Chapter 28 #3
She heard a noise and the sound of claws scraping rock. Scrambling to her feet, she whipped open her coat and pulled out the staff, elongating it and pushing the button that exposed the blade.
Twirling the staff, she held it at the ready, just as not one but three very hungry cats leaped onto the ledge. Stacia knew she stood between them and their dinner. A bit further down was Iriko, struggling up the side of the cliff.
Hold on, Red! he called. I’m coming!
At first Stacia thought she should try to talk to them, but one look in the tigers’ crazed eyes told her there would be no talking.
The cream and gold tigers paced, mouths open, saliva dripping, but they didn’t pounce like Stacia expected.
Instead, they moved aside, allowing the red tiger to approach.
She stalked toward Stacia, head lowered, her mouth wide, fangs exposed.
When she growled, Stacia could feel the vibration in her own chest. Though she expected to feel fear at the sight of so monstrous a creature, especially one ready to pounce, one powerful enough to rip her to pieces, Stacia wasn’t frightened.
Instead, she felt kinship. A sense of loyalty and respect.
Much as she would when she worked with her soldiers.
She didn’t lower her weapon. Not yet. It was a sign of respect. It showed she knew the tiger was lethal. The other two tigers sat, one on either side. They were watchful. Not relaxed, but not on alert either. This battle was one that needed to be fought between the two of them.
The crowd began chanting, one voice surging into a roar of hundreds, then thousands as they picked up the refrain.
Kill.
Kill.
Kill!
Stacia could almost feel the thrum of bloodlust in the arena.
The crowd’s appetite had been whetted. Once, when she’d been younger, a giant wild boar had become crazed, killing everything that crossed its path.
When the soldiers finally managed to slay the raging animal in the forest outside the palace, they’d discovered it had smothered its own offspring, likely by accident.
She didn’t know what triggered most people into becoming brutal, but she’d learned something that day.
The line was thin indeed. All it took was a simple push.
A loss. A wound. A fear. An illness. Sometimes the only thing holding back the monster threatening to break free was an incredible self-will.
One that was more powerful than the beast.
When the red tiger turned, Stacia turned with her, angling her body to mimic her movements.
This went on for a few moments. Then, finally, the tiger’s fierce growl turned to a softer rumble in her chest, and she sat, keeping her eyes trained on the girl in front of her.
Stacia pushed the button, hiding the blade inside the staff.
Finally, she spoke. “It was wrong of me to consider you a curse,” Stacia said. “I’ve missed you. I didn’t think that was possible.”
The rumble cut off, and the tiger lifted a paw and began licking the pad.
“I’ve made mistakes. Many of them. And I’m certain I’ll make more in the future. But I don’t consider you one of them. Iriko’s mother said you were blessings for her people. I don’t know much about that, but I do know there’s nothing a mother or a leader wouldn’t do for her children or her people.”
Stacia set down the staff as the tiger closely followed her movements.
“Maybe I’ll never become as good of tsarina as my mother was or as clever as either of my parents, but perhaps that’s why they sent you. To make up for my weaknesses. Will you come back?”
Swallowing, Stacia undid the belt on her coat and took hold of either side, opening it to expose her tunic beneath and the length of her vulnerable throat.
Iriko arrived at the top. What are you doing, Red? Stop! It’s too dangerous!
Come! Stacia commanded the cat. It’s time for you to come home.
No! shouted Iriko in her mind.
The red cat snarled, baring her teeth. Then she rose up, crouched on her hind legs, and leaped, her front claws hitting Stacia directly in the chest. The cat’s heavy body caused the breath to whoosh out of the tsarevna’s body as she was pushed flat on her back.
Fangs descended and Stacia closed her eyes thinking, it felt right.
Father Frost’s cloak moved of its own accord, enveloping the tiger’s body, and just when Stacia thought she was done for, her breath returned.
She sucked in frigid air and opened her eyes, and the world shifted.
Stacia was still human, but she was also a tiger.
She could feel the cat within, and it was home.
But their work wasn’t finished. Now she needed to save their sisters.
Rising to her feet, feeling feral and stronger than she’d been in a long time, Stacia cried out in her mind, Come, sisters.
I will make a place for you as well. Opening her coat, she crouched and leaped several feet in the air just as the gold cat sprang for her throat.
They wrapped limbs around one another, and soon the golden tiger was absorbed just like the red one had been.
Stacia turned to the cream-and-fawn tiger.
Cocking her head, she said, “You too, little one.” The tiger snarled and turned to run, but Iriko blocked the way.
Stacia jumped on her back, opened the coat, and wrestled the tiger until it disappeared just like the others.
She got to her feet and stumbled when she felt three tigers within her struggling for dominance.
“Cease,” she said softly. “Be still.”
She pressed her fingers into her temples, closing her eyes, and a furry head bumped into her leg.
How are you? Iriko asked.
“I’ll be fine,” Stacia said. “But we need to get out of here.”
Looks like a ride just showed up.
Cracking open her eyes, Stacia realized she stood in a shadow. It was Zakhar and Zima waving to them from the balloon as it descended into the arena. Above them, dragons circled, waiting to take all of them into custody.
“Guess we’re going to fight our way out,” Stacia said.
My favorite way to escape, Iriko replied.