Jax lowered to his haunches. “You should know, Myrina is complaining to the head judge that Xari should be disqualified.”
“Nowhere in the rules does it say you can’t help another candidate.” Nya’s voice held a quiet reason, and Jax smiled.
“That’s because no other warrior has done it before. And how did you get the hexapod apart, Vtachi?”
Nya forced her eyes to stay on his, knowing if she looked away he’d know she was hiding something.
“I found a design flaw along the bottom seam, where all the sections converge.”
“Hmmmm ...” Jax picked up the broken sphere, noting the knife groove along the edge. “Seems you have strong fingers.”
“Seems so.”
“That’s my sword mark,” Xari blurted out. “I used my sword.”
He smirked, obviously not believing her. “You aren’t the best liar, Toxaris. Haven’t we discussed this before?”
Xari looked away, her face flaming bright red.
“Don’t be an ass,” Nya hissed as the five-minute warning sounded overhead. “And get out of here. The second challenge is about to begin.”
Jax’s hard eyes fell on hers before he glanced at the top box. “By the way, your parents say hello.”
Nya blanched. “You’ve spoken to them?”
“Well, they did want an explanation of our little hunting trip and a detailed report of everything that happened.” Jax’s finger traced down Nya’s arm, and it felt like every eye in the place was focused on them.
“Stop that.” Nya slapped his hand away. “What is it with you? You know nothing happened.”
Jax leaned forward. “You let me touch you, hold you ... kiss you. And that’s something, isn’t it?”
The second horn blared overhead.
“Shit,” Nya grumbled, hating feeling vulnerable, especially in front of a crowd.
Jax’s eyes sparked. “I have to go. And quit helping the competition.”
He glanced back and waved as his athletic build gracefully jogged across the arena.
“You let him kiss you?” Xari’s eyes were round as saucers again. “Where? And just how much holding went on between you two?”
“He hugged me and kissed me once. That’s all.”
Xari’s eyes warmed. “Well, he’s right. It is something.”
“No, it’s not.” Nya rolled her head from side to side and stood. “Enough about Jax. Let’s just get through this, all right?”
“Together.” Xari held up her pinky, and Nya linked hers with it.
“Together.”
Xari let go, and they both jogged toward their platforms.
Nya looked at the others, noticing seven of the fifteen were now empty, which meant those stupid bots had cut the field in half. Sadly, Myrina took her place on her dais.
Nya took off the gloves, leaving the leather bracings underneath. Her fingers would be exposed, but at least her palms were still protected, and the burnt tips no longer rubbed against her blisters.
The horn sounded; this time guards opened the center doors.
Roars and bellows thundered across the arena, and a collective groan came from the pedestals.
Nya’s heart sank. She hated when they brought in wild animals. She never understood the needless loss of life. At least after tonight, she wouldn’t have to kill something other than the Drahzda.
Odd that she had more compassion for wild predators than she did for other humans.
The familiar sound of a growl echoed in the arena, and Nya groaned as the large cats padded in.
Oh, God. Not again.
So that explained why Cassius wanted a volunteer. She’d brought the mountain lions here to be part of the championship round, but one of them escaped, hurting her leg in the process.
It wasn’t the fault of the townsfolk and their archaic trapping practices. It was the Scythian’s archaic practice of warrior-versus-wild.
Nya glared at the top box.
And Scythians were so pious about how they’d evolved into a higher thinking species. They’d been doing this shit since Nero and the gladiator days.
A wide panel slid open from either end of the arena, followed by the sharp crack of whips. A dozen or so pumas charged onto the floor.
This time, the pedestals lowered into the ground, and Nya crouched, cursing Cassius again.
The animals attacked, and Xari dove, sword in hand. Myrina and the others did the same. Nya stood in the middle of the field, briefly shielded by the fighting warriors.
She knew these animals were not natural enemies of humans. But when they were this enraged, they’d take it out on the first thing they saw. A mountain lion’s instinct was to attack from behind, snapping its prey’s spine at the base of the skull, and so she’d have to watch her back.
Nya untied her scarf, and a collective gasp ran through the crowd.
