Breakwater (10 page)

“Lark, we don’t know anything yet!”

I grabbed her face and forced her to look at me. “They tried to kill us both, Belladonna. Would you stay and let them succeed? Requiem is running the show here, and there is nothing we can do about that. I am in charge of your safety and I say it’s time to go.”

“What about the Pit? Fiametta will take you.”

So she knew about that. I let her go and rubbed a hand over my face. “Your life before mine, Ambassador.”

Her eyes widened and she slowly nodded. “Be careful,” she whispered. I stood and sprinted from her. Without the burden of her body weighing me down, I could find our way out. Four quick turns, a dash across an open courtyard, and I was at the docks. No one was moving around outside of their homes, which should have been a good thing. But all I could think was why the hell wasn’t there a single person out and about. It was dark, but not late, surely not past midnight.

Scurrying forward, keeping low to the ground, I reached our boat. Loosening the knots that held it tightly to the shore, I made sure the oars were set up and ready. Satisfied I’d prepped it as much as I could, I bolted back the way I’d come. Across the courtyard, turning right, left, left.

Belladonna was not where I’d put her. “Bella,” I whispered as loud as I dared. I searched the ground where I’d sat her down, and my body grew cold with a certainty. There was no blood trail, which meant she hadn’t gotten up and walked away.

Someone had picked her up and carried her. The scuff of a foot on the stone was the only warning I had. Spinning, I had my spear pointed out as I stepped into the thrust—I saw Dolph’s wide eyes at the last second. I turned my wrist and the blade cut through the air an inch away from slicing through his skull.

I pulled myself up, but didn’t put my weapon away. “Where is she?”

“Requiem has her. And he requests that you attend them.”

“Tell me you don’t follow him.” I couldn’t believe it of Dolph. For the little I knew him, I had a hard time seeing him side with Requiem. Dolph seemed so level headed. So . . . good.

“We all do what we must. But if it makes you feel better, I side with Finley. She is the king’s legitimate daughter.” Dolph crooked a finger and I had no choice but to follow him. Finley . . . so that was the other heir to the throne—the rightful heir.

Once more, Dolph led me around the maze of buildings, over two low arched bridges. and finally into an open coliseum. Circular and tiered, opened to the night sky, it was full of Undines. That explained why there was no one at the docks. Around us the spires rose high into the sky. The tallest stood as sentinels farthest away, bridges glittering between them. Another set of spires encircled, closer and shorter than the others, and a third set even closer loomed above. Undines hung from windows in the closest spires, staring down at us.

I caught a glimpse of Ayu in the stands closest to the circular coliseum—saw her eyes as she looked away. Pity and sorrow had been heavy in that one glance. Not really a good sign, and not something I chose to dwell on.

Ahead of me, Requiem stood at a podium a foot above the main floor. Belladonna was beside him, shaking and trembling. Her wound had broken open, but it wasn’t gushing. Her face was pale though and the way her eyes glossed over I knew she was close to passing out.

“Larkspur, how nice of you to join us. Your ambassador here is in no shape to fight, which is a pity, considering her show of power on the beach. But as it is, we need you two to prove you are strong enough to stay here. You will fight for your ambassador. A proxy. You lose, we kill her and throw your bodies into the ocean. You win, and you may stay as our guests as long as I wish.”

As long as he wished? That was not a good sign, but I doubted we would actually have a choice when it came down to it.

Dolph jerked as if he’d been shot with a bolt from a crossbow. His voice was low and I doubted anyone but me could hear him. “He will never let you leave alive, Lark. You have to fight his champion. Mako.”

“A fight, I can handle.”

Dolph grabbed my arm, his fingers digging into my bicep as he dragged me around to face him. “You will be in water up to your waist. To win you must drown your opponent. This is a very old tradition Requiem has brought forward. With his sister out of the picture, there is no one to stop him.”

I swallowed the fear that curled up my throat and tried to choke me. Across from us, a tightly muscled Undine stepped out from behind Requiem and Bella. He was a little shorter than me, but by the way he moved, he was all muscle. His shirt gaped at the belly giving a glimpse of a torso that seemed chiseled of pale blue stone. His eyes and hair matched the color of his skin. He looked like he’d been frozen and then thawed. Webbed hands and the slight flutter of gills just below his ears completed the package. His eyes never stopped moving, watching everything and nothing all at once.

