ChaPter 2 - Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

Carnival of souls
entered, there was no way out save forfeiture or death.
“I hope you kill her,” a girl murmured as she stepped
gingerly on the gatekeeper’s back.
Belias remained silent. He’d entered the competition to
prevent Aya from dying. If she weren’t so obstinate, he’d have
teamed with her publicly. It wasn’t the way the contest was
structured, but he was ruling class, and with or without these
wins, he’d be a general in Marchosias’ government. It was what
he had been raised to do. His father had died in the service
of their ruler, killed by a supposedly tamed witch’s treachery,
and Belias had been raised to know that he had two functions
in his life: to fight as bravely and ably as his father had and to
have sons to carry on their family line. Preferably with Aya by
my side. She’d been chosen for him, selected for her lineage,
and she’d been trained to fight in order to be strong enough to
help protect his future children.
Unfortunately, his chosen mate had decided she’d rather
kill him and a slew of other people than be by his side. A growl
of frustration slipped from between his lips and caused an
older scab to tremble as he took her hand. Belias offered her
his most comforting smile.
She squeezed his hand. “Don’t go too hard on Aya. She’s
doing what many of us wish we could. Things need shaking up.”
Belias nodded.
Too hard?
He wasn’t sure he could strike her with intent to kill. Of
course if he didn’t, she’d be even more aggressive. There was
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