Page 128

Something’s wrong.The Trials were tough, hence the name,but someone should’ve been able to find her.

No. Don’t discount her just yet. That’s gotten you in trouble before. She said she had a plan.Although when he asked, she hadn’t given him details.I should’ve pressed.

Neither of the candidates he’d already bested were assassins. If they were, they’d done a cracking poor job. He eyed the two females next in line, currently battling to reach him. They sparred as they circled the ring, vying to reach the final bridge just so they could lose to him, not that they knew that would happen. And though the two candidates were fiercely going at it, they stopped short of tossing each other into the watery moat on either side of the ring. Certainly not the act of a murderer.

Vasta!He cursed. If this wasn’t the enemy then that meant the Jurou Biljana assassins were still out there.Out there with Nadzia.And I’m here playing games.He clenched his fists.

“This is unprecedented. Another candidate has been forced to yield,” a broadcast announcer declared.

“And we’ve yet to have a victor,” the other announcer stated.

With the way the crowd roared, a mix of excitement and agitation, he didn’t know how long he could draw this out. He could fight these candidates as many times as necessary and win, searching for the assassin and waiting for his true weakness to arrive at the arena. But the citizens would soon reach their limit. This wasn’t like any other Trial, where after a good show he relented to the first candidate that made it to the inner circle. The citizens were already starting to see that something was different, and the assassins could learn the same at any time. This whole thing was reaching a tipping point.

I’m reaching a tipping point.The urge to go get his female was churning out of control just beneath the surface of his stoic façade.

Nadzia

The assassin and the weapon in her face went out of focus as she looked past his shoulder at the large white blurs rapidly approaching. Her eyes widened in surprise. The assassin spun and fired, just as one feathered savior yanked the bastard off his feet. Another Xerocle captured the murderous beast midair. His disguise flickered and failed as he was tossed between the growing horde of raptors. The murderous reptile screamed while strips of his flesh were torn free. It was blood curdling. She blanched at the gurgling sound as a ribbon of intestines cascaded through the air. The flock of Xerocle descended on the Jurou Biljana the instant he hit the ground and ravenously picked the assassin clean. She stood at a safe distance and watched with a morbid sense of satisfaction. Justice had been served.

The overgrown ostriches liked more than reptile eggs, and made quick work of their gruesome meal. The moment they were done, their heads rose and swung to look at her, their razor-sharp beaks covered in blood and bits of gore. She connected with the dozens of obsidian eyes staring back at her.

Fuck, that’s disturbing.The creatures kept reminding her of how truly deadly they were.But we don’t have time for that. I need to get to Aculus.She shook loose of the macabre, daunting moment.

Momma emerged from the crowd and strutted toward her. She figured the familiar maternal creature was amidst the flock, but it comforted her seeing the big girl.

“Did you hear me freaking out out here?” she asked as the immense bird’s long neck encircled her and goaded her to join the group.

Momma twittered. Nadzia shook her head incredulously and smiled as she complied, letting the bird herd her toward the others.

“Ick,” she gagged, avoiding the mangled bits of reptile as she walked.

The Jurou Biljana was no longer recognizable. Blood soaked the ground beneath the bones, fabric and scant scraps of green flesh. There was also some sort of mangled mechanical device that she assumed was the remnant of the assholes fancy disguise.

The flock sniffed at the assassin’s carcass, nudging it to satisfy themselves the bastard was truly dead. The crested male, Momma’s mate, pecked the shattered skull a few more times then scratched the dirt, kicking earth onto the corpse.

That was very clearly the bird version of fuck you.

“Well, thank you,” she said to the mass of feathered beasts, totally stunned but grateful the birds responded to her distress.

“Oh, man.”

Her shoulders sagged when she caught sight of her flask amidst the gruesome remains. She really needed that flask. Nadzia bit her lips to hold back her gag reflex as she grabbed the flask.

“So disgusting,” she informed Momma, who was checking out what she was doing.

“I know you like sparkly things, but I need the flask,” she relayed as the overgrown ostrich nudged the shiny container.

The rest of the flock nosily examined her find as she gingerly picked away the bloody shreds of fabric entangled in the strap then scrubbed off the gooey nastiness still clinging to it with some clean dirt.

I think that’s as clean as it’s gonna get, she sighed.Time to get going.

“I gotta go this way.” She pushed aside the giant feathered bodies and started walking toward the distant arena. “There’s still two assassins and one of them is Jyk, the ringleader of this scaly band of assholes. I won’t let them get away with hurting my sister and threatening Aculus.”

As she spoke, Momma’s head tilted back and forth, like a dog trying to decipher what she was saying. The giant bird looked the direction she pointed, stretched her neck and sniffed hard. Momma’s eyes widened and she released a shrill cry.

“Shit!” Nadzia nearly jumped out of her skin as the cry was echoed by the rest of the flock.

The horde of birds took off toward the arena. The ground vibrated as they swiftly passed her by, some running, some flying low to the ground in a vee formation. It was obvious they caught the scent of something and were on the hunt.