Bastial Frenzy (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 4) (46 page)

The Slugari already knew to shake his hand without Effie’s instruction. “You’re welcome.”

Leo knew formalities well. It was any other conversation where he would struggle.

“Why we here?” Leo asked.

“To learn important information,” Effie answered. She knew the word for important, so she said it. “
Viloha
.”

Terren came to the center of the stadium. Hushes were the last sounds before complete quiet. Effie could feel the excitement of everyone around her as they all waited for the good news. But then Terren turned, and Effie saw his expression. It looked like his eyes were ready for tears. His mouth was open, ready to speak yet frozen in place. It closed, and he bit his lip and shook his head, letting out a breath.

“I advise all of you to prepare yourselves for the worst news imaginable,” he began.

All around her, Effie could feel quiet suffering, people’s stomachs turning in on themselves. She put an arm over Leo and stroked his side. His body was turned so he could watch Terren, his flesh crinkled.

“Welson met with Tegry a mile from the Fjallejon Pathway. Tegry had brought more than twice the number of men and women as Welson, though our king decided to meet with him anyway.” Terren folded his arms, then unfolded them. After a breath, he folded them once again, seemingly wanting to use his hands. “Tegry revealed his plan during their meeting when his army attacked and slaughtered ours.”

Effie heard Alex mutter a curse as Terren continued.

“In the ambush, nearly everyone was killed—including Welson himself.”

Effie was too shocked to feel anything yet. Though, she still expected to hear something from the stadium. There were gasps, a couple people beginning to cry, but that was it.

Terren spoke over them. “Tegry killed Welson with his own hands, forcing the scribe to watch and record everything that happened. It pains me to say that the scribe was the only ally to live, and it’s because Tegry wanted him to bring the record of the meeting back to us.”

Alex began cursing again, this time louder, angrier. Effie heard Tegry’s name, as well as a promise for revenge.

Effie was still in shock, unable to feel. Steffen was alive, but Welson was dead, and so was Alex’s brother. Effie worried about the fury she could feel coming from Alex. He was breathing heavily with his hands and teeth clenched.

She started to wonder why she didn’t feel the same anger. But it seemed to be the case for many. Nearly all were silent, waiting for Terren to continue. She only heard Alex’s loud breath and the weeps of a few women far from her.

“Liaison Wilfre is already on his way to Kyrro City. Because there was no heir to the throne through blood, Welson wanted James Kerr to be king in case something happened. Although he’s older than Welson, he’s the most capable man for the task. I fully trust his ability to lead, as should you.” Terren paused to survey the crowd. “I know many of you have family in the King’s Army. We’ll get a list of those who were with Welson during this despicable act.”

“I already know my brother was there,” Alex whispered as he stared at Terren, speaking mostly to himself. His anger was gone, replaced by gloom.

Leo put his claw on Effie’s leg. “What say?”

“Very sad news,” Effie replied. “Our king was killed, and so were many others.”

“
Seshala
!” Leo blurted.

Terren spoke again. “Most of you are feeling shock right now, and you might be wondering how this has affected the war. We won’t give Tegry another chance to surrender. The only time anyone from Kyrro will hear him speak again will be when he gives his last words before we execute him for his crimes. Never has any king—in Ovira or Greenedge—attacked another during a meeting, especially when that meeting is to discuss peace. It’s up to us and the rest of the Kyrro Army to make sure the King of Tenred is rightly punished for this.”

Alex was one of the first to start applauding, the rest of the audience joining in soon after. “Kill the bastard,” she heard him say.

Terren was nodding as he raised his arms, his sign for everyone to quiet their applause. “This war is coming to an end. Scouts outside the Kreppen encampment sent a pigeon to Kyrro City. The Krepps are coming. Their whole army is marching toward Kyrro. They’ll be here in ten days. We expect Tenred to attack as well.”

With a gasp, Effie could feel her heart once again…only after it had stopped for what seemed like the span of a breath.

