"Wow, this is actually…nice," Jake said, looking around at the snow-covered lawns dotted with icicle-hung trees. They'd parked 8-Ball and Amari's bike in one of the lots at the southern edge of the park, and now walked along one of the gaslit winding paths that led to the arena at the north end.

  "Yeah," Rhett said, shooting Jake a grin back over his shoulder. "This park is proof that not everything in Noimoire has to be ugly and grim. There's beauty everywhere if you look for it. Even here."

  Dania snorted, and turned back to meet Jake's gaze. She was just in time to catch his epic teenage eyeroll. Amari, walking next to Jake, must have caught it too, because she laughed and shook her head.

  "What?" Rhett said.

  "That's very…optimistic of you," Dania said, turning her attention back to him. Then she pressed her lips together to keep from joining Amari in laughing.

  Rhett shrugged. "You see plenty of awful shit in my job. I figure I might as well look on the bright side when I can. Makes it easier to handle, you know?"

  Dania blinked as the impulse to laugh fled.

  "I do know," she said quietly. Something in her tone must have caught Rhett's attention, because he tilted his head and regarded her a little more closely.

  "You're an ER nurse and a combat veteran," he said. "I imagine you do. Come on, the competitors' entrance is just ahead." Rhett reached down and took her hand in his, then pulled her into a faster walk as first one, then a few more fat snowflakes started to drift down from the star-studded black velvet sky.

  The competitor's entrance turned out to be an oblong-shaped tent that looked like it was made from undyed leather and wooden posts. It sat just outside a thickly wooded line of trees. It took Dania a minute, but as they drew closer, she realized that the line of trees was actually the outer wall of the arena.

  It was huge, even for a girl used to the city.

  Rhett held aside the door flap, and gestured for Dania, Amari, and Jake to precede him inside, and then ducked his head to follow them in.

  "The check-in table is just there to the left—" he started to say.

  "Well, well, well. Sergeant Rhett Walker, as I live and breathe!"

  A slender woman in a tailored skirt suit with sky-high stiletto heels walked toward them, putting some sway into her hips as she flipped her long, dark hair off her shoulder and smiled at Rhett before holding out her hand for him to take.

  Dania fought to keep her face neutral. The woman was beautiful, with long, glossy hair that hung straight to her waist and impeccable makeup, but her sleek urbanity looked decidedly out of place in the rustic interior of the tent, with its rough-hewn support logs, low tables lit with oil lamps, and smoking braziers that dotted the interior floor.

  "Mairi," Rhett said, bringing her fingers to his lips, as if they were in Regency England instead of a battle arena in Noimoire City, USA. "A pleasure."

  "Oh, the pleasure is all mine, I assure you," she said, sweeping her lashes down over her eyes before giving him a full-lipped smile. "I was thrilled to get your call. Your matches are always such fun to watch."

  "Well, thanks for hooking me up tonight, Mairi, seriously, I appreciate it."

  "Anything for you, Rhett," Mairi breathed, and Dania could hear Amari snort softly behind her.

  "Werk, I guess," Amari whispered, and though Dania wanted to agree, she let it go and pasted her best professional smile on her lips as Mairi turned her gaze on her.

  "And who is this?" she asked, her smile tightening.

  "Dania Ellis," Dani said, holding out her hand to shake Mairi's in a more conventional manner. "Rhett's opponent for the night."

  "Really? You? How… interesting."

  "Dani's got style," Rhett said. "She'll put on a good show, don't worry. These are her niece and nephew. They came to watch, is that all right?"

  "Of course," Mairi said, waving forward a man dressed in a nondescript leather tunic and trousers. "We always make an effort to accommodate competitors' families. Usher here will show you to your section, and you and…Deena, was it?"

  "Close enough." Dania let her smile grow. This woman is too ridiculous.

  "Yes, well, you two can head down to the arena floor as soon as you're ready. Good luck, Rhett."

  "Thanks," he said, and took Dania's hand again as he turned toward the man Mairi had identified as "Usher." Usher stepped forward, his leather tunic and trousers looking a lot like the fabric of the tent.

  Card, not man, Dania realized as Usher's stats appeared above his head. He was literally an usher; a minion of the arena. He didn't speak, but gestured to them to follow him and turned to lead them out of the tent into the grove beyond.

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  "Oh! It's warm!" Amari exclaimed in delight. Dania turned to see the younger woman shrugging out of her fashionable puffy jacket with the fur-lined hood. "I love it!"

  "It's always late spring inside the arena," Rhett said with a little grin. "Unless you're on the floor, and then the arena decides. I've battled in horizontal-blowing snow before. Not my favorite."

  Good to know, Dania thought, schooling her face not to react.

  "Ugh, that sounds terrible," Amari said. "I'm glad I'm not battling. I just want to hang out here in the warmth. Another time, though, I might come back. I could use some levels."

  "We can take you to hunt our monsters," Jake said.

  "What monsters?" Rhett asked.

  "The monsters on our private property up north of town," Dania said with a tight smile. "The one well outside of your jurisdiction."

  Rhett chuckled. "Looks like this is our section," he said, pointing to where Usher stood next to a large tree with spreading branches. Under its canopy, a cluster of boulders provided something like seats and a clear view down the steep slope to an oval area marked out by an irregular ring of soaring trees. "Mairi gave us good seats."

  "That's not all she wanted to give you," Amari said with a grin. "Girl was radiating some serious 'come get me' vibes."

  "Eh," Rhett said. "She's a little high maintenance for my taste. She's one of those who expects the world to revolve around her, led by whomever she's sleeping with at the moment."

  "Know that personally, do you?" Amari's grin widened and her eyebrows arched up higher on her forehead. Dania snorted and pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to laugh.

