God of Malice (Legacy of Gods #1) by Rina Kent

My lips part when I become hyperaware of the similarities between us. Is he…also scared of his brother?

After some words are exchanged between Killian and Nikolai, the one in the satin robe glares, but he steps back.

And just like that, Killian heads to the ring. The announcer is baffled for a second, but then he shouts, “There’s a change from The King’s U’s side. Killian will be the one to play against Creighton!”

The people in the other uni’s crowd nearly scream their heads off. They go so crazy, I’m surprised my eardrums don’t explode. On the other hand, a deadpan silence goes through our crowd.

“Why the hell is he the one playing?” Ava whispers.

Because of me. But I don’t say that and attempt to play dumb. “Isn’t he a better option than The Punisher?”

“Hey, Nikolai’s violence is playful in these types of fights. Killian’s is deadly. He was almost locked up for nearly killing a guy last year. No one has wanted to go against him since then, except for maybe the crazy Nikolai.” She shakes her head. “Killian has been watching from the sidelines for months. The only reason Creigh won the championship last year is because Killian walked out on another adversary mid-match. When a girl asked him why he retreated, he was like. ‘Oh, that? I got bored and remembered I would rather be sleeping.’ I know. He’s that crazy.”

My limbs shake at the realization of the big trouble my cousin could be in because of me. “Let’s…get Creigh out of there.”

Because hell no, I don’t believe Killian will lose on purpose. He’s not built to lose, definitely not to prove to me or to anyone else anything.

“Bitch, please. You think Creigh will obediently follow? Look at his eyes.” She jerks a thumb in my cousin’s direction. “He’s fired up for this. He was looking forward to fighting Killian last year and felt robbed when it wasn’t him who got to the final round.”

“We need to stop him, Ava. His ego doesn’t matter compared to his life.”

“Too late,” she lets out in a whisper.

I watch in horror as the referee gives the go sign. The crowd cheers louder as Creigh and Killian circle each other.

The freaking psycho smirks and says something I don’t hear. Creigh’s expression doesn’t change, but he lunges forward, Killian ducks and punches him so hard across the face, blood explodes from my cousin’s mouth. He doesn’t even recuperate before Killian punches him again, sending him half flying over the ring.

I shriek in the middle of our crowd’s “Ahh.”

The King’s U’s students all chant, “Kill! Kill! Kill!”

I think I’m going to throw up.

My stomach clamps and I wrap an arm around it to stop from retching.

“What the fuck, what the actual fuck!” Remi screams at the top of his lungs, gripping the railings. “Don’t just stand there, Creigh. Show them what you got, spawn!”

My cousin doesn’t bother wiping the blood from his face as he lunges again. Killian tries to evade, but Creigh grabs him in a chokehold and tackles him. Our side goes crazy and Ava jumps up and down. “Yes!!! Cray Cray, get him!”

Before Killian can hit the floor, he bounces back with a punch, but Creigh jumps to the side at the last second, which makes our crowd cheer louder. “King! King! King!”

The match becomes more intense and cutthroat with each passing second.

Killian and Creighton throw punches at each other over and over, and neither of them seems to be backing down.

I clearly remember that freaking bastard saying he’d be losing.

Is bloodying my cousin’s face called losing?

“Go, Creigh!” I shout at the top of my lungs with Ava.

I could’ve sworn that my voice is unable to be heard in the middle of all the surrounding noise, but Killian’s head cocks in my direction for the first time since he left my side.

His eyes are muted, no light whatsoever in their depths, but there’s something more.

It’s almost as if he’s…angry.

Creigh uses that second of distraction to pummel him. I wince as Killian’s face flies downward then sideways with the successive punches.

But before my cousin can get the momentum, Killian kicks him away, and as Creigh regains his balance, the other corners him and punches him. Over.

And over.

And over.

Creigh tries to hold his arms up, but there’s no stopping the murderous energy that radiates off the psycho.

I’ll send him into a coma.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!” The crowd cheers at the top of their lungs.

“Tap out,” I whisper as if Creigh can hear me. “Just tap out.”

“He won’t,” Ava sounds as spooked as I am. “You know he’d rather die than tap out.”

Even Remi is shouting and cursing at him to tap out, but it’s like he’s not hearing anyone.

No, no.

He’ll really murder him at this rate.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

Shut up.

Shut up.

All of you shut the hell up.

“Killian!” I scream, not even sure what I’m trying to say.

Ava wraps a hand around my mouth. “What the hell are you doing? Want to get us killed by REU’s students or something? Cheering for the enemy is a sad way to die, Glyn.”