She continued to gasp for air as she looked up at Dancer. “Your lips are bleeding where he hit you, Daddy. Please, don’t die!”

“It’s just a busted lip. I’m not going to die. Really. I get them all the time.” He wiped the tears from her face. “Don’t cry, Lee-lee. We won’t play fight anymore.”

“Okay.” She wiped at her nose before she scooted away from him.

Hauk frowned as he watched her return to Jayce and Adron, who led her to the sand to play. How weird that would upset her when she’d been so brave the day before. He met Nyk’s apologetic stare. “Is that normal?”

Nyk shrugged. “My kids have never done that. But then they’ve grown up with us sparring against each other. And they’ve seen us both bleed a lot worse than your lip. Sorry about that, by the way.”

“Don’t be. I’m the one who started the fight and dropped his guard.” A bad feeling went through him as his thoughts returned to Kalea’s outburst. “You don’t think they would have had her around death matches at that age, do you?”

He gave Hauk a droll stare. “It’s The League. I wouldn’t put anything past them.”

Neither would he. But one thing was clear. There was no way Kalea would be able to attend the match tomorrow and watch her mother fight Dariana. Unlike Nyk, that bitch wouldn’t be so kind or understanding if Kalea bit her.

Hauk glanced down at Nyk’s leg. “You know you’re bleeding. Right?”

“Yeah, I know. Your daughter has an amazing set of teeth.” Clapping him on the back, Nyk went to Syn to have him stitch it.

Hauk licked at his busted lip as he went over to Sumi, whose brow was creased with worry.

“Did she draw Nykyrian’s blood?”

He nodded. “She was scared.”

“Is Nykyrian all right?” Kiara asked.

“Yeah. Hell, I’ve bit him worse than that in a fight.”

Kiara let out an irritated noise. “I’m going to check on my husband and try not to think about how true that statement is.”

He wiped another round of blood from his lip.

“Are you okay?” Sumi asked.

He nodded. “It caught a fang. Bleeds a lot worse than it hurts.”

“Why did you go after Nykyrian like that?”

Cursing in Andarion, Dancer narrowed his gaze on Jayce as he picked a bouquet of flowers for Kalea to match the crown he’d made her. “That! Right there!” He jerked his chin at them. “Before I met you, Nyk cursed me to have a beautiful daughter. Bastard! I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again.”