29. Kiera
Chapter 29
Kiera
Present Day…
M alachi doesn’t show up for class the day after my liaison with Ruen. Though I don’t owe the bastard the Darkhavens had manipulated into humiliating me on my first day as their Terra a damn thing, his absence as well as his name in Caedmon’s book, is a distraction that follows me through the day. When classes finish and we’re released to the arena for battle training, I fall behind Theos, Kalix, and Ruen.
Even knowing he doesn’t share the same training time as the four of us, I still search for him in the corridors on the way. I see several familiar faces but not his. When I checked the book this morning, its contents had changed. More names had been added and Malachi’s is now crossed off. That has me on edge.
“You’re falling behind,” Theos says, pausing and turning to the side as he glances back at me. He tilts his head at my face, a lock of white-blond hair falling over the top of his forehead as he does so. “What’s wrong?”
“Do you know where Malachi is?” I ask.
His expression changes to reflect his surprise, brows raising, and lips parting. “Why do you want to know?”
I shake my head. “Not here.”
Ruen and Kalix stop too, several paces ahead of us. “He was transferred to the Academy at Ortus,” Ruen says.
When he looks at me, the place in my lower belly pulls taut like a string. I ignore the sensation and nod my acceptance of his answer. “Is that normal?” I ask. “For a transfer between academies? Also mid-semester?”
Ruen’s eyes narrow. “It happens,” he says slowly, but I hear what he doesn’t say. He finds it odd as well.
With little else to do about it now, the four of us continue until we reach the sandy arena and take our places before Axlan as he stands with his arms behind his back and his legs spread shoulder-width apart.
“Good afternoon,” he calls out, sounding far more formal than usual.
It doesn’t take long to spot why. Above our heads, in the balcony reserved for the Gods during actual battles, there are two figures perched and looking down on us. I recognize their faces from the one time I’d faced the God Council.
The dark-skinned Goddess known as Makeda sits straight backed with her hands resting on the stone armrests on either side of her. Her wide cloud-like hair is pulled back into a single puff that encircles her head with a golden crown set amidst her curls. Curious but reserved eyes fall to me and I straighten almost instinctively under her scrutiny.
At her side, Danai sits in a similar posture as Makeda. Her presence is the one most of the students of Axlan’s class recognize. The Queen is here.
Whispers echo to me from where I stand towards the front of the crowd.
…What is she doing here?
…Do you think they’re planning to host another battle to entertain the God Council?
I’m going to impress her with my abilities, just you wait and see…
They flow into my ears and then back out. The other students’ excitement doesn’t touch me. Ruen leans close to my side, dropping his voice as he whispers to me. “Keep the animosity down, Kiera,” he grits out. “Show them respect.”
Why should I? They don’t deserve my respect, I want to snap back. I don’t. Instead, I listen to him for a change and lower my gaze back to Axlan. I don’t know why two of the God Council members have deigned to watch us practice for their bloody entertainment, but I refuse to let it distract me.
“As you’re aware, we have an audience today,” Axlan continues talking. “Therefore today will be slightly different from your usual training. Today we will have mock battles, one on one, each at a time. You may use the length of the arena as if you were in a true battle.”
Someone behind me raises a hand. “Will these mock battles be to the death?” a deep voice inquires.
Axlan shakes his head. “No. Today we will simply be watching to see who has come the farthest. Some of you are in a position for advancement.” Axlan’s eyes fall over the three Darkhaven brothers, and for a moment, I think he’s going to ask them to recommend someone. Instead, he points to a girl in the second row and then a male in the furthest one.
“Davina and Raze. You two will start us off. You may use any ability you have. The battle will go until either one of you is unconscious or I say so.”
A firm hand grips my arm and begins dragging me backward. “Come on.” I glance up with surprise to see it’s Theos.
“What? Where are we going?” I ask.
“The stands,” he answers.
Ruen and Kalix follow us as we head out of the arena, leaving behind the two chosen to start the mock battles and I find myself being led towards the same place the Darkhavens had chosen to sit for the actual battles all those weeks ago. This time, instead of being forced to stand at their side, Theos drags me down onto the cushion at his side.
“Why are they doing this now?” I ask, curious to know if the Darkhavens have a better idea of what the Gods are planning than I do.
“They’re likely planning to see if another battle will be entertaining,” Ruen says.
“Or perhaps they’re looking for new playmates,” Kalix replies with a deep chuckle.
He leans forward around his brothers and winks my way. “Should we show them what you and I can do, little liar?”
