Bastial Frenzy (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 4) (45 page)

But then Doe would kill him just as he’d killed Keenu.

Zeti wished she had the strength to face Doe. A well-placed arrow could end him in one shot. But the moment she drew it, she’d be tackled by any Krepps nearby. Even if she managed to shoot it, the chances of killing Doe before he killed her were too slim.

I’m a coward!
I should’ve stayed with Keenu and fought.

She couldn’t be responsible for another innocent Krepp’s death. She needed to think of a way to get over the wall without Doe killing the Krepp who helped her.

She suddenly realized what she needed to do, and she hated herself for it.

Her speed had halved by the time she reached the wall, exhaustion doubling her over. Doe was nowhere in sight, though he must’ve given the order for her head.

“Zeti, what’s wrong?” Grappo asked.

“Nothing, just tired from running. I need to get over the wall. Doe wants to attack Kyrro soon, and there’s something I need to get.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to say.”

“Only chiefs are allowed over the wall on their own. Is Keenu meeting you here?” There was a hint of jealousy in his tone.

Keenu’s dead.
“No, I’m going on my own. I must hurry. Are you going to shoot me?”

“Just make sure you get a note next time.”

“I will.”

She walked behind him, removed her dagger, and slammed its blunt side into the back of his head. He collapsed with a grunt and didn’t move. As Zeti landed on the other side of the wall and started to run, she hoped she hadn’t killed him. She didn’t have time to check, as another wall guard had seen what she’d done and started running over from his post.

Hopefully Grappo will be smart enough to tell Doe he tried to stop me. His life depends on it.

Zeti knew she was too far for the other guard to catch her, though she did expect him to fire an arrow after he climbed the wall. Sure enough, it came soaring over her head, piercing the ground ahead of her. Another struck the dirt somewhere to her side. She kept running, as fast and as far as she could.

Only when she lacked the strength to take another step did she stop to look back. She’d taken turns around hills and patches of bushes. They could track her, but they wouldn’t catch up. Zeti wouldn’t allow it.

Although she was on the verge of collapsing, she trudged farther west, still unsure where she was headed. The scroll was pressed into her back. Her bow was latched to the carrying strap around her back. It wasn’t comfortable to run with as it bounced against her. And for some reason, it made her realize she might never feel comfort again.

Instead of despair, anger made her want to scream. It was difficult to understand Doe’s dishonor. Why did he behave like such an impatient child? No Krepp would’ve continued to fight with Tegry after hearing what he’d done.

And no Krepp would’ve killed Keenu for doing the honorable thing.

She wanted Doe to die, and she wanted to be the one to do it.
Vantikar
belonged to her more than anyone.

It was then that she decided where she was going.

Chapter 31:

EFFIE

In the three days since Terren’s announcement about Welson and Tegry meeting to discuss peace, Effie’s Slugaren had improved greatly. She knew many words now, mostly from the need to repeat them throughout the day as she worked with Leo.

Effie knew it was wrong to think of the Slugari as her pet, but she couldn’t get the idea out of her mind. She liked to stroke his back when they did well, sometimes even patting his side. His flesh was soft yet plump, constantly calling to be touched. She’d rubbed his head a few times, but she got the impression he didn’t care for it.

They trained at the eastern wall with three other pairs of mages and Slugari, casting out onto the stretch of dirt to the east. The spells Effie and Leo were able to conjure together made chills run through her body. Even so, Leo was still nervous about the Krepps. Through Khy, Effie learned that both of them had seen their own kind devoured alive when the Krepps broke into their colony. Just the mention of a Krepp made their eyes shrink with fear.

During lunch, Effie found Reela already in the dining hall when she got there. Happily, she took her plate of food and set it on the table across from her.

“How are duels going?” Effie asked.

“Boring.” Reela circled her food with her fork. “I’m nervous why Welson hasn’t come back yet.”

“It takes a day just to get through the Fjallejon Pathway,” Effie said. “Maybe they’re walking slowly. I wouldn’t worry yet. What could’ve happened?”

“I don’t know. I feel so prepared for bad news that I’ve already convinced myself it’ll come.”

“Now you’re worrying me,” Effie admitted. “I hope Steffen is alright.”

“Me too. I trust a rabid dog more than Tegry Hiller. The man is no idiot, Eff. The ploys of his army when we attacked were both smart and cruel. I’m sure he meant to scare us, and it worked.” Reela glanced over her shoulder, looking for any listeners. “I was somewhat relieved I couldn’t fight, I’m ashamed to say. I trust you not to mention this.”

“Of course. You’re braver than I am. I didn’t even leave the Academy.”

“You should’ve seen Zoke. He couldn’t even turn his body after we jumped off the peak, yet he still fought…practically killed himself doing it. Sometimes I worry all Krepps have the same tenacity and that they won’t stop fighting until we’re all dead. But then I get this hope that he’s different. I tell myself his determination to fight is for love, not hate. I can feel his emotions for his sister.” She rubbed her throat. “It’s frightening to think other Krepps want us dead as badly as Zoke wants to keep his sister alive.”

“I’m more worried about the Dajriks. I’ve had nightmares of being crushed by the giants.”

Reela swallowed quickly and said, “We should change the subject. How has training been going with Leo?”

“Good. I can’t wait to see how big the Krepps’ yellow eyes get when they see the size of the fireballs we can cast.”

Reela chuckled. “That makes me feel better.”

“I know you said we should change the subject, but I’ve been wondering something.”

Reela frowned as she waited.

“I would never ask you or your brothers to do this,” Effie continued. “But I’m curious. Could one of you cause enough pain to cripple a Dajrik like you can a Krepp?”

