CHAPTER EIGHT
I instinctively rolled aside fast, but heat blazed along my upper arm as the canvas above me tore. Something had stabbed through it. And cut me.
A knife.
The hell? Anger and fear clashed inside me, fighting for supremacy.
Seeing the shadow hovering above my tent, I lashed out without hesitation; stabbing upwards through the canvas and slamming the blade into an arm.
A sharp male cry rang out as the offending knife fell to my bedding. I yanked back my own blade and held it close to my chest. Even though the shadow staggered backwards, I shuffled further away from him.
Barks filled the air, coming closer and closer. And then I saw three new shadows leap on my attacker. A loud thump sounded as he hit the ground hard, and then more male cries mingled with the snarls and growls of the dogs.
Relief dragging a shaky breath from my lungs, I slithered out of the collapsed tent just as people began to pop their heads out of their own. Ignoring the cold lashes of the wind, I turned to see Klemens splayed out on the ground, several Laelaps biting into his limbs.
I felt my hand spasm around the handle of my knife as an angry flush heated my face. Oh, the rat bastard.
I gritted my teeth, my muscles quivering. Not with fear, not with cold, not with shock. With fury.
Honest to Gods, I wanted to kick him. Stomp on him. Spit on him. Jam my blade right in his eye.
Instead, I fisted my free hand so tight my nails painfully stabbed into my palms. My temper wasn’t easily triggered, but when something set it off? Yeah, I wanted to burn a motherfucker.
The force of the wind suddenly turned wild … or maybe it had never calmed to begin with; maybe I’d just gotten accustomed to the violent sound of it … but I didn’t feel the chill anymore. The rage flooding me was so scorching hot that it seemed to heat me from the inside out.
Hearing footfalls, I half-turned to see Talon and Ajax heading over.
“What happened here?” demanded Ajax.
Talon took in the scene—my slashed tent, the gash on my arm, the male on the ground, the growling Laelaps—and his face darkened in a way that was plain scary.
Just then, Jelani jogged over. “Shit, you okay, Anara?” His eyes went to my injured arm, and his expression hardened.
“It’s not that bad,” I gritted out, shoving away the hair that was whipping my face, courtesy of the wind.
“Not the point,” Jelani clipped.
Talon let out a high-pitched double-whistle that sliced through the air and caused the dogs to back up. But they kept their attention pinned on Klemens, baring their teeth.
Covered in bites, a shaking Klemens remained on the ground. He shrunk in on himself as Talon prowled closer, his expression like thunder.
“You tried to kill a fellow candidate?” asked Ajax, his face tight. “Tried to kill her while she slept?”
“It was an accident,” Klemens claimed, pain coating every word.
I felt my brows fly up at the idiotic defense. His knife just happened to accidentally cut through my tent and slash my arm? Really?
Talon shot him a look of such contempt he flinched.
“I … I fell,” Klemens insisted. “I was holding my knife at the time and—” He cut off as Talon slashed a hand through the air, staring at him through cold, disgusted eyes.
Jelani gently tugged on my wrist. “Come on, let’s go get that wound seen to.”
I resisted, busy glaring at Klemens. I could hear blood rushing in my ears. Could feel adrenaline racing through my system. Could—
“You don’t want to bleed freely out here, Anara,” Jelani persisted. “The smell will attract all kinds of beasts.”
Okay, he had a point there. Drawing in a steadying breath that did nothing to calm me, I let Jelani lead me away.
“You know what, Talon?” asked Ajax behind me, a cruel note to his tone. “I think we should let the dogs drag Klemens further into the Pines. He’ll make a nice snack for one of the creatures here.”
Ruthless.
And I couldn’t say I’d feel even a hint of sympathy for Klemens if the officiates went through with it.
Whatever was said next got lost in the noise of the raging wind, so I had no idea if anyone protested the idea or if Ajax announced he’d been bluffing. I didn’t mind admitting that I hoped he wasn’t joking; hoped Klemens was alive and screaming while something ate him.
Just before I ducked into Jelani’s tent, I caught sight of Atticus staring at Klemens, his face losing color. I would bet my life that he had something to do with this.
His gaze snapped to mine, and I shot him a narrow-eyed look that made him swallow hard.
Inside the tent, Jelani guided me over to his bedding. “Sit.”
I did so, shoving my hair over my shoulder.
“As you know, I can’t heal you because you’re knee-deep in Xalbia. But I can put some salve on your wound that will completely numb the pain. There’s also one that’ll speed along the healing process.”
