Bastial Frenzy (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 4) (51 page)

Steffen wasn’t hungry, but he knew he needed to eat. “Yes, thank you. I’ll be ready soon.”

He heard her footsteps going down the hall. His eyes found Gabby’s most recent letter on his desk. Every time he looked at it, it gave him comfort. He turned it over for another read.

Steffen,

If I’ve learned anything from stories, it’s that no one can be a hero without challenges of both heart and body. I know this must be the most difficult challenge for you yet, especially after what you told me happened between Tegry and Welson, but you can do this.

I used to cry every time I thought about you, Effie, and Reela fighting. It didn’t seem fair. I hoped with all my might there would be some way all of you could come home and others could take your place. But as time went on and your letters kept coming, describing everything you three have done for Kyrro, I started to realize I was being selfish. You’re there for a reason. There’s no such thing as a replacement for you, my sister, or Reela. I know this from what you’ve told me, from everything you’ve described.

Just keep going, keep doing what you’ve been doing. That’s all I can think to write. You need no further advice from me.

Love, Gabby.

Steffen had cried the first time he’d read it…and the second. Gabby’s letters had rekindled his strength, his confidence, over and over throughout the months.

Then he started to feel it—the fire of his anger burning through the blanket of fear.

My seed
, he suddenly remembered. The seed of anger that had been created after the spies revealed themselves and killed Marie.
When Brady tried to take Effie to Tenred.

Steffen felt the blanket burning up, the fire spreading over it. He sat on his bed and cried as his teeth ground together from exasperation. Never had he felt such vengeance. It hurt, but somehow in a good way. He longed for violence.

Reela came into his room with her eyes glistening. “Oh, Steffen.” She sat on the bed beside him, putting her arm around his shoulders.

“I’m just so angry,” he said.

“I know.”

Reela sat with him, rubbing his back. Neither of them spoke. He didn’t want her using psyche. His feelings were so raw and natural, it seemed wrong to interfere. But he didn’t need to tell her this. It was clear she was doing nothing but offering her touch. She must’ve known this was his emotional challenge. He didn’t need nor want her help.

“Thank you,” he told Reela when he felt calm enough to speak. His tears had ceased to fall by then, though he still could feel them on the verge.

“Ready for some food?” she asked.

“Yes, I finally feel like I can eat.”

Chapter 36:

CLEVE

One more day
. Every time the thought came, he grabbed the handle of his Bastial steel sword, wanting to draw it from its sheath and give it a swing. The wooden sword he’d been using was twice its weight, making him eager to fight with his true weapon.

He’d been struggling with whether he should inquire about retrieving Nulya from Kyrro City for the battle. But eventually he came to believe that she would be cut down or impaled by an arrow soon into the fight. He trusted his body more without being on her back.

Cleve’s heart thumped against his chest when the Redfield bell dinged. It was impossible to forget how loud it was.

Ding!
He started toward Redfield, knowing that two rings would be it. Battle wasn’t until tomorrow. It had been only nine days since Terren’s announcement.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

What was this? The bell was continuing to ring. But more than two rings meant enemies were within sight.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

He looked around at the other warriors, their brows creasing as they glanced at each other. Soon, he and the rest of them rested their gaze upon Sneary’s face, waiting for him to address the incorrect rings of the Redfield bell.

“Must’ve marched faster than we expected, men!” Sneary shouted through the sound of the bell.

Then the ringing stopped. A trumpet blared from the east.

“Grab your weapons and armor! Meet at the east wall!” Sneary yelled.

No one moved.

“Now!” he screamed.

Many muttered curses of surprise as they broke into a sprint toward their student homes.

“Bastial hell,” Alex said, running alongside Cleve.

Zoke and his sister caught up to them.

“Is it like Krepps to be early?” Alex asked Zoke.

“It depends on the activity. Battling Humans, Krepps must be very eager.”

Reela was already inside when Cleve got home. She was putting a dagger into the small sheath on her belt as she came down the hallway. After sliding it into place, she stopped and opened her arms.

As they held on to each other, pressing tighter, their chests heaving from deep breaths, Cleve wanted to tell her he would keep her safe. He wanted her not to worry. But he knew she would be insulted. He already could hear her retort.

“You’re just going to get yourself killed worrying about me the whole time. And I can protect myself just fine.”

Reela kissed him quickly and started to let go. She seemed reluctant to part, holding onto his arm as the rest of her body turned. They still hadn’t spoken. Cleve felt as if he had to say something before she left.

“Reela.”

She looked back with arched eyebrows, her eyes making Cleve forget about the battle for just a breath.

No words came. So instead, he leaned down for another kiss. When their lips came together, Cleve realized that his worries weren’t about himself but about Reela and his friends. They
had
to win. There was no other choice. If Cleve fell, so be it. He would fight his hardest and protect everyone he could.

Reela was smiling when they broke apart, but her grin was surprisingly coy. Cleve brushed his hand by the handle of his Bastial steel sword, as he did hundreds of times a day, only this time his body went into a panic when he didn’t feel anything.

Just as he realized it must’ve been Reela, she presented it to him from behind her back, still smiling. “And that’s why you mustn’t think about me while you fight.”

It was good advice. He kissed her one last time before taking his weapon back and going to his room. There, he dressed in the thick Kyrro tunic he and the other warriors had been given. Next was the strap that came over his torso, holding his bow and quiver to his back.

He was given no steel armor, but he knew his quickness was more likely to save him than armor anyway. Even most of the King’s Guard would be wearing leather. Only the officers and those on the front line would don steel.

