Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 170

**Where Sleeping Rivers Dream We Follow Trails Toward Tomorrow by Evan Milesa Cade**

**Chapter 170**

A piercing NO! echoed in my mind, Mona’s voice a frantic wail that I chose to ignore. How could he be giving up? It was beyond comprehension. He was letting me win, and I refused to accept that.

“Get up!” I commanded, my voice sharp and demanding.

“I concede,” Kairos replied, his tone flat and devoid of emotion.

“Get the fuck up!” I shouted again, my voice rising in pitch, laced with hysteria.

“You concede?!” Maximus exclaimed, back on the mat, disbelief etched across his face as he stared at Kairos.

“Fuck you!” I spat, fury coursing through me. “Get up! Fight me, goddammit!”

“No,” Kairos stated firmly. “I refuse.”

I turned sharply to Maximus, who mirrored my shock, his eyes darting between Kairos and me, then flickering out toward the audience. My heart raced, pounding against my ribcage like a caged animal desperate to escape.

“Smith wins,” the announcer declared, his voice booming.

The crowd erupted into a cacophony of disbelief. Cheers mingled with cries of protest, a chaotic symphony that overwhelmed my senses. Behind me, a throng of people surged forward, their hands clapping on my shoulders, their voices a mix of congratulations and confusion. Yet, my gaze remained fixed on Kairos as he stood up slowly, his demeanor calm and collected, walking steadily toward the locker room.

A ferocious rage ignited within me, burning hotter than a thousand suns. It radiated from my skin, a palpable heat that caused those around me to instinctively recoil. I pushed through the crowd, creating a path toward the men’s locker room, vaguely aware of Loren and Maximus calling my name in the distance. But their voices faded into the background; nothing mattered except confronting Kairos.

I burst through the door, slamming it open with a force that echoed in the small space. There stood Kairos, his locker half-open, his back to me. At the sound of the door crashing against the wall, he turned his head slightly, his expression a mask of indifference that only fueled my anger further. I marched toward him, my fury propelling me forward like a comet hurtling through the cosmos.

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