of her. The camp was filled with soldiers preparing for the duel. It was all everyone was talking about. I found her in the clearing behind the training grounds, rolling her shoulders, stretching her arms. She was already preparing. She knew I’d come. "Maya!" I called. My voice was harsher than I wanted it to be. She didn’t flinch, didn’t even pause in her movements. That only irritated me more. "Derek." She acknowledged me, finally turning. I could see the mischief in her eyes, "You’ve heard." "Of course I’ve heard! Everyone’s talking about it!" I closed the distance between us in two quick steps, "What the hell are you thinking? You can’t defeat Eliza. You know that, right? I’ve seen h