I flip him off, earning another amused sound from him before he’s forced back by Ruen’s hand on his chest. “Keep it in your pants,” he huffs.
“Now, now,” Kalix says, “I know for a fact that our little no-longer-a-Terra likes me out of my pants.”
I roll my eyes at his jab and focus on the arena as the two students who’d been called upon step into the middle of the ring, facing each other. Davina is a tall willowy female with plaited blond hair and almond shaped eyes. In contrast, her opponent—Raze—is a muscular male with golden skin that can’t be replicated under any amount of sunlight.
The two of them stand face to face as Axlan repeats the rules of the battles. Then, as the God turns and leaves the arena, they continue to wait until he appears above them on the balcony alongside Danai and Makeda.
“You may begin!”
Fire explodes into the sand, sending up a plume of dust so thick that I have to lean forward and squint to see anything. The shapes of two people dive out of the cloud a split second later as Davina and Raze race across the arena sands, eyes moving from where they’re going to their opponent with clear intent.
“Davina’s not playing around,” Ruen murmurs.
“Of course not,” Theos replies. “The Gods are watching.”
I glance around, noting that the stands are mostly empty. The only people watching are those who have training at this time and the three Gods presiding over this mock battle. Once again, I find myself turning my attention to the balcony.
Danai’s eyes are heavy-lidded as she watches the two Mortal Gods fight each other. She looks disinterested and it makes me wonder why she bothered to come in the first place. Makeda, however, is different. She’s sitting forward, eyes focused and sharp on the two battling it out in the arena as if she’s trying to pick apart their strategies.
Then again, from what I now know, she’s the Goddess of Knowledge—no doubt it’s something she’s always interested in. Knowledge of others.
The fight between Davina and Raze ends in a draw, called to an end by Axlan who announces the next opponents. A male named Parvan Rockwell and … Ruen slaps a hand out against Kalix’s chest when he moves to leap up when his name is called.
“Don’t kill him,” Ruen growls.
Kalix frowns down at him and then huffs out a breath. “Fine.” He points to me as Ruen drops his arm away from his brother. “But then you owe me a night.”
“What?” I gape at him. “Why me? I didn’t ask you not to kill him.”
Kalix hooks a leg over the edge of the several foot drop instead of walking around like any sane person would. “Doesn’t matter. I agreed. You’ll be paying up when I win this, little liar.”
A growl fills my throat as he turns and then disappears over the side, appearing only a moment later as he strides confidently through the sand until he reaches the center ring where a dark-skinned man with wide shoulders and a tapered waist waits for him.
I lean into Theos’ side. “What’s Parvan’s ability?” I ask.
Theos glances at me. “Worried about Kalix?”
I snort. “Hardly. Just curious.” If anyone deserves my concern, it’s Kalix’s opponent. I do not doubt that the only reason Parvan won’t be leaving this arena without a heartbeat is because of Ruen’s order.
Theos returns his attention to the arena once more. “He’s a nullifier.”
“A nullifier?” I frown. “What’s that?”
Ruen is the one to answer this time. “He nullifies the powers of others,” he says. “It’s probably the reason why he was selected to go against Kalix. If he touches him, Kalix won’t be able to use any of his Divinity.”
I sit up straighter in my seat and sharpen my eyes on the new match as it begins. A nullifier is something I’ve never heard of before. Is it possible that this man’s powers affect Gods as well? I wonder.
Unfortunately for Parvan, Kalix quickly demonstrates that his power is not tied to his physical abilities. Even as Parvan’s hands grab hold of Kalix and attempt to get him to the ground, Kalix laughs openly and lifts the other man, deftly picking him up and tossing him into an arena wall that’s at least fifteen feet away.
Parvan collides with the hard wall with a grunt, and a fresh cloud of sand goes up when he lands. It’s too late for him though. Once Kalix smells weakness, he’s on top of the other man with fists flying. His wide smile flashes white as he grins and pounds into the other man over and over again. Blood sprays into his face and that fact only seems to incite him further. My pity for the other Mortal God blooms in my gut.
The battle doesn’t last long, but Axlan doesn’t call an end to it until Parvan is unconscious and several Terra are led onto the arena grounds to remove him from the space. Barbaric doesn’t even describe it. My eyes turn to the rest of the students, scanning with curiosity to know who will be called next when I hear Axlan’s voice ring out over the arena.
“Kiera Nezerac and Theos Darkhaven. Take your places in the arena.”