Bastial Frenzy (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 4) (50 page)

They went back to Zeti’s bed. Although she held a stern expression, Zoke could see exhaustion and sadness in her eyes.

“What’s happening?” she asked Zoke.

“You have one more chance,” he explained. “You’ll speak with the Slugari, and I’ll translate.”

“Why would I want to speak with it?”

“Her name is Kai. This is so you can see that the Slugari may be shorter and weaker, but they’re intelligent creatures just like we are. They aren’t food.”

But Zeti already was drooling again with Khy near her. She let it fall from her mouth, dripping onto her lap.

“I don’t know what to say,” Khy began. Zoke didn’t know whether she was talking to him or Zeti, but he translated what she’d said to Kreppen and hoped his sister would reply.

“Neither do I,” Zeti said.

Terren suggested, “Kai, why don’t you tell Zeti about your experience in the Slugari colony when the Krepps broke through your ceiling.”

Zoke translated so Zeti could understand. His sister let down her head in shame, drool still falling from her mouth.

“It was the worst experience of my life,” Khy said. “I saw some of my kin eaten alive by Krepps. I watched chunks of their flesh ripped out of their bodies as they screamed in agony. It angered me. It saddened me. It made me wish for revenge, yet it also brought forth the worst fear and guilt I’ve ever felt. Can Krepps imagine what it feels like to be eaten alive?”

Zeti had begun to cry again even before Zoke completely finished translating. Yet still the drool wouldn’t stop. Zoke was in disbelief at how she could continue to hunger for them after hearing this.

“Why are you still drooling?” he asked.

“I’m ashamed,” Zeti said. “It’s the scent. It’s
her
scent. Don’t tell her that,” Zeti said, her gaze fixed upon her lap. “Have her keep going. I want to hear more about the Slugari.”

Zoke translated.

“We don’t wish to live underground,” Khy continued. “But it’s the only way to survive. All of us despise the Krepps, yet we also fear them. It’s been our belief that Krepps don’t feel the same things we do. They can’t, not when they kill us without remorse. Not when they side with Doe and carry out his orders. We’ve learned the story that he’s told you Krepps. It’s not true. His need for revenge is madness. We did nothing but wish to help him. He and Haemon were consuming a poisonous plant that made them paranoid and aggressive. It increased their size and gave them the ability to manipulate Sartious Energy, but they aren’t the first Slugari to have discovered the eppil plant. This has happened before. Every Slugari knows the eppil plant shouldn’t be consumed. The destruction Doe wishes upon us comes from madness that years of eppil plant consumption has caused. We’ve never intended to harm any other creature, so it angers me whenever I think of the lack of respect we get simply because we’re small.”

While Zoke translated, Terren brought over a handkerchief. He used it to sop up Zeti’s tears and drool. Zoke had never seen his sister cry this much.

When Terren dried her face, Zoke saw that she’d stopped drooling. She finally looked at Khy, her eyes filled with pity.

“I don’t believe there’s a word for how I’m feeling,” Zeti said. She seemed to have difficulty speaking without crying, her voice wavering dramatically.

“There is a word,” Zoke told her. “But it doesn’t exist in our language.”

“What is it?” Zeti asked. “Tell me, so I can say it.”

“
I’m sorry
,” Zoke said.

Wiping burgeoning tears, Zeti looked at Khy and said, “I’m sorry.” She shook her head back and forth as she continued. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m s—” Her own crying interrupted her, but she didn’t drool again.

Khy showed a sad smile, her mouth twisting awkwardly.

“I don’t wish to eat Slugari ever again,” Zeti said. Zoke happily translated.

Khy studied Zeti with the same sad grin. She lifted her claw close to Zeti, who squeezed her own claws around it.

“So that makes two Krepps,” Khy said, “and only fifty thousand more to go.”

Zoke and Terren both started laughing, and Zeti joined them after Zoke had translated.

With Terren’s assistance, it was easy getting Zeti everything she needed—a tunic of Kyrro’s colors to replace her old leather shirt, a dagger to go along with her bow, more arrows, even an empty house for her to sleep in. Though, Zoke didn’t want her staying somewhere without him.

“Are there any houses available that can fit three?” he asked Terren.

“Only two and four,” the headmaster answered.

“Then are there any houses of four rooms that are empty?” Zoke asked.

“Sadly, there are.”

Zoke brought Zeti to the house he’d been sharing with Vithos. Battle training had ended by then, and many students were either walking to the dining hall or coming back from it. They all stared.

“Do they always look at you like this?” she asked.

“They’re just confused about who you are. I’ve been the only Krepp here this whole time.”

“They have so much hair,” she commented.

“Yes, and some of the men even have hair on their chests.”

“Is it because they get cold easily?”

Zoke had never thought of that. “Perhaps.”

No matter what they spoke about, he couldn’t stop smiling. He wanted to scream to everyone that Zeti was his sister. But he knew none of them would understand the relief he was feeling. Except Vithos. Zoke’s smile became wider.

Zeti saw him grinning and a smile broke out across her mouth. “Do you have to look like that?” she complained, trying to hide her own wide grin.

“I can’t help it,” he answered. “I’m happy.”

Vithos rushed to the front of the house the moment Zoke stepped inside. His mouth dropped open at the sight of Zeti.

“So it’s true,” he said in Kreppen. “There’s been talk that your sister was here.”

“Already?” Zoke didn’t know the Humans could spread information so quickly.

Vithos came toward Zeti with his arms extended. “This time, surely you must want to be embraced?”

Zeti looked as if she was about to spit. But Zoke held up his hand. “Not inside.”

She stopped and swallowed. “I don’t want to be squeezed like that other time.”