“Is he an Ender?”

“No, he’s a killer.”

Startled, I looked to Dolph. “What?”

“Pulled from the cells to be Requiem’s personal fighter. He was the last serial killer we put away, almost a hundred years ago. He is mad, Lark. Mad and violent beyond reason. He has killed every challenger sent forward.”

“Enders?”

“Yes.”

I licked my lips, fear climbing my throat for a second time, and then I shrugged. There was little choice here, which meant I faced Mako no matter how afraid I was. I spun my spear out, pointing at Requiem. “What are the rules, if any?”

Requiem let out a long low laugh, but the crowd didn’t laugh with him. “There are only three rules, Ender. First. Kill or be killed. There will be no ties.”

Mako swayed where he stood, hands flexing. I looked at Bella. She would die if I failed, and once more, I would be the one who had fallen at the finish line. Requiem held up his hand. “Second. No weapons allowed. This is strength of body only. And third, no power of the earth or water may be used. Dolph, prepare her for the Depths.”

Behind me, Dolph let out a soft groan, he spun me to face him and as his hands stripped me of my weapons, he spoke in a low whisper. “Lark, I will create a diversion, and you will run. No one will stop you. I can’t save you both but you can get away.”

I put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m not leaving her.”

“You can’t beat him.” Dolph grabbed my arms. “He’s a survivor of the cells and has killed a dozen Enders already.”

“He’s not the only survivor standing in front of you, Dolph.” I pushed away from him and faced Requiem once more, a strange calm flowing over my body. I might die, but I would not do so without a knock-down, drag-out fight. Spreading my arms wide I turned a slow circle. “I have no weapons other than my hands. And now you will swear that my sister and I will go free when I kill your champion.”

The crowd gave a low murmur and Requiem laughed and gave me a mocking bow. “On the redemption of my soul, on being denied the grace of the Mother’s last embrace, I swear that if you defeat my champion, you and your sister will be honored guests for the remainder of your stay.” His black eyes glittered as he watched me. Not exactly what I’d asked for, but I would take it.

“Not
if
I defeat him. When.” I rolled my shoulders and the ground beneath my feet rumbled. The center of the coliseum where Mako and I stood lowered. Dolph stepped out of the center and moved to a seat along the tiers. Within seconds, I was staring up at the crowd. Mako and I had been dropped into a pit twice my height, and four times as wide that was quickly filling with water. Just below my waist, the flow stopped rising; deep enough to make someone think they could survive, but too deep to have any real range of motion. This was going to suck.

Mako circled toward me, cutting through the water like his namesake.

“Let it begin!” Requiem roared above us, and the Undines gave a weak cheer. Obviously, they weren’t any happier about this than I was.

Mako splashed water at me, spraying my face. “Little Ender, you are too pretty. After I kill you, I’ll ask for your body.”

I curled my lips, tasted the salt water, but didn’t take my eyes from him. Nor did I answer. The water pulled at me, slowing my movements to the point I wasn’t sure how the hell I was going to—

Mako struck, his foot slicing through the water and slamming into my thigh. I sloshed in the water as I stumbled backward. He grinned at me. “Pretty little starfish . . . I’m going to lick your cold, dead titties.”

Okay, that was disgusting, and I wasn’t letting him push me around with words or fists. I stopped moving. “Come then, you twisted, tiny man. It’s obvious you can’t get laid unless the woman is dead.”

He nodded with such violence that his teeth clacked together. “Dead is better. No nagging.”

Above us, Requiem roared with laughter. “That is the truth, my friends. Dead women don’t nag.”

Mako slid through the water toward me and I held my ground. I had a couple of inches of height on Mako and I had to use it to my advantage. He came within range of my reach, then closer.

“You aren’t afraid of me, why not?” He circled me and I moved with him, waiting for the perfect moment.

“I don’t fear death.”

He dropped into the water. Just his eyes peered up at me. He swam a circle, spitting water like a fountain through his two front teeth. Like this was a game.

Of course, to him it probably was.

Above us, the crowd was silent. I didn’t dare glance up.

“Mako, show her your teeth, man!” Requiem called out.

Mako dove under the water and kicked toward me with his mouth open wide. I jumped straight into the air and when I came down, I landed on his back, pressing him to the bottom. He twisted, throwing me off with ease and I went under.

