Moonshadow (Book 1 of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Eighteen: Shrine of the Bloodthirsty God, Pt 1

"I take it Do'vak's hospitality didn't disappoint?" Avris asked, her golden eyes deep and eerily insightful.

Katerin shook her head. "Not at all, my lady. Ky'lei'mei is stunning, and Do'vak was a wonderful host." She kept her tone even and polite, and kept the shaking from her hands.

Avris nodded and her expression became serious. "Let's move on to the point, then," she said. "Do you accept my offer?"

Katerin turned to her companions, looking at them for a final confirmation. They met her with eager smiles. She turned back to Avris, shoulders straight. "We accept."

Avris stood from her throne. "Let us waste no time. Follow me."

She walked toward an archway flanked by two guards, with two more walking casually behind Arjiah as they followed Avris down the curving stairway. When they reached the bottom, they were in a large dirt room, with roots that spiraled around and above them. The roots had grown to form what looked like several rows of seats around the room. A bowl had been shaped below the roots. It smelled of sap, and just-churned soil.

A number of people already lined the benches, with Ra'liel and Sa'leid among them. Sa'leid held Ra'liel's youngest, smiling as the child pulled on his shirt, and Ra'liel stood next to a very tall and thickly built bearded man, with an arm around her that nearly eclipsed her from sight.

On the opposite side of the dirt bowl, four uhma'zarhins stood casually talking among themselves, making the man who stood next to Ra'liel seem small and comforting. When Avris entered, they bowed deeply to her, though excitement was awash across their features. All of them were giant—considering their obvious human lineage—for not one of them stood under seven feet tall.

The men moved to stand in the center of the room, relaxed but holding weapons in hand.

Avris gestured and they followed her to the center of the room to stand opposite the men. She nodded to the men and turned her attention to Katerin. "If you can best these men. I will hold faith that you can best the one who plagues us." She lifted a bow of crystal clear water and dipped a ladle into it. The four men opposite all drank before handing her the ladle back.

She offered it out to them and Katerin accepted it, sensing no magic upon it.

"We ask Ali'damia to watch over this test. For she shall judge the outcome and grant us our truth." Avris spoke with a loud tone that carried out over the whole room.

What are we doing? Brazen suddenly asked her, his thoughts startling her.

We have to best those men in a fight, Katerin replied, trying to ease herself into accepting this strange mental link. To prove we are strong enough to best Val'esis.

I'll end them quickly. Brazen's thoughts buzzed as his weapons formed in his hands.

Try not to kill them! she warned. It's only a test.

Brazen's exuberance faded a bit, but he agreed, and she took a deep breath. She really would have preferred to be standing behind Fykes, but it was too late for that now.

Katerin waited for Avris to give them the guidelines of the fight. But the woman said no such thing and moved as if to step aside. "What are the rules?" she asked when Avris was walking towards the edge of the arena.

"You may use whatever you wish to win. Wit, magic, or weapon," Avris said. She gave a small smile. "Belief in Ali'damia's sight might help you."

Katerin's face scrunched up in confusion, but Avris turned away before she could ask anything else.