Cas was about to be caged in-with that nightmarish being? "Can't we kick the primordial out? Why wasn't he in the procession?"
"The procession was just a formality. Someone signed a proxy contract to enter him. There's no way to expel him, no barring entry to any Lorean."
Raum's craggy brow furrowed, sending a chill of unease through Bettina. This was the first look of regret he'd evinced over the tournament.
He'd been so positive that this was the right course-good for commerce, "good to show other Loreans that we're a free and open kingdom." He'd waved away all her concerns, and the concerns of the people; Bettina had overheard him assuring his cronies that a demon of some kind would have to prevail.
They'd surely never expected a demon of the primordial variety.
As the gate clanged shut behind Gourlav, Bettina's stomach lurched. There was so much danger to Cas. Over all their years together, he'd been a lifeline, a mentor, a guide, and a protector. Now Bettina wanted to protect him.
But couldn't. No amber light boiled up from her palms, no destructive sorcery.
She reminded herself how skilled Cas was, how quick. He's safe from Daciano. . . .
"Might as well get this over with," Raum muttered. He gave the signal.
At once, the great horn sounded. The crowd's roar grew deafening.
Many competitors charged for weapons, and within seconds the clang of steel rang out.
Then came . . . chaos.
Blood sprayed as if from moving fountains; bone cracked. Yells of agony carried over the drum of the crowd.
The Volar demon flew above, then dove to strike a fire demon, its razor-sharp talons slicing through flesh. So reminiscent of the Vrekeners . . . She flinched and gazed away.
The smaller Cerunno had used its meaty tail to spring up to the top of the cage, coiling around the bars to suspend its body upside down. Swinging like a grotesque pendulum, it snatched an unsuspecting foe up to his death.
Caspion had seized a razor whip, using it to lasso a centaur's neck. Though the creature kicked and reared, Cas used all his considerable strength to tighten that noose.
"Come on, Cas!" Bettina yelled.
Tighter, tighter . . .
Suddenly the centaur's head popped off, neck spurting arterial blood. Abaddonae yelled with delight.
And with that one kill, Cas had just become more powerful, a death demon collecting strength.
The Lykae slashed and mauled, biting the throat of its opponent until head and body no longer connected. The pyromasters hurled balls of flame; competitors screamed as their skin sizzled.
The scent of roasting flesh increased Bettina's nausea. Any lingering fog in the area evaporated away in the heat.
The other vampire seemed to have Daciano in his sights, but the Lykae began stalking the red-eyed lord, keeping him on the run.
Gourlav? He squatted near one side of the cage, running a knife under his claws, casually cleaning them. Everyone gave him a wide berth.
With cold, precise moves, Daciano methodically cut his way toward the larger Cerunno, which had a crocodilae shifter coiled in its serpentine tail. Though the shifter heaved its body in a death roll, it couldn't get free.
The Cerunno widened its jaws and struck. Fangs the size of blades sank into the shifter's thick hide over and over, puncturing its neck until the Cerunno simply pulled the creature's head free, like a joint of tender meat.
It gave a short victory hiss up to the sky. Mistake. Daciano used that brief second to trace behind it.
The vampire's sword flashed out so quickly, Bettina didn't actually see the blade slicing through the air.
The creature whirled around to attack Daciano.
But the movement made its head slide from its sheared neck, tumbling to the blood-soaked ground. Daciano's sword cut was as clean as a laser incision.