Vithos shrugged and held out his hand instead. “Shake my hand, then.”

Reluctantly, she did.

“Isn’t that better than nothing?” Vithos argued.

“No,” Zeti said. Then she sighed. “Though I suppose I should let you know of my gratitude for helping me when those Humans wanted to kill us.” She lowered her head.

“
You’re welcome.
”

“We’re moving to another house, Vithos,” Zoke said, already certain the Elf would want to come with them.

Vithos nodded. “I’ll get my belongings.”

Zoke heard Zeti stumble as she followed him toward his room.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“Fine,” she said. Though he knew she wasn’t.

“You needn’t be strong all the time,” he said.

“All I’ll say is that I look forward to sleeping tonight.”

Zoke and Vithos could transport everything they’d accumulated since coming to Kyrro in one trip. For clothing, Zoke owned two pairs of leather pants, both stained with blood with a few small rips. Vithos had far more clothes, but they weren’t in much better shape than Zoke’s.

They both had a few books that didn’t belong to either of them. Zoke constantly borrowed books from Steffen and his roommates, but mostly Steffen. He had the best collection. Reela had been teaching Vithos to read, though the Elf was still nowhere near Zoke’s level.

As Zoke walked beside his sister toward their new house, he realized that—while she’d grown—she was still small in comparison to the Human warriors, and especially to the other Krepps they would be fighting.

“I suppose it’s pointless for me to ask you not to fight,” he said.

“Yes, that would be pointless. You can’t stop me from fighting this time.”

“Zeti,” Vithos said, “it’s going to be dangerous, especially for you.”

“Why me?” Zeti was insulted. “Do you think I’m weak?”

“No,” Vithos said. “Because you’re unfamiliar with Humans and their language. You’re likely to get confused when the battle begins.”

“Kill my enemies, protect my allies…seems simple to me.”

Zoke had to agree with Vithos. “You’re going to be surprised,” he informed his sister, going on to explain some of the strategies and plans that had been discussed.

“I’ll stay with the archers, then,” Zeti said.

“I’d rather you stay with me so I can protect you.” The moment Zoke finished his statement, he regretted it. Zeti showed him a look of fury.

“You think I came all this way to be protected by you?”

“No,” he said sullenly.

“I’ve made my decision. I’m going to be fighting, and you know I won’t be of much use with just a sword. Tomorrow, you’ll ensure that I’ll be fighting beside the archers, alright brother?”

Zoke knew there was no point in arguing. Something about her tone made him think of a Krepp that hadn’t entered his thoughts in a long time.

“Does Father know you’re here?”

“Ruskir’s dead,” she said indifferently. “I was going to tell you this tomorrow after I rested. He killed Mother. So I killed him.”

Zoke saw Vithos’ jaw drop, though the Elf remained silent. Zoke didn’t know what to say. He felt…nothing? It was strange.

“I see,” he said indifferently.

That made Vithos’ eyes nearly come out of their sockets.

Two more days.

Zoke noticed that they were near Steffen’s house. His sister was tired, but he felt an obligation to introduce her.

“This way,” he said. “You should meet some Humans while we’re near their home.”

“Who are they?” Zeti asked.

“Friends,” he said. “Trustworthy.”

Zeti looked confused. “You’re not joking?”

“Just because I have some Human friends doesn’t mean I’m no longer a Krepp.”

“Will they expect me to say anything?” Her tone was disrespectful, and she spoke with a scowl.

“I’m sure they know me well enough to not expect much from you.”

“What does that mean?” Zeti asked. “Have you been cruel to them?”

“No. It means I’ve treated them how I would a Krepp who behaves like they do.”

“But you’ve always been too nice to Krepps. They couldn’t possibly think you were mean.”

Zoke laughed. “These Humans would find it very humorous to hear that.”

Zeti’s introduction was quick and uneventful. Zoke and Vithos taught her how to shake hands and say hello, and that’s all she did. They gave directions to their new house, and then they left.

Zoke couldn’t help but smile all the way there.

“I’m proud of you,” he told Zeti. “You’re very honorable.”

She looked down to the dirt, embarrassed. “I would feel much more honorable if I’d fought Doe instead of running.”

Vithos spoke before Zoke could. “That wouldn’t make you honorable, just dead.”

Chapter 35:

STEFFEN

One more day
, Steffen thought as he awoke.
The last day before battle.

His mind kept putting him on the battlefield, surrounded by Krepps. Then he would find Brady’s face among them.

He couldn’t help but relive being beaten, his king about to be murdered. Brady was stronger, bigger, a few years older…he was everything more than Steffen. With each passing day, Steffen’s confidence had been dwindling, and now—with Krepps nearly to Kyrro—it was gone completely.

He dressed slowly, wondering what Effie would say if he told her about Brady.
He held me back easily. I was no match for him.
The shame of the memory had only worsened over time. He would never tell Effie, for then he would have to relive every detail.

She doesn’t need to know anyway,
he’d remind himself.
She probably doesn’t even want to know
.

The worst was the feeling of fear itself. It weakened him. He hadn’t been afraid before. Even on his first day at the Academy, when he found out there might be war, he was courageous.

He laughed and shook his head. Stupid would be more accurate. He knew nothing about nothing back then. He should’ve been terrified…as he was now.

Anger—why wouldn’t it come? Steffen knew it should be there. He
almost
could feel it, somewhere deep within him. He was reaching for it, stretching his arm as far as he could, barely scratching it with his fingernails. Brady, Tegry, the Krepps, they deserved his anger. But his fear of them was like a blanket over fire, smothering his rage.

Reela knocked on his door. “Cleve and Eff went to the dining hall a while ago,” she called into his room. “Do you want to go?”