Page 16

CHAPTER

TWELVE

AIDY

I'm just as shocked as Corvak is that this planet is inhabited.

It's desolate and bleak and unforgiving, and for some reason, I thought it would be abandoned except for us and the other contestants.

Seeing the white-furred, ape-like people is terrifying, considering they're at the bottom of the slope and we're at the top, at the edge of a cliff.

Corvak takes another step forward, and I wait to see how he's going to "handle" things. Attempt communication in some way? Scare them off with some yelling?

He takes an aggressive stance and pulls out one of his knives, then gestures with his arms wide. "Come and attack, then!"

Fuck. Of course he's going to pick a fight.

I watch the strange, fuzzy people to see how they react to this, my heart pounding wildly.

Even though they're spindly in frame, they're tall—and there's a lot of them.

There's only one Corvak. What if something happens to him?

What if I'm stuck here, alone? My panic escalates as one of the creatures shakes his lower arm and another nearby gestures back to him.

It's almost like they're communicating. Which is…odd. They don't talk, just hoot angrily at each other.

Another stomps his foot in the snow and then steps forward.

It's like he's decided to be the fighter.

He hunches his shoulders and mimics Corvak's posture.

Behind him, the others twitch and sway, and I get the impression that they're still talking.

One lifts his hand, and I could swear his fingers move in a gesture?—

Corvak snarls and lunges forward.

A startled scream erupts from my throat as the creatures begin to hoot in response, shaking their clawed hands, and I'm reminded oddly enough of pompoms. Then my gaze is drawn to Corvak, and I can't look away, heart in throat, as he fights the biggest one.

I hold my breath, watching as he swings in fast, sharp, precise motions, the knife slashing through the air.

He doesn't hit the filthy yeti-like creature—it ducks and maneuvers, avoiding the blade.

It only makes Corvak move faster. He slashes at the creature, only for it to slam its arm into Corvak's hand, and the knife goes flying.

I want to rush for it and grab it before the others do, but I don't dare move forward.

All I can do is clutch our supply pack and watch as my protector lunges for his enemy again and again.

It's a good fight, but it's clear that Corvak is going to win.

They circle and move, and the yeti keeps dancing away, but he's slowing down.

Each time he avoids one of Corvak's swings, it's evident that he's growing more and more winded.

Corvak ducks a wild slash, and then maneuvers, fast as lightning, to leg-sweep his opponent.

The creature crashes to the ground and the hooting escalates to wild levels as Corvak puts his foot on the creature's chest, pinning him in place.

He glances over at me, panting, and shoots a victorious grin in my direction. "You all right?"

I manage a nod. "You?"

"A few scratches." He eyes the creature underfoot, and the others.

The moment he looks in their direction, they all hunch and cower, even as the hooting grows more alarmed.

The one under his foot flicks his hand, and again, I could swear he's gesturing.

If he is, it's such a small movement that it's near impossible to interpret, unlike the more animated motions of American Sign Language.

I'm tempted to echo their movements for some absurd reason.

Corvak leans over the defeated creature, baring his teeth in a fierce expression. "Yield?"

The thing hoots again and shows his neck, as if this is his answer. He's given up.

Corvak grunts and lifts his foot off the thing, then moves and retrieves his knife. The creatures scurry backward, huddling in a hunch-shouldered cluster together as they watch us. The one on the ground remains on the ground, but his gaze is on Corvak the entire time.

I eye Corvak, uncertain. "That's it? You're just going to let him go?"

"You want me to kill him?" His brows go up in surprise.

"No! Of course not! I just…is it safe?" I clutch the pack against my chest.

He shrugs at me, dabbing at a thin streak of blood that has appeared over the bridge of his nose. "There is no score for killing a local, so I do not see the point. He is not a competitor."

That makes sense in a strange sort of way. Still, I don't know what that means for us, because we're vulnerable at the top of this hill and they're not moving. I hold his cloak out to him and Corvak takes it, flinging it back over his shoulders.

The strangers are fascinated by Corvak's movements. The one on the ground gets up and then the others encircle him, their eyes wide. The hooting changes tones, and there's more foot shuffling and hand-twitching. Then, to a one, they turn and stare at us with those strange, unnatural blue eyes.

"Uh oh," I whisper.

Corvak pulls me behind him as the defeated one takes a brave step forward, and then another. Then, he drops to his knees and prostrates himself on the ground in front of us. At the base of the hill, the cluster of others do the same.

Everyone's bowing to Corvak.

This baffles him. He turns and looks at me, his demeanor full of confusion. "What are they doing?"

"I think you're their leader now," I tell him.