by Casey Lea
The smash of weapons below sounded closer and Silk jumped off her perch. She slithered down the wall at reckless speed. Her fingers sizzled as they cut through the rock, but her toughened skin could handle the slide and it was a hell of a ride. The cliff face became smooth and she dropped the rest of the way, to hit the sand with bent legs. She smiled and relaxed, letting pins and needles sweep over her skin as it softened. Life in the arena was always exhilarating.
A faint noise from behind made her skin set instantly into fresh armor. There was another susurration, like sand being swept aside by a foot, and she spun with both fists locked hard, ready to deflect and riposte.
“Hi,” said her most-annoying distraction - with a smile.
He actually smiled. As if she was no danger at all. Was he trying to insult her? Because that was a good way to get very dead very fast. “Listen, Blondie-”
“Haze.”
Silk paused and her caustic taunt slipped away. The fool offered another smile along with his name and there was something disconcerting about it. Perhaps it was his dimples. She hadn’t seen dimples for a very long time. As long as she could remember. “Blondie. And you’d better hope I don’t change that to Corpse 23. I’ve got a plan and a list. You’re not on it. Yet. So scurry off.”
She pointed deeper into the maze and the fool just stood there smiling. His drive-to-survive was clearly deficient. She narrowed her eyes, but he looked delighted and grinned wider.
“You’re so cute when you do intimidating,” he said.
Silk bunched her fingers into fists, although iron self-discipline kept them lowered. She couldn’t afford to get side-tracked. Not when her timing had to be precise. She stopped hoping he’d leave and turned away instead. If he tried to follow she’d just have to put his name on her to-die list.
The sand was starting to steam and Silk picked up her pace to trot over it with ease. The day’s battles were following her predictions and her two main objectives remained on track. She needed to do more reconnaissance before choosing her vantage point to take out the pack. Then she’d have to retrieve the weapon she’d stashed at daybreak and use it to terminate Sweeper.
“Psst.”
Silk glanced back to see Blondie hopping after her, but she hunched her shoulders and accelerated. The fool had no idea how close he was to getting checked off her list as a finished job.
“Silky,” Haze called from far-too-close behind and she spun back with a curse.
“My name is Silk.”
The newbie’s teeth gleamed white and pure when he smiled at her. “Silk,” he repeated, but something in the slow way he said it was incredibly annoying.
“What?”
“Is this a good idea? Couldn’t you just hide until everyone else is dead? Isn’t that how the Carnival of Death works? Last one standing?”
A dull pain appeared behind Silk’s temple and she felt her pulse thrum against her exoskeleton. The idiot wanted to interrogate her? Now? “Not necessarily. There’s a primary objective that involves solving the maze. First to the middle wins, which means everyone else dies. I can’t believe you don’t know that. They say you volunteered for this.”
“Yep.”
“You’re not the brains in your family then.”
“Sadly untrue. I’m a lawyer, specialising in client extraction and extradition, but I gave that up for you. To find you and be with you. Doesn’t that win me some points?”
“Yeah, because stalking is so romantic. Just like this third-degree. Didn’t you find out what you were getting into when you signed up? Why didn’t the guards tell you how this works?”
“I didn’t ask.” Haze shrugged and stepped closer, until Silk had to brace herself not to retreat. Never show weakness. It didn’t matter that he’d thrown away his freedom and his life to be with her. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t cared what he was getting into. Didn’t matter at all. It sure as hell didn’t change anything, yet somehow she let him take her hand. His fingers closed over hers and it was a dreadful mistake.
Pain lanced up her arm- no, not pain, though something made her breath catch. What was wrong with her armor? Her skin didn’t actually hurt, but fire jumped from his touch straight to her blood and she pulled away. “No contact.”
He released her, before stepping closer still and that was almost worse. His eyes were very blue so she looked straight ahead, to stare at his chest instead, snapping, “What the hell do you want from me?”
“I want you to remember.”