Terren extended his arms. “Before you let this alarm you, remember that we are prepared. We will crush anyone who comes into our territory. Our enemies expect us to be weak. Our king was killed, and our army is nowhere near the size of our enemies’ armies combined. But they still underestimate us. James Kerr cares for Kyrro’s people just as much as Welson did. He knows battle better than anyone. Before some of you were even born, he was helping Westin Kimard’s army overpower Rinn Takary, which led Westin to the throne. Trust him as you trust me and each other. I’ll lead us into battle, and I expect all of you to fight just as hard for me as I will for you. Together, we fight for everyone in Kyrro.”

Terren had a way of speaking that made Effie feel safe. His determination spread to her, overwhelming her other emotions.

“Do not fear battle,” Terren commanded. “There’s something we have more of than they do. Have you asked yourselves what your profession is? You’re warriors, mages, psychics, and chemists of the Kyrro Army. You’ve been trained for war”—he let out a lighthearted chuckle as he continued—“and not much else.”

Effie felt a laugh escape, and she heard many others chuckling as well.

“But the Krepps,” Terren continued, “the most abundant enemy of Kyrro—they don’t train for war or even for battle. All of the Krepps coming here know how to use a sword or a bow, and that’s it. The most experience they’ve had was when half of them came here and lost. Those who took down Tenred’s wall have seen the inability Krepps have to fight with Tegry’s army. We’ll win this battle and this war. I’ll be gone for a few days to devise our battle strategy with King Kerr. Keep training. Anytime you start to worry, think about Tegry stabbing Welson while his arms were held by two men. Think about if that were you, what you would want to do to the enemies responsible.”

A tear fell from Effie’s eye then, running down her cheek.

“You have that chance. Remember the traitors who killed our men and women. Remember the seed of anger deep within. I’m eager for revenge. I’m eager for this last battle. For after we’re victorious, no enemy will dare hurt our king or any of our people again.”

Effie joined everyone else in standing and applauding. Dajriks, Krepps, traitorous Humans with heinous potions and plots, it didn’t matter. Nothing was stronger than the Kyrro Army.

She walked over and squeezed Alex. He held her and kissed the top of her head.

“I’m sorry about your brother,” she said.

“I know. They will pay.”

She let go of him only because she was in a hurry. “I need to ask Terren about Steffen before he leaves.”

“I understand. Go.”

Effie caught up to the headmaster as he was exiting the stadium with a group of instructors. “Terren, where’s Steffen?” she called.

“I might be back by tomorrow,” Terren said over his shoulder to answer an instructor’s question. Then he turned to Effie. “He’s been recovering within the Fjallejon Mountains. He was beaten badly.”

“But he’ll be alright?”

“I believe so. I’m sorry, Effie. I can’t stay and talk.”

She nodded and thanked him. Then she stood there, tilting back and forth to feel the crunch of sand beneath her shoes, forgetting what she was supposed to do now.

Something brushed against the back of her leg. She turned to find Leo.
I didn’t help him off the bench!

“I’m sorry,” she said. “Did you get down alright?”

“Help from Human. But don’t understand why happy?”

“We aren’t happy, just enthusiastic,” Effie said, showing him a clenched fist. “We’re eager to fight our enemies.”

The Slugari hummed and brushed his claw up her leg. “I understand.” He scratched his claws across the sand. “
Zoho
.”

“What does
zoho
mean?”

“I want and Humans want. Revenge.”

Chapter 32:

CLEVE

Cleve had come to Redfield with Zoke and Alex. Though Alex left Cleve alone with the Krepp when he saw Effie and her Slugari enter. Most of Cleve’s conversations with Zoke had been between duels after battle training was over. The Krepp challenged him the first day Cleve was back, with Alex and other warriors rotating in to combat the winner, which was always Cleve.

Dueling with Terren had been one of Cleve’s favorite activities over the years. Only recently had they become evenly matched, making their battles even better. Zoke fought differently than Terren, though. He always seemed to be holding back, stopping himself at times as if worried about injuring Cleve, like how Terren used to be when Cleve was younger.