Xari glanced back; her eyes widened in disbelief. “What are you doing?”
“Watch it!” Nya hollered, and Xari pivoted and thrust her sword, nearly impaling the cat in the chest. Her blade caused the animal to shift, and the massive beast roared in frustration, backing away.
“I’m not quitting. Pay attention to what you’re doing!” Nya shouted back. She took the opposite ends of the large bandana in each hand, whipping them around until the fabric wrapped around itself. She adjusted the middle and created pocket. In one fluid motion, she bent down, one hand grazing the ground while the other dug into the secret compartment on the rise of her hip. Nya pulled out a few smooth stones from her pocket as she stood. She placed one of the rocks in the middle of the scarf. The crowd jumped to their feet as she swung the makeshift sling overhead, allowing the stone to gain momentum. With a flick of her wrist, she released one end of the bandana, and the rock sailed through the air.
The mountain lion roared as the stone found its mark. Crimson seeped down his fur, and he changed direction, turning from Xari toward her. Cursing, Nya lunged to the side, but the Puma’s massive paw swiped, leaving three deep gashes in the top of her thigh. She jumped on his back, grabbing the fur at the base of his ears.
Frantic, the puma’s deep growl became a feral scream as he bucked, whipping his head from side to side, his canines bared in hopes of finding flesh. Nya’s fingers dug into the sides of his throat, squeezing, hoping like hell that pressure points worked on animals as well as they did on humans. The last thing she wanted to do was kill the beast with her bare hands.
The cat finally stumbled, then fell forward in a heap, taking Nya with him.
A horn blared overhead, and handlers rushed to haul away dead carcasses and cage the cats that were still alive.
Nya stayed down, keeping her puma secure until one of the handlers made their way to her.
“This one’s still alive, and I want to keep it that way.”
The male smirked and waved toward two instructors carrying a cage.
Nya glared. “I mean it. This cat’s earned his freedom.”
“We’ll see what the headmistress says.” He turned back.
Nya searched the arena floor. Xari stood next to a fallen cat while Myrina brushed the dirt off her pants.
And, surprisingly, Rissa was still with them.
“And then there were four,” Xari grumbled, coming to help Nya to her feet. She glanced at the cat stirring behind the bars as they took him away. “You know. It’s weird how you’ll risk your life to save a cat, but when you spar another Scythian, you turn deadly. I wonder what that says about you. We should ask Jax.”
“Shut up.”
Xari’s eyes mischievously twinkled as she held up her hands. “No need getting defensive. I won’t tell anyone your animal-loving weakness.”
Nya shrugged. “Whatever.”
The horn blasted overhead, signaling the start of the third round. Several warriors ran onto the field, rolling out large partitions. They sectioned off the arena floor into four spaces. As soon as the dividers were secured, the top extended, creating a curv
ed overhang. To Nya, the place looked like a campground amphitheater they’d gone to when she was young.
“What’s the next challenge, show tunes?” Xari grinned.
Guards jogged into the arena, taking a position between each section, assuring the contenders couldn’t leave their area.
Nya looked at the top box. “Think Cassius thought of the guards before today, or are we the reason they’re here?”
Xari shook her head. “No clue. But you’d better take care of that before you bleed out.”
Nya looked down. Dark crimson ran down her leather pants, pooling on the mud at her feet. She sighed and took her scarf, wrapping it tightly around her thigh before tying it off. “That’ll leave a scar.”
Xari laughed. “Probably. But it’s a great story for the grandvahna.”
Nya flinched as the pain finally registered. “Thanks for the reminder.”
Xari’s smile fell. “Ny, I promise, this won’t be as bad as you think. I ...” her voice trailed away as she looked across the arena. “Well, swell.”
Nya looked up to see Jax jogging across the field. Three other instructors followed him, breaking off into different directions, heading for the paneled structures.
“Xari, you’re with Cyrus,” Jax called as he grew near.
Relieved, Xari sighed. She held up her pinky. “Staratsa.”
Nya’s eyes watered at the Dacian endearment. The word was only meant for family and was a plea for their loved one to stay safe until they were together again. She linked her pinky for a quick squeeze before dropping her hand.
