Chapter 36 Elara's First Fight

• ~ Elara ~
• The cheers of the crowd echoed around me, but they felt distant, muffled as though I was underwater. My heart was hammering in my chest, each beat loud in my ears as I stepped onto the arena floor. The sun was high, baking the dirt beneath my feet, and all I could think about was how exposed I felt, like a bug under a magnifying glass.
• I could see them, all of them - the crowd. Thousands of eyes, fixed on the ring, waiting. Waiting for me. My mouth was dry, and my palms were slick with sweat despite the grip I had on my sword. I forced myself to breathe, slow and steady, but the nerves were impossible to shake.