“Even over my dead body? Memories get you killed in here. I do too, so stop following me.” Silk spun away and ran. She fled and couldn’t even pretend it was a tactical retreat. Haze threw her seriously off balance and kept screwing up every survival instinct she had. It was all horribly confusing and only one thing was clear. The lawyer had to die.
7
Tsunami
There was a rumble in the distance and Haze wondered why the crowd was so excited, but the roar grew closer and he realized it wasn’t voices this time. It sounded familiar though. It sounded like… a waterfall. His chest heaved and he pivoted to find Silk, who had stopped at the base of another towering wall. “FLOOD,” he yelled at her back. “They’re flooding the arena. Climb.”
Silk spared him a glance, but that was all. She turned back to consider the cliff, which was pitted and craggy further up, but smooth and featureless for the first few metres. His wife could move like a ribbon in the wind, but the base of that wall was impossible to climb. Haze sprinted to join her. “Want a lift?” he offered, cupping his hands together, but her laugh rippled back on the breeze.
“And let you look up my skirt? No thanks.” Silk turned away from the impossible cliff to study another wall angling close behind the first, although it looked just as slippery. He hoped she made an attempt on one of them soon, so he could help her. The ground was thrumming under his feet and the air stank of brine.
Silk backed up against the taller cliff, the roar now so loud conversation was impossible. The sand trembled underfoot and Haze looked round to see spray jetting high as a wall of water collided with the close-packed maze. Wild fountains fanned across the copper sky and he saw gulls overhead. Or were those buzzards wheeling past? Seemed more likely. Haze managed to pull his gaze away just as Silk moved.
She pushed off from the cliff behind her to sprint across the gap to the lower wall. She leaped high to strike that face well above her head and her dusty feet found purchase. She ran upward for one step, two and then her knees bent, her legs uncoiled with full force and she pushed herself across the gap again. She flew backward and collided with the main wall high enough to grab a jagged knob. She swung there for a second, before she chinned herself higher and started to climb, darting upward and away from danger. Haze smiled and the water screamed.
He looked back to see the wall arrive. It was dark green at the base and the translucent green of venom where the sun shone through it, and it curled over his head, frothing as it began to fall. He grinned with delight. It wasn’t often his days were filled with beauty, but Silk always brought out the best in life. He unfurled his wings and they rose from his shoulders. The world was all sound and spray, but his jets forced air from his wing tips to hurtle him upward. He was caught by foam falling over him and even those bubbles were enough to chill, but he shot past them and the flooded maze fell away below.
The sky opened to greet him, an ocean of warm copper much kinder than the water beneath. He looked down in sudden panic. Where was Silk? He found her at once, his sharp eyes focusing on a slender form draped against the cliff. She was holding tight, but was laughing with her head thrown back, while the water tugged at her legs and spray drenched her. He grinned and his heart unclenched. He spread his wings wider to soar with the hot air and delight filled him. He was home.
Haze looked down as he rose on a thermal, studying the tsunami still breaking below. Surf surged along the maze’s twisting paths to break against a hundred dead ends, which sent spray h
igh enough to chase him. He laughed and climbed again, jetting hard, until something cracked into his head. Everything went dark and his thoughts scattered to leave only jagged shards.
He was hurt. Yes, hurt a lot. Falling. There was pain. Something wrong. Someone had hit him and made him hurt. Who hit him? Not air and sunshine? No, even half-conscious he knew that didn’t make sense. Light flashed past beyond his lids. A shield. The arena had a shield. To keep him in. No such thing as a volunteer. He frowned, because there was a warning there…
Pain. Falling.
Haze clenched his teeth until the ache in his jaw merged with the fire between his temples, but it brought some control. He opened his eyes. He was spinning, while his wings flapped limply in the breeze, to wrap further round him with each turn. He was rolled tight and trapped - sushi about to return to the sea. His head hurt, but he could feel his body again and he could move. Only a little, but it might help. He tipped his head back and kicked forward with both legs. It was enough for a slow motion turn in mid-air. The sea slammed up to greet him and he entered it feet first.
