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Below me, Runa stumbled before righting herself. Four bloody claw marks scored her shoulder. Crouched before her was a creature that was part saber-tooth panther, part velociraptor. The sorceress backed away from her prowling attacker. I held my breath, surprised the beast had yet to pounce when a blast of heat and flame demanded my attention. Flark. That was why. While trying to escape the panther, Runa was now dangerously close to the dragon.

“Runa. Hang on. I’m coming!” This time, it was Drazen’s bellow. He hit the sand before racing in her direction from the far side of the pit. He’d never make it in time. Where was Kronk? I searched and discovered he’d been intercepted by a crustacean-type creature with large pincers for hands.

Their sister would be dead before they reached her.

Once again, my disk shifted beneath me and sailed across the arena, stopping directly over the sorceress. What madness was this? It couldn’t be a coincidence. I glanced over at the king. Idris smirked back and fluttered a two-finger wave. Bloody bastard.

It was a test. He was playing with me, curious to see how I would react. To see if I would come to her aid. No doubt, he’d wagered a vast number of coins on the outcome.

Chapter Twenty-Five

RUNA

My arms shookfrom fear and exhaustion. Pain seared my injured shoulder. TheduskcatI faced was feline—ish. Its pointed ears pressed back against his blocky head. Black fur stood up in a threatening spike down its spine. Canines the size of my forearm protruded from its snarling lips. Green poison dripped from its razor-sharp whiskers. At the tip of its club-like tail was an assortment of spikes.

As I retreated, it advanced. My feet stumbled over something, and I nearly went down. The beast snapped, and I swung my sword, managing to slice its muzzle. It reared back, pawing its nose. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the thing that tripped me. One of my opponent’s severed legs.

Bile painted the base of my tongue. Monster Kitty had caught the bastard the moment we’d fallen. Snatched him right out of the air. While I’d run for my life, the creature juggled the male, playing with its prey before ripping him apart.

A similar fate awaited me.

Curse Thorne and his stupid plan. We’d foolishly hung allour hopes on a mysterious shifter and Victor’s intel. Intel he’d gathered from criminals, assassins, and venom addicts. Now, it was too late to pivot. Our alliance was void. I had little doubt the selfish vampire lord would murder us all to gain his freedom—despite the incredible night we spent together. From span-one, he’d made it clear all he cared about was himself. Satisfaction flooded me that my death would strand him in Carcerem for eternity. Not that there was any guarantee he would survive.

I prayed one of my brothers would be the winner. Both were skilled fighters even without their gifts. If even one of them survived, perhaps my death would have meant something.

Arching his spine, Monster Kitty whipped out a massive paw, attempting to slice me in half. I twisted, flipped backward, and struck out with my sword. Two of the duskcat’s claws landed in the sand, and the creature yowled, recoiling.

Ha! Score one for the chew toy. When Monster Kitty hesitated to attack, hope flickered inside of me. I bared my teeth, snarling, “That’s right, furball. There’s a lot more where that came from.”

My feline nemesis glanced over my head with wide, dilated eyes. Hissing a screech of fury, the creature darted away.

One little injury and the bastard ran for his life.

“Go ahead, you hairball-hacking prick. Run away!” I shouted.

Hot, acrid wind blasted the back of my head, blowing purple tendrils over my shoulders.

Icy terror froze me in place.

Gulp. My harsh swallow echoed over the arena’s magical sound amplifier. Shallow breaths rattled my chest, and I forced my feet to shuffle a circle in the sand.

Behind me, I faced a pair of large nostrils. Those nostrils rested above a terrifying maw filled with bone-crushing teeth. The teeth were set into a reptilian muzzle capable of swallowingme in one bite. Above the nostrils were a set of serpentine eyes, clouded white with the king’s influence.

Idris’s deep chuckle reached my ears just before the dragon reared back. At the base of its throat, a fiery light glowed. The reach of its flames would extend far beyond Drazen’s. I’d never outrun the blast. There was no escape.

Fine then. If I was about to die, I wasn’t going out as a coward.

I raised my chin and thumped the hilt of my sword against my breast, shouting, “Long live the rebellion. Down with the false king!”

The dragon opened its mouth. Flames flicked from the depths of his throat. The creature’s hot breath heated my flesh.

I closed my eyes.

Goodbye, my brothers.

Hard muscle slammed into my body. Oxygen exploded from my lungs. The world spun, and I flew several feet before hitting the ground.

I blinked sand from my vision. Sucked a desperate breath. Flames rained down on my savior in a deluge. Blasting him where I’d been seconds ago.