They dueled every day, Cleve losing so few times he could count them on one hand. Eventually, Cleve asked why Zoke seemed to hesitate.

“When Krepps fights, we spit, bite, kick dirt, throw grass, and use our head. It’s difficult to ignore my…” Zoke stopped as he thought of the right word. “Feelings, natural feelings.”

“Instincts?” Cleve asked.

“What does that mean?”

“It’s what we do without thinking.”

“Then yes, instincts. Usually I can still win, but not against you.”

“There are no rules in the duels between Krepps?” Cleve asked.

“Krepps don’t duel like Humans. We fight, sometimes for fun, other times because we’re angry. When we fight for fun, there are rules, but never about what isn’t allowed. The rules only exist to acknowledge a winner so we don’t kill each other. One Krepp trying to tell another not to bite or spit would be like another Human suggesting something stupid that made no sense—like saying neither fighter can kick.”

“Then fight me as you would a Krepp. Spit, I don’t care. Just stop when either of us scores a point.” Cleve was confident he could win just as often, even when Zoke showed a wicked smile.

“Ready?” Zoke asked.

“Go.”

The amount of saliva the Krepp produced came as a shock. It wasn’t that he spat often, for Zoke only let his frothy liquid soar about once a match, it was that Cleve never knew when it was coming. If he were to spit on an opponent, it would take him time to gather saliva, the motions of his mouth making his intentions clear. But globs of it would shoot out of the Krepp’s mouth instantly.

Zoke also used the claws on his feet to rip grass and fling it at Cleve’s face. He was surprisingly accurate with both methods of distraction, causing Cleve to lose three matches in a row. He could feel himself becoming irritated.

“None of the Krepps I killed were spitting or kicking grass at me,” Cleve commented. “Is this really what Krepps will do?”

“The smart ones.”

The uneven grass caught Cleve’s eye. In just three fights, there were splotches of dirt showing where Zoke had ripped it up. “You’re destroying the field.” Cleve pointed.

“Then let’s fight on the dirt path to the south,” Zoke said.

“We’re not allowed to fight anywhere but on Warrior’s Field,” Cleve reminded him.

“We’re not allowed to spit or kick grass either, and you said you didn’t mind.”

Cleve grumbled. “It’s not that I would mind fighting you outside Warrior’s Field. But the moment any warrior instructor sees us, they’ll force us to stop and scold us.”

“So?” Zoke said. “We can fight until then. Or would you rather I go back to how I was fighting before?”

Cleve shook his head. “If some Krepps are going to fight like you, then I want to train myself.” An idea came. “Follow me.”

“Where?” Zoke scowled.

“I’m sure Terren will allow us to fight behind his house in the corner of campus, so long as we don’t tell anyone. There’s dirt instead of grass, and we’ll be out of sight.”

Zoke smiled at Cleve as they walked. “I’m surprised.”

“About what?”

“I thought you were making excuses before. Do you think you can beat me with no rules, Human?”

Cleve trumped Zoke’s smile with his own confident grin. “I’m sure of it. Just give me one more match to adapt.”

They fought near Terren’s house each day after that. Cleve quickly was able to figure out when Zoke was likely to spit or kick dirt, using sudden aggression to take advantage of the effort the Krepp put into each act. The only times Cleve lost were when he tried spitting or kicking dirt himself. It felt unnatural. Even worse, he couldn’t surprise Zoke. His body announced his sneaky tactics well before he could execute them.

Once, he did manage to strike Zoke with his own saliva. It hit Zoke in the chest, but the amount of his spit was a fifth of what Zoke often hurled out of his mouth. The Krepp had to stop the match from laughter.

“A baby Krepp can spit better than you!” Zoke shouted.

Cleve always had to shower when they were done fighting. It was the only way to cleanse his face of the feeling of Zoke’s hot spit. When Alex found out about their duels, he joined them, commenting that some Krepps had spit on him during the battle at the Academy.