Fighting panic, I pushed off, flailing to get to the surface.

I stood, water dripping off me to the sound of laughter. Mako and Requiem were howling.

“Oh, pretty starfish, you should see your face.” Mako grinned at me. “That was just the start, wait ‘til you’re breathing the water and I’m riding your body and tasting your blood.” He strode toward me, splashing water. A game.

A game he thought there was no way he could lose.

And if he believed I was weak . . . that might help me. I stumbled back and held out a hand. “You stay there, don’t come any closer.”

Laughing, he grabbed my wrist and I gave token resistance. “Let me go.”

“You can do better than that,” he licked his lips and then blew me a kiss as he began to draw me toward him.

Again, I fought, but not enough to throw him off. Not enough to tip my hand.

He let me go and I tumbled back into the wall with a hard thump, slumped, and cringed against the wall.

From above us came a heavy, drawn out sigh. “Enough, Mako. She obviously isn’t a fighter. Just kill her.”

“Req, let me play,” Mako whined as he wiggled his fingers toward me.

“No. I have things to do and I want these two dealt with. I gave my word, so kill her and I can finish this one off.”

Well, that wasn’t exactly subtle. Belladonna let out a low moan. “Lark. Please don’t die.”

“Kill her now!” Requiem roared.

Snarling, Mako lunged at me. This was it. I sidestepped and grabbed his throat with both hands. Or tried to anyway. I only managed to catch him with my left hand; he punched my right forearm knocking it away. Squeezing my fingers tightly around his neck, I dug my nails into the flesh, gripping with everything I had. Years of working the fields in the Rim made my hands strong, the muscles in my forearms like iron bands. He squirmed like a fish on a hook, eyes bugging. The crowd above us roared, their energy and excitement contagious and buoying me.

Mako twisted and kicked out at me, clawed toes digging furrows into my thighs and hips. Blood tinted the water, but I didn’t take my eyes from him, couldn’t let him go. This was my chance. He’d underestimated me and now I had him dead to rights. But if I let go I knew I wouldn’t get another chance.

His fingers scrabbled at my hand as he tried to pry my fingers off. A shot of adrenaline-fueled fear lanced me as I stared at him. His skin glowed with a soft blue that swirled up his arms.

He was calling on his connection to the water and from the intent I saw in the power, he was going to drown me. Or at least, he was going to try. I got my right hand up and wrapped it around his throat, as the water yanked my feet out from under me. We went down and I kept my eyes open, salt stinging them. I couldn’t let go.

Mako fought to get closer to me, his shorter, muscle-bound arms reaching for my eyes as I stared him down through the swirling pink water. His face darkened to a deep purple as I bore down with both hands, crushing his windpipe. His gills fluttered against the tops of my hands . . . gills.

He was breathing the water, it wouldn’t matter if I crushed his trachea completely, he could breathe underwater. I had to destroy his gills. Mother goddess help me.

I shifted my hands up his neck and slid my fingers into the fluttering flaps of fleshy material. Cool water rushed over my skin, the movement of tiny bits that felt like layered leaves, as I stared into Mako’s eyes. A flash of fear danced over his face as I drove my fingers in deep. I tried not to think about the burning in my lungs, the pain of holding my breath as I fought with everything I had.

Mako grabbed at me, raking his fingers down my arms, his reach just an inch short of being able to hook into my face. So instead, he grabbed my vest and yanked the buckles, baring my chest to him. No, that was not going to happen. I tucked my feet up between us and kicked at his hands, barely keeping him from grabbing my breasts and tearing them from my chest.

I had to end this fast.

Hooking my fingers deep into the gills on the right side of his neck, I felt for the connective tissue. I didn’t think about what I was doing, didn’t think about anything but stopping him as his fingers brushed my sensitive skin, clawing at me. Curling my fingers around the tissue, I pulled, yanking the gills on that side of his neck apart. His mouth opened and blood pooled out around us. I lost sight of him completely, but I didn’t let go.

I worked my left hand into the gills on that side of his neck. His foot caught me in my gut, and he pushed off. But he was too late. I had my fingers into the edges of his gills and as he pushed, he ripped his own neck apart. I kicked away from him, fighting to get to the surface.