Aria’s/Lysara's POV

My eyes itched so bad, I could claw them out myself. I bit hard on my lower lip, struggling with the pain, whimpering gently as I moved to take off the blindfold.

My fingers froze on it when a voice echoed sharp and loud from somewhere. Somehow, it whipped above the endless cheering from the crowd. “Don't, Lady, Lysara, removing the blindfold is outright disqualification.”

But I was hurting. I was fucking hurting. I ground my teeth, jamming them together, and my jaw ...