“Staratsa.”
Xari took off across the arena, and Nya finally turned and faced the one male that could ruin it all.
Jax’s eyes became counselor calm like he was getting ready to talk her off a ledge or something.
She hated that look. “Just spit it out. What do I have to do?”
He stepped toward her, not missing the fact that she stepped back. “Listen, Vtachi. This is a holodome. Everyone in the arena can see you, but you won’t be able to see them. Think of it as a one-way mirror.”
“All right. But I can’t punch an illusion. Just who, or what, am I fighting?”
He held her gaze. “Me.”
Nya stilled. In four years, no one had defeated Jax. The only reason she held an undefeated record was that he never participated in challenges. His job was conditioning and training. She glanced around the arena, noting that Xari had Cyrus, Rissa had Melani, and Myrina had Pheobe.
“I want to lodge a complaint. Myrina has already beaten Pheobe, and Rissa took down Melani just last month. That’s not fair.”
Jax smiled. “If it makes you feel better, Xari’s never beaten Cyrus.”
“But both Rissa and Myrina have proven they are stronger than their opponent,” she insisted. “Cassius should have given me Teagen or Knox, someone closer to the other trainer’s abilities. You’re a Tova. You’ve been undefeated for four years. Why are you my final challenge?”
Jax’s eyes pierced hers. “Because it’s my responsibility.”
“Damn it, Jax. Stop that. I don’t know where you get your sense of obligation. I’m not some helpless Allos girl. And after tonight, I’m on a plane to Carpathia, so you don’t owe me anything. My future is my responsibility, not yours.”
“We’ll see, Vtachi.” He frowned as he glanced at her leg. “You’re still bleeding.”
She looked at the soaked scarf. “I’ll live.”
“Do you have a long-sleeved shirt under that jacket?”
Confused, Nya nodded. “Yes.”
Jax’s jaw clenched as he looked at the top box. “Good. Rip off your sleeve and tie it again.”
Nya froze. Jax wasn’t allowed to help her, and they both knew it.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Vtachi,” he rumbled.
“For the love of God, stop calling me a fucking bird!”
The horn blared overhead.
Jax crossed his arms, settling his weight on the back of his heels, his expression aloof.
“Your mother has requested you not stay for the Claiming Season, should you lose the championship, that is. She already has a rovni in mind that she feels would be better than any candidate the champions could choose. I know him from my days in the academy. He’s not exactly a conversationalist, but—”
“Oh, shut up.” Nya ripped off her jacket. She tore off her shirtsleeve and put the jacket back on. Grumbling a stream of obscenities that would make a sailor blush, she tied the extra material around her thigh.
“Tighter,” Jax ordered.
She grumbled some more, straining to pull the material as tight as it would go. Her leg screamed in pain.
“There. Happy?”
“Not quite.” Jax stepped forward, his eyes never leaving hers. He put his hand on her hip, his fingers resting on the rise of her backside. His thumb grazed her hipbones as his palms moved down. His knuckles swept across her lower abdomen, trailing downward until his fingers grazed her sex, finally resting on her inner thigh.
Nya gasped as he pressed the soft flesh there, quickly finding the hidden knife. Tucking his thumb and forefinger beneath the hidden pocket, he unsheathed the blade.
Leaning in, he whispered as his lips grazed her ear, “Sorry, Vtachi. No weapons allowed this round.”
Jax tossed the curved knife to the trainer on the side, who seemed to be enjoying the Jax and Nya show.
She groaned. “Great. Now Knox thinks we’ve done it, too.”
“Done what?” Jax’s innocent expression did nothing to hide the twinkle in his eyes.
“You know what. And it’s not funny.” Nya double-checked the knot on the torn shirtsleeve. “You weren’t the one with a pregnancy test waiting on your bunk. And you didn’t have to deal with the after-effects of Myrina announcing to your classmates that you’ve become the instructor’s whore.”
Jax’s eyes hardened to stone. He glared at the redhead on the other side of the arena. “She said that.”