Watching as he pulled a small box out of his sack and opened it, I instantly recognized the contents. Salves, gauzes, and other such supplies were easily obtained at the apothecary.
“You can put that down now,” he said, flicking my knife a quick look.
I wiped the blood from the blade onto the grass and then tucked it into the sheath that was sowed into my breeches. Noting bits of dirt on my palms, I rubbed them on my tunic.
Jelani sat in front of me, looking equal amounts pissed and concerned. He carefully shoved up my sleeve and then studied the gash on my forearm. “It’s already stopped bleeding. That’s good.”
Holding myself stiffly, I remained silent as he cleaned the slice.
My mind drifted, too focused on Klemens.
I had suspected that one of the candidates—maybe even more than one—might come for me.
But I’d expected them to try creeping into the stable one night, not make their move while officiates were around.
Klemens must have thought he could take me out fast and silently before returning to his tent, leaving everyone none the wiser.
Clenching my jaw so hard it hurt, I breathed deeply through my nose, searching for calm. I couldn’t find it. Couldn’t tamp my anger down.
I hissed as Jelani dabbed on a salve that stung like hell.
“Sorry,” he said with a wince. “It’s good that the dogs heard the commotion—you might have otherwise ended up in a knife fight with Klemens.”
I suspected that I would have enjoyed it. A lot.
“Do you think Atticus had something to do with what happened out there?” he asked, and I knew he was trying to distract me from the pain.
Unlocking my back teeth, I flexed my jaw.
“It wouldn’t whatsoever surprise me. At the very least, he likely put the idea in Klemens’ head; planted a seed he knew would blossom at some point.
Atticus is manipulative that way.” I dragged in another centering breath.
Again, it had no effect. “I want to twist off his balls.”
A surprised snicker popped out of Jelani as he wrapped gauze around my arm. “Whose? Frick’s or Frack’s?”
“Both.”
“In my opinion, they’d both deserve it.” Finally, he pulled back. “Done.”
I prodded the gauze-wrapped wound, feeling not even a hint of discomfort. The numbing salve really did work wonders. “Thank you,” I said, righting my sleeve.
“As for the ball-twisting thing, I’m pretty sure Klemens will suffer a lot more pain being dinner for one of the creatures out there.
” Jelani laid a hand on my leg. “If we can prove that Atticus had something to do with it, he’ll pay.
But if, like you said, he only put the idea in Klemens’ head, he has an ‘out.’”
The tent flap abruptly whipped up as someone ducked their head inside. Talon. He appeared almost as furious as I felt.
His gaze dropped to Jelani’s hand on my leg, and something flashed in his eyes. Eyes that then narrowed on Jelani, hard and flinty.
I felt my muscles bunch as Talon’s attention zipped my way. He pointed at me and then jerked his thumb behind him.
“She might as well sleep here,” Jelani told him. “She can’t go back in that tent, and we don’t know for sure that no one else will think to make a try for her.”
Talon gifted him a raised Did I ask for your opinion? brow and again motioned for me to leave.
Unsurprised—but also somewhat pissed—that I’d be made to sleep in a damaged tent, I mumbled something beneath my breath as I pushed to my feet.
I got it. I did. If this had happened while on patrol, I’d be expected to deal with it.
The same had to apply now. But I didn’t have to like it.
There was no way for me to like it. No way for me to be understanding about anything right now.
Fury was still pounding through me, as violent as any storm.
“Ah, come on, Talon,” implored Jelani. “She’s had a hell of a night. Don’t make—”
“It’s fine,” I interrupted.
“No, it isn’t.”
“Okay, no, it’s not,” I allowed. “But Xalbia isn’t about what’s ‘fine.’ It’s about pushing and testing people. I’m not prepared to fail.” I gave him a bland smile. “Thanks for helping with my arm.”
Talon backed out the tent as I walked toward him. No sooner had I stepped out of it than his hand cuffed my unwounded arm and he started pulling me in the opposite direction of my tent.
I felt my brows snap together. “What are you doing?”
He didn’t acknowledge that I’d spoken. Just me hauled to, oh shit, his tent.
He shepherded me inside and then entered behind me.
It was bigger than mine—probably so that he could fit the Laelaps in here.
A few blankets with dog hairs on them were off to the side, so they clearly had a bed of their own.
Well, the big, strong bastard could carry a bigger tent without breaking his back—unlike the rest of us.
And apparently he was going to guard me for the rest of the night so that no one else could try to kill me. I’d be grateful if anger wasn’t still a flame in my belly, leaving me no room to feel much else.