“I believe if we’re close enough, we should be able to. But it would be far more difficult than paining a Krepp. The Dajriks are well over twice the size of a Krepp. Just like with any other weapon, it’s far more difficult to hurt them.”

“How difficult is it to hurt a Krepp?”

“Very if I want to cause enough pain to completely debilitate them. It’s even harder when they’re ready for it. During battle, everyone—even animals—are more resistant. I would probably have to be touching a Dajrik to stop it completely. But at that range, it could crush me quicker than I could focus enough. I don’t believe psychics will be the solution to the giants, especially with us outnumbered. There most likely will be too many Krepps to deal with the Dajriks through psyche.”

Disappointed, Effie let her gaze rest on her food. “I asked Khy if Queen will allow their Dajrik to fight for us.”

“What did she say?” Reela was hopeful.

“She said the Dajrik is busy doing something else she couldn’t tell me. I thought it sounded like a lie.”

Reela hummed. “I don’t think so, but I definitely don’t like the sound of that. If they’re doing something we can’t know about, it’s probably not good for us.”

They finished eating and were leaving the dining hall when Cleve, Alex, and Zoke came in together. After a greeting, Alex expressed his worries.

“You haven’t seen Steffen?” he asked Effie. “My brother should’ve brought them back by now.”

“No.”

“That’s strange,” he said, mostly to himself.

“They’ll probably be back soon.” She hugged him, holding on longer than she first intended. It always felt comforting to share an embrace with Alex. There’d been times she’d been at his home and was ready to leave, but when they hugged and said goodbye, another conversation started. They’d held onto each other as they spoke, too warm and comfortable to let go.

The feeling reminded Effie of the rare mornings when she would wake to the cold, yet her anxious lungs didn’t torment her. She would breathe free and wrap herself tightly in her covers, drifting in and out of sleep as her lips held a grin. Every time she parted from Alex during their embraces, it was like finally pulling off her sheets, the cold air attacking.

Back at the eastern wall, Effie greeted Leo with a pat to his side.

“
Hyha
,” he said.

“
Hyha
.” She held out her hand, showing she was ready for his Bastial Energy.

“Try lots
Bahsh
?” Leo asked. “We no try lots.”

Effie glanced down the wall at the other mages and their Slugari partners. There was plenty of space between them. She couldn’t think of a way she could hurt them.

Effie felt her lips press together with excited nervousness. “
Lylah
,” she agreed. “I’m going to direct the energy into a beam.”

Mages at Effie’s level could cast a stream of Bastial Energy. But a fireball was easier and more damaging for the same amount of energy. Yet fireballs had limitations that a beam of energy didn’t; fireballs were messy, harder to aim, and difficult to cast long distances. With Leo’s help, she wanted to see if it was possible to create a beam powerful enough to kill a Krepp.

He asked if she was ready. “
Calypo
?” His two large teeth pressed against the bottom of his mouth in a cute grin.

“
Calypo
.”

Unlike with a fireball, Effie would be using no Sartious Energy. While a low amount would allow the stream of BE to catch fire, it also would reduce the range to a few feet.

Leo poured the energy into her body through his claws. When she couldn’t hold any more of it, she let out the BE in a burst, directing the white light from her wand in the thinnest stream she could, grunting as she tried holding the BE together.

With a subtle blue tint, it soared over the land at a hundred times the speed of a fireball. It was gone in an instant, but Effie managed to see that it came out the width of a toothpick, striking the ground a hundred yards out, where it widened to about twenty feet, causing the dirt to rise in a cloud of dust but not much else.

Leo disapproved with a grumble. The spell was clearly powerless. It was moments like these that Effie wished she could speak fluent Slugaren. She wanted to keep working on the same spell. If she could contain the thin stream of Bastial Energy so that it didn’t spread, it would prove to be more viable than fireballs in some situations.

It wasn’t long before they both needed a break. She leaned against the parapets of the wall and tried to explain what she was attempting to do.

The Redfield bell interrupted her. Realizing it had to be news about Steffen and the King’s meeting with Tegry, she started to hurry before seeing that Leo looked scared at the loud noise. His arms were flailing. He began to slither back and forth, unsure where to go.

Effie put her hand on his back and told him to be calm. “Hytu, hytu.” Instead of running, she chose to walk so as not to alarm Leo. They joined the other mages and Slugari, walking to Redfield together, everyone smiling.

“I hope they give us details about the meeting,” one of Effie’s classmates commented. “I want to hear what Tegry said when he signed the treaty.”

“I would’ve paid all my money to see his face,” another added.

Effie agreed with them.

The group split upon entering. Months ago, it would’ve been difficult for Effie to arrive as late as she did and find room for her and a Slugari. But now there were always empty spaces between groups of friends, a painful reminder of the lives lost already.

Leo had great difficulty going up stairs, his blubber tugging him back to level ground as he grunted. She took Leo’s claw and led him down the first aisle so he didn’t have to climb. But soon she realized that he wouldn’t be able to see over the metal wall in front of them…and that was if he even could get on the bench.

“Can I lift you?” she asked, demonstrating with her arms.

“Lift, yes.”

She braced herself and then scooped him up. The fat little guy was heavy, and she almost dropped him when another set of hands helped steady his body on the bench.

“I saw you come in,” Alex said. “And who’s this?” He had a sweet tone, as if talking to a child.

Leo couldn’t face forward on the bench, his body was too long. So he faced Effie instead. Alex came to sit on her other side.

She spoke slowly. “He would like to know your name.”

“My name is Leo,” the Slugari said perfectly. Effie liked that he’d accepted his nickname enough to introduce himself with it. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Alex.” He held out his hand. “Thank you for training with us.”