Loud voices from inside suddenly intruded upon our stolen solitude. We drew apart, looking at each other, and I watched as Gryphon drew composure down across his face like pulling on a smooth blank mask.

"It seems we are needed inside," he said.

I nodded. He opened the door and we stepped back into the room.

One nice thing, we didn't have to push our way through to the commotion in the center of the vast room. People stepped back, parting for us like the Red Sea, and then merging seamlessly back together again once we had passed.

Blond, handsome Dontaine was faced off against Amber. The air bristled and crackled with the energy and tension between the two men. Chami and Aquila and the rest of our little group stood in silent solidarity behind Amber. So much for mingling.

"What's going on here?" I demanded, stopping before the two of them.

"Dontaine has issued me a challenge," Amber said. His low angry rumble filled the room.

"A challenge?" I repeated. "For what?"

"For you," Gryphon said quietly. "Or rather for the right to you."

"What?" I wasn't sure I'd heard him correctly.

"I've issued Warrior Lord Amber a challenge to a Battle of Strength," Dontaine said, watching my face. "For my Queen's favor."

"How," I asked clearly and carefully, "can you hope to win my favor by fighting with one of my men?"

"I, too, am now one of your men, milady," Dontaine said.

Okay. Bad phrasing.

"Challenges are a traditional way for warriors to pit their strength one against the other in a permissible manner, abiding by rules," Gryphon quietly explained. "It is one way a strong male can rise above another."

"Like a cockfight?" I asked, lifting my brow.

Gryphon bowed his head. "Quite similar, yes."

"And the winner? Gets what?"

"The winner assumes his defeated opponent's rank if it is greater than his own."