  "You know, I'm going to plead the fifth on this whole conversation. There's no way this ends well for me. You three good here? Dani and I should head to the floor if we don't want to be stuck behind a bunch of other matches."

  "We're fine," Jake said. He'd climbed up on the boulders and sat cross-legged next to Machairi.

  "You've got enough light to cast a shadow here?" Dania asked. "Just in case?"

  "Plenty," Jake said. "And I've got my flashlight if necessary."

  "Okay, we won't be gone long, I don't think." Dania glanced at Rhett for confirmation, but he only shrugged. "We'll do our battle, and then afterwards Rhett's going to check with another contact he's got here."

  "Dani. I know the plan." Impatience leaked into Jake's tone. “I will stay with Amari and Machairi like we agreed. Go battle the detective. I'll be fine."

  Dania swallowed, pushing her rising anxiety down. She shot a look at Amari, who nodded solemnly.

  "I've got him," Amari said softly. "Go on."

  "Okay," she murmured, backing up a step. "You guys be good. We'll be right back."

  "Oh, and Dani?" Jake called out as she turned to follow Rhett down the slope. Dani paused and looked back.

  "Yeah?"

  "Kick his ass." Jake winked at her, and Dania felt her heart clench with so much love, she thought she might explode. She managed a smile and a nod. Then she turned and walked to Rhett.

  "Okay," she said, rolling her head on her neck. She took a deep breath and willed her mind to exist in that cold, practical place that held all of her violence. "Let's do this."

  "You got it," Rhett said. He reached out and gestured for her to precede him. She felt the heat of his hand hovering just over the small of her back as she passed him.

  "You're headed for that red painted tent down there at the edge of the enclosure," Rhett murmured close behind her ear. "I'll drop you off, and then go over to the blue one. When you get inside, another minion will check you in and collect your wager."

  "What are we wagering? I don't have much cash on me."

  "Not cash, cards. The arena requires it, and it will automatically select one from your deck. Don't worry, I'll give it back to you after we're done."

  Cocky bastard.

  "The main thing to remember is that nothing done in the enclosure is permanent. It may hurt, but it won't kill you for real, all right?"

  "I'll handle it," Dania said, her voice empty.

  "I believe you," Rhett said. He looked down at her with a smile playing about his lips. "Good luck."

  Dania simply nodded. They'd reached the red tent. Rhett looked like he wanted to say something else, but she didn't give him the chance. It was go time. They could talk later.

  She ducked inside the tent and straightened up, meeting the gaze of the young woman who sat inside. She had dark eyes and a single long braid over her shoulder. She also wore a leather tunic and leggings, similar to Usher. When Dania concentrated, she could see the woman's card hovering in the air behind her. Her name, Red Corner, seemed odd until Dania realized it was a callback to boxing traditions.

  "Welcome to the Red Corner, competitor. Your name, please?"

  "Dania Ellis."

  A small pause while Red looked down at a thoroughly modern tablet that lay on the rough-hewn table in front of her.

  "Your match is registered, Dania Ellis. You will be facing Detective Sergeant Rhett Walker in his annual free exhibition. Please place your hand on the central tree bole to register your card." She pointed to the far wall of the tent, and Dania could see that the three poles that made up that part of the frame were actually living trees whose branches somehow combined with the tent fabric in a way that made her head and her stomach spin to think about.

  Dania swallowed hard and jerked her eyes back to the solid structure of the trunks. She took one steadying breath and then put her hand on the central trunk, as instructed.

  Two cards appeared, one on each of the side trees. The left held a card she didn't recognize, something called a Moral Compass. It was a rare Divine/Golem equipment card that acted like a regular compass. Only instead of pointing north, it pointed in the general direction of whatever the deckbearer needed most. There were some more stipulations and specials listed, but Dania didn't take the time to read them.

  Because she looked over at the right tree and saw her own Fossil Bloom there.

  Fuck. If he keeps that card, I lose my card-changing chance. I know he said he wouldn't, but—

  Dania cut the thought off as the tent disappeared, leaving her standing at one end of the oblong arena floor. The two card-bearing trees still flanked her, but Red and everything else from the tent had disappeared.

  "Ladies and gentlemen! We have an extra special event in store for you! The Three Fires Arena is proud to welcome one of our dedicated public servants to the floor for his annual battle. You know him, you love him…Noimoire City, please welcome back crowd favorite… Detective Rhett Walker!"

  Crowd favorite? What the fuck? I thought he only did this once a year— No. Doesn't matter, girl. Get your shit together. Let's make Jake proud.

  Dania shook her head and blinked, re-centering herself in that cold, quiet, violent place in her mind. She inhaled slowly, blocking out the sound of the announcer going through her own introduction, and touched her chest to draw her deck.

  Deckbearer Rhett Walker has drawn his deck.

  "Okay, Sergeant," Dania said, letting her lips curve in a smile. "Let's dance."

  Books 1 and 2 are now available in KU, and ! Please check it out and tell him I sent you!

  oin either the Guardian Card Holder or Guardian Deckbearer tiers of my subscription for early access! There’s some other fun goodies over there for subscribers, too. ??

  everything I've written in this series, up to my current work in progress point. That means that, yes, the first few chapters of Shadow Card Guardian 2 are already available, but only for Guardian Deckbearers and Ultimate Members of my Dragon's Horde membership!

  Thank you all so much for 500+ followers! I appreciate each of you so much. It means the world to me that you like my story enough to follow and/or favorite it on here, and I hope to be able to keep bringing you tales of Dani, Jake, Hush, and the rest of the crew for a long time to come!

  Much love! -kc