Page 107 of The Incendiary

“Most of you have been living comfortably at home, aware of the dangers that lurk outside the Caves’ walls, but unprepared. Out here, these beasts are lethal. Molochai has cursed them with corrupted magic, and they want to eat you.”

A blond girl passed out on the steep slope descending toward the arena’s main entry. Mavic, Mina, and I watched as another young man caught and pulled her away from the edge.

I touched my belt to check that every knife was in place, wishing I’d brought an arrow to strike from a distance. Or at least a sword. I didn’t want to expose my powers today, but I wasn’t going to let anyone die. If I had to call upon Helios to burn all five beasts, I would.

“Kill yours before it kills you,” Elias commanded, ignoring the girl that went unconscious. “Any weapon can be used, just get it done. The team that won the first test goes first.” His smirk widened into a full smile. “That’s you, Fera.”

“Shit,” I hissed, moving around the crowd to the other side of the rocky enclosure, gripped by a heart-pounding fear I couldn’t afford to feel. I remembered standing in that icy field, helpless while a pig-headed beast held its claws over Gavin, just before I used Rainar’s power to drown it.

“Do you have a plan?” Mavic followed close behind me. He and Hoss were the only two looking more concerned than amused at my predicament.

“I’ll do what it takes. I’m worried about you.” We both glanced at Mina, then to where the five beasts were chained, restless and kicking up dust.

“Do we get to pick which one?” I called to Elias.

He threw his head back and laughed, then nodded at the lieutenant beside the rock where the other end of the beasts’ chains were tightly fastened. One swing of the lieutenant’s hammer, and the mechanism that tightened one of the chains was broken with a loud crack.

My eyes trailed down to see which had been chosen for me. The lizard creature shifted forward, the chains around its middle clinking lazily as it tested the slack. It now had enough leash to reach every corner of the cliff-walled enclosure and devour me the moment I entered.

“You might be able to distract it,” Hoss suggested. “Val says if you piss these things off enough, you can outsmart them.”

I had an idea, but I would need to get close to it, and I needed a longer blade. “Mav?” I reached behind me with one hand. “Can I borrow your sword while I’m down there?”

“What?” He gripped my forearm and squeezed. I felt his breath on the back of my neck as he leaned close, his voice lowering to a whisper. “Respectfully, are you out of your damn mind? I don’t care what Winterton says. I’m not letting my queen go in there alone.”

“I have to, and I’m not your queen today,” I hissed, praying no one could read my lips.

“I swear to the gods,” he hissed right back, “if you die, I’ll never forgive you.”

“Likewise,” I answered as Mavic transferred the hilt of his sword to my palm.

“Ary,” Mina squeaked.

“I’ll be fine.” I tried to act as calm as I sounded. “I promise.”

I took the first step down the rocky decline, turning around long enough to catch Mavic’s eye and give him a nod of reassurance before descending fully into the pit.

The beast puffed out steam with a chittering sound while its multiple eyelids fluttered. A small female cadet standing on the cliffs above audibly whimpered in response to a series of low, threatening clicking sounds it released from its throat. The beast sensed her fear and looked up. Its tail sent dust and rocks flying toward her.

Mavic pulled his sister behind him, as if the beast could scale the rock wall and reach them at the top. A few others whimpered in terror. I wanted to scold them, because that thing could probably taste their fear like an appetizer to a five-course meal.

“Hey!” I shouted aloud, searching for Soltum’s power. It was a trickle, then a torrent, just like elements. “HEY!” I shouted louder, both hands tightening around the sword’s hilt. The monster’s black eyes snapped to me as it hummed, low and predatory, at the sound of my voice. “They are not your prey,” I said mind-to-mind, infusing my voice with authority. “I am.”

After an eerily curious tilt of its head, it slowly stalked toward me.

“That’s right.” I retreated toward the wall behind me. “Come get me.”

It huffed out more steam. I was close enough now that I could smell its putrid scent of spoiled raw fish and see how black its eyes truly were. Like voids, corrupt and without life.

This beast hadn’t always been so large, vile, and voracious. Molochai’s magic was evil and erratic, distorted and tortured. It ripped life and love and good things apart. I remembered how it felt to have his darkness slice through my veins and reach for my soul. At one point, this beast had been his victim just as I had been.

“You’re his,” I said down the pathway to its mind. “You’re Molochai’s.”

“His and…” It trailed off, neither confirming nor denying. “And you are… theirs.”

In my periphery, Elias shifted on the edge of the cliff. I saw that his fingers held the end of the beast’s chain. His eyes were locked on me like he couldn’t stand to miss a single second of my impending death.

“I am my own,” I told the beast.