use to cross—other parts were Luathan-made. Raised platforms dotted the arena, joined together by perilous bridges—the kind where the wood planks were attached to each other by rope but lacked handholds. You’d have to be both fast and precise as you ran across its surface or risk a dunking in the water.
Vertical walls and mud pits designed to slow a competitor’s speed further complicated the dangerous course. And if that wasn’t enough, they’d also created drones capable of shooting laser fire to make competitors’ lives as difficult as possible.
As Kira watched, the course suddenly shifted, the water beginning to thrash and grow turbulent as foot paths rose from its depths. The entire course’s difficulty and obstacles could be controlled, Kira realized. It was basically a physical simulation, using the natural world as its base.
Graydon’s lithe form appeared, springing from rock to rock as he dodged beams of laser fire. He made the difficult task look ridiculously easy as he twisted and flipped, never pausing or missing a step. Several drones similar in shape to Jin but bulkier and slower chased him from foothold to foothold, trying to pin him down as he leaped and ducked, deftly avoiding their fire.
On the other side of the course, another crowd cheered the combatants on as they raced across the watery