For a moment, he saw Alex’s brother in his mind, ready to scream orders. Cleve’s next breath was somber.

Effie was rushing in as he was leaving. “It’s happening!” she shouted. “They’re here!”

He didn’t understand what she wanted him to say. Perhaps nothing. She started by him, muttering something he didn’t understand.

“Effie,” he called after her.

She stopped and turned, eagerly shifting her weight back and forth. Then he saw from her face it wasn’t fear that he thought he’d heard in her voice. She was ready to fight, and all he was doing was slowing her down.

“Fight hard,” he said.

“I will.”

Just outside the door, Steffen collided with him and fell on his rear. “They’re early!” Steffen shouted as he jumped up.

“Fight hard,” Cleve said, running past him.

Everyone was gathering by the east wall, most of the students and instructors already there. Cleve quickly noticed his uncle standing halfway up the ramp to the—what Cleve now saw as meager—ten-foot-high wall.

Cleve found Alex standing near Zoke and his sister. Zeti glanced around them and looked at Cleve’s bow. Then her eyes fell to his waist. She asked Zoke something in Kreppen, which he translated for Cleve.

“Will you be fighting with the archers or the swordsmen?” Zoke pointed at Cleve’s sheathed Bastial steel sword. “You have both sword and bow, but other archers only have bow and dagger.”

“I’m starting with the archers. Then I’m fighting with you and Alex when everyone has engaged.”

“I’ve never seen you use the bow,” Zoke commented. “Are you good with it like you are with the sword?”

Cleve couldn’t help but smile.

“He’s the best archer we have,” Alex answered. “The rest of them only began training this year. But Cleve’s been training his whole life.”

“I thought bows were outlawed before?” Zoke said.

“Yes, but he trained anyway,” Alex said.

Zoke seemed to have a look of pride in his hard eyes. He turned to Zeti and began speaking in Kreppen.

Vithos came up behind the two Krepps, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. Zeti promptly shrugged it off her. The three of them spoke in Kreppen.

Terren lifted his arms, and everyone went quiet. He climbed the rest of the way up the ramp to the top of the wall, keeping his gaze on everyone watching. Cleve turned for a quick look behind him. The entire Academy was there, every young man, woman, and instructor Cleve had seen on campus. All prepared to fight.

He felt something warm starting in his chest, a comfort of some sort, perhaps a sense of belonging. These were Kyrro’s defenders, and he was one of them. He always thought of this moment when he trained, but never did he imagine his uncle would be leading them.

Cleve was overwhelmed with pride,
and why shouldn’t I be?
he asked himself the moment he started thinking about pushing away the feeling. He was proud of Terren. Cleve could see his uncle transforming, his mouth steady, his eyes squinted and brushing over everyone. It was quiet as Cleve and the others waited for him to speak.

“Their target has been confirmed as Oakshen. But we’ll be standing before them so they don’t reach the city.” Terren pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “On the other side of this wall, you’ll find thousands of enemies. There are Krepps, men and women from Tenred, one fat, hideous Slugari, two Dajriks, and Tegry Hiller. There are more of them than us. Most of them are bigger than us. Many are stronger than us. Tenred has chemists with blinker potions and other substances that will quickly debilitate any of us within contact…just like we do. They also have psychics and mages…just like we do. But as you follow me out of the gate and stand before our enemies with the rest of Kyrro’s army, do not fear what they have. Think about what they don’t. We have Rek and Vithos, the most powerful psychics in the world.”

Cleve heard a few whistles and hollers.

“We have Slugari feeding our mages Bastial Energy, allowing them to cast fireballs big enough to kill five Krepps at once!” Terren’s voice was getting louder.

More people whistled and cheered.

“We have more synergy, heart, and determination just here in the Academy than all of our enemies combined!”

Applause broke out. Terren grinned but held his hands for them to quiet down.

“There’s something else we have…” Terren stroked his chin as if he’d forgotten something. Cleve couldn’t tell if he was feigning or not.

“It’s something large, and you can hear it coming hundreds of feet away...”

He
was
feigning. But what could he be talking about?

“Do you feel that?” Terren asked them.

Cleve did feel something. There was a slight shake to the ground coming from behind. Just as he turned to see what it was, Terren continued.

“We have the Slugari’s Dajrik fighting with us!”

The giant stretched out his arms, leaning back and opening his chest to the sky. He let out a deep cry so thunderous it shook Cleve’s body. Up close, it did seem as if the creature were made of dark stone. He was twice the height of the walls. Black eyes, a square nose, and a massive mouth made up his face. Atop his head were two horns. Just one arm alone must’ve weighed more than Cleve.

Some were gasping, others swearing, but everyone seemed to be making a sound of shock.

The Dajrik pointed at them and said something, his voice so deep it was impossible for Cleve to decipher what language the creature was speaking.

“He says it’s time!” Terren yelled, turning all eyes back to him. A Slugari had wiggled up the ramp and now was beside him.

The Dajrik spoke again.

“It’s time to defend our land against those who try to take it from us!” Terren yelled.

Again the Dajrik spoke. It was one quick statement, the giant pointing at them. Everyone turned back to Terren.

“This will be the last time anyone dares stand against us!”

Then the Dajrik roared once again.

Everyone joined in, screaming. The Dajrik came around the crowd, slowing when he neared the gate.

How’s he going to get out of here?
Cleve wondered. Even crawling, the giant couldn’t fit through. But then the Dajrik put his hands on top of the wall and lifted one leg over, then the other.