8
High Tide
Cold gripped Haze like a vice and all movement seemed to stop. He was suspended in a weightless green world, alone and still. His lungs began to burn and then the rest of him. Hail it hurt, but at least it was warmth. Somehow he was still alive. That was all he needed to encourage him to fight, but instead of struggling madly he felt for his wing tips and flexed one carefully. Its claw seemed to be floating free, so he slowly twisted it, unravelling himself against the steady pull of the sea.
The current grew stronger and by the time Haze bobbed to the surface he was being swept back through the maze. A wave slammed him against a crag. He scrabbled to hold on, but it was too smooth and he was dragged away. A vortex on the far side sucked him down, until he was lost in green again. His shoulder scraped the sandy bottom and his lungs burned.
He kicked off hard and made it back to the surface. He was no swimmer though and panic tightened his chest. What sort of fight was this? No blood, no guts, no glory. Just life or death. He bared his teeth to the sky and struggled on. He never lost. Certain-sure not to a sloppy bathtub.
Haze collided with another stone face and something in his side cracked. Pain stabbed his ribs like a crystal dagger and he grunted, struggling to stay afloat. The waves tossed him to one side and he slammed into a jutting ledge with a figure crouched on it. Silk. He reached out with a dripping hand, but there was no response. She just watched as he was swept away. His chest felt fresh fire and this time his healing flecks were useless. They had no cure for his love’s indifference.
Haze tried to steady himself in the current and look ahead instead. Was that a shadow on the water? No, something was bobbing where the waves broke against a column of rock - a dark head with foam crashing round it. Choke.
The gigantic fighter was plastered against a jutting stone finger and held in place by the waves crashing into him. His plan to grip the seaward side of the pillar had been inspired. The water must have hit like a train, but the current had forced him closer to his support rather than dragging him away, while some combination of raw strength and determination had kept him on his feet. The largest waves were still breaking over him, but there were gaps in between when he could catch a breath. Perfect.
Haze kicked out hard to angle across the current. His injured side stung, but luck was with him. A wave lifted him and threw him forward, straight onto his target. He was slammed against Choke’s solid back and held there. Air wheezed from Haze’s lungs, but his cushion never made a sound. The big man just gripped the pillar and endured.
“Good to run into you again,” Haze panted in his ear. “Don’t worry, I won’t get any ideas back here.” The shoulder under him heaved and Choke replied with a gurgle which might have been annoyed, but it was hard to tell, so Haze relaxed.
Another wave swamped them and they were jammed against the rock face. Haze held his breath, but could hardly move against the force of the surge. He managed to claw his way further up Choke’s back to reach the giant’s smooth head, but that was all. It wasn’t enough, so Haze closed his eyes and relaxed, letting the current hold him in place while his pulse slowed.
A minute passed and his need to breathe grew, but the water was already falling. It dropped past his chin and he gulped for air as if he were the first of his kind to crawl onto land. The sea fell further and Choke gasped too.
Haze expected the big guy to pant quietly in stoic recovery, but his gravel whisper cut the silence. “Now you owe me, Beserk. Do you pay your debts?”
“Depends on the collection agency.” Haze looked down at the glistening head and massive back beneath him. “You’re in with a good chance.”
“I need you to fly.”
“To find Sweeper.”
Choke twisted to look up over his shoulder. “How d’you know?”
“It’s obvious. Your mind screams hate every time you’re near him.”
“Just find him. He needs to die today.”
Haze couldn’t fault the man’s logic. “Agreed.”
Choke looked as solemn as ever and his gaze locked on Haze. “I saved you when I could have thrown you off. Help me kill Sweeper. Please.”
“Alright, I’ll search. But I’ve got other business first.”
“There’s no time.”
Haze grinned ruefully at that understatement. “There’s always time for romance.”
Choke stirred again and half-turned to hoist Haze further into the air. What the…?