“I believe the term she used was suka, but yeah, she did, so why don’t you switch places with Pheobe and teach her a lesson.”
Jax kept his eyes on Myrina like he was considering it. He finally looked back at Nya. “As much as I’d love to, I can’t.”
“Figures.”
The third horn sounded, and the stadium lights faded to black. Fog rolled in from the edge of the arena, blanketing the muddy ground like a cloud of despair. Jax nudged Nya to the center of the partitioned space as trainers closed in. They extended the partitions until it felt like they were the only two left in the arena.
“Jax,” Nya looked around. “What is this?” The overhang was larger than Nya thought. The screens surrounding them glowed white as the arena’s noise fell away.
How were the panels blocking sound?
She started to ask, but Nya couldn’t find her voice when she realized that she was now alone with Jax in a colorless world of quiet.
He came forward and put his hands on her shoulders, his eyes grave. “In order to win tonight’s challenge, you must fight while being overstimulated.”
She pushed his hands away. “What?”
He wearily rubbed the back of his neck. “The final challenge is exploring how you fight when your senses are kicked into overdrive, including fear.”
“Fan-fucking-tastic.”
The fog became thigh high, and lights flashed as the panels and overhang came to life. Thunderclouds and lightning streaked across the dome as a series of images streamed along the makeshift corridor. Pictures of things she feared when she was young—clowns, vans with no windows, a lone field next to a stream.
Distracted, Jax’s eyes flitted from one screen to the next as if he were studying a case. Nya took advantage and attacked, sweeping her good leg from behind and knocking him off balance.
Jax stumbled to the ground and emerged from the fog grinning. He crouched in a defensive stance. “I guess I deserved that.”
“Yes,
you did. Quit trying to get in my head.”
Nya jumped as screams rent the air. The pictures were bad enough, but sounds added a whole new dimension.
The images flashed faster, as horrific cries of human suffering came at her from all sides. Third world villages being tortured, children with swollen bellies dying of hunger. A lone field next to a stream.
Jax kept his fists up, ducking and weaving against her assault, all the while his eyes darting from panel to panel.
The sounds crescendoed as the pictures flashed faster and faster until they took on a strobe light effect. The rancid odor of death filtered in and Nya gagged before breathing through her mouth.
Her anxiety ramped up as the scents, sights, and sounds sent her adrenaline into overdrive. Her ears popped as the pressure in the place seemed to close in, like they were several meters under water. Heat caused sweat to bead on her forehead. Nya shook her head, trying to keep her focus. Jax sprang, but she dodged him easily, elbowing his ribs as he fell past her.
He disappeared below the fog, and Nya froze. A white cloud settled around her, oddly tranquil among the images and sounds. Without Jax, there were no distractions, and Nya was alone, trapped in suffering. She froze, seeing if the fog would shift as Jax moved. An unseen adversary was a dangerous one, and Jax could be anywhere.
Wind gusted in, swirling the fog as the temperature plummeted. Her breath became ragged, showing in little tufts of air as she tried to contain her panic.
Oh, God. What if Jax wasn’t the worst thing crawling around. What if Cassius had something else under there?
She wouldn’t put it past her. Nya’s mind raced with endless possibilities ... spiders, snakes, scorpions, rats.
Oh, good sweet Lord—anything but rats.
Something grazed her ankle, and Nya squealed. Instinct kicked in, and she flew toward the partition. Pain shot down her thigh as she jumped, her fingers latching onto the top of the paneling. Something grabbed her ankle, but Nya brought her other foot down blindly kicking, causing whatever it was to let go. She scaled the makeshift wall and sat, precariously balancing her weight on the top of the thin barrier.
Jax emerged like some sick apparition, slowly making his way toward her. His eyes darted around the room, searching for the best way to get to her while images of people jumping from burning ships flashed across the screen. He paced in front of her, studying the way she balanced on the thin panel, his eyes resting on the torn shirtsleeve, now saturated in red. For a moment, Nya allowed a sliver of hope to run through her. Maybe she could just stay perched on her panel. It couldn’t be long before someone else went down.
The Scythian Trials Page 6