“No time,” the giant repeated and threw Haze upward, as if releasing a bird.
There was an awkward moment of wings unfurling and feet splashing, before Haze caught an updraft. He banked back toward Choke, but the big man gestured him on. “The waves have stopped,” he called. “Now the razor eels attack. Stay clear.”
Haze had no idea what razor eels were and no desire to find out. Curiosity could get drakked. He gave a nod of acknowledgment and something under the surface seemed to answer. He focused on the movement and saw dozens of dark ribbons swaying through the sinking sea. They were almost on Choke and Haze yelled a warning.
The giant ignored him, or at least didn’t look up. Instead he smashed his fist against the pillar above his head. A flake of rock fell and Choke grabbed at the gap. He pulled himself higher and hit the pillar again, with his other hand. He climbed once more and his feet left the water, so it seemed he’d be fine.
A jagged black line struck from the sea like reverse lightning. It wrapped around a meaty calf and Choke yelled. Haze turned back without hesitation. After all, he really did owe the big life-preserver. He swooped toward the pillar of rock, but blood already sheeted it below Choke’s leg. The eel’s full-length fins were razor edged and it sawed its way around the fighter’s shin. The skin grew red and slick, while the water below, which was filled with writhing eels, turned frothy pink. Haze switched to jets, but there was no need.
Choke’s yell became a roar and his leg jerked higher. A massive hand closed around the eel’s throat until its screech rose above the giant’s battle cry. The creature writhed, then went limp and Choke dropped it into the seething water. Fresh blood stained the waves. It was strangely dark, as if it were old and dry, and it turned the sea to teeth-filled cappuccino. Haze shuddered and changed direction, circling the pillar to rise again. It was time to hunt.
9
Heart to Heart
Silk felt the hair rise along her spine and dropped to a crouch. Something was watching her. The shadow of wings swept across the top of the cliff to meet her and she rolled off the edge. There were plenty of air-borne hunters on Vertigo and she planned to evade them all. Her rigid fingers hooked onto the lip and she swung there, while her armor spread from her hands to the rest of her body. She looked up to where the bright metallic sky met the dark line of the cliff and braced herself. What horror had the puppeteers come up with now?
A face appeared above Silk and she
cursed. The flying beast must have moved on, but she’d been left with something worse.
“Just hanging around?” Blondie asked and she felt her lips quirk upward.
She covered the slip with a scowl. “Sure. I’ve got nothing better to do than wait for you.”
“Pleased to hear it.” Haze offered an arm and Silk wrapped her fingers around his bare skin, while launching herself up the cliff face. The lawyer was stronger than she expected and she was suddenly flying. She sailed back up onto the ridge, dizzy at the ride and distracted by Blondie rising beside her. He gripped her elbows to steady her, but that made her feel worse. She took a slow breath and found her balance, which was just as well. Dragons didn’t faint. They certain-sure didn’t swoon into the arms of the closest male.
Silk pushed Haze away and this time her scowl was genuine. “Don’t touch me. What do you want?”
“The seashore was getting crowded.”
Silk nodded. “There are creatures in there you wouldn’t want to meet.”
“So I saw.”
He was still standing far too close, but Silk didn’t shove him further back. She never wanted to touch him again, which meant her sudden urge to push him off the edge of the cliff was aggravating. Would she regret it if she did? She didn’t know, which was equally annoying. She crossed her arms and tucked her hands under each armpit. Blondie raised his eyebrows and she realized she must look ridiculous. She certainly wasn’t poised to attack and that was a rookie mistake.
Silk stopped hugging herself and dropped to a crouch, before stretching out on her stomach to look over the edge. She gave a soft sigh that she hoped her companion missed and studied the water below. It was still sinking, but she willed it to fall faster. This cliff top was way too crowded.
Blondie lay down next to Silk and her pulse jumped, while she stifled a swear word. She tried to ignore him, but knew he wasn’t looking over the edge. Instead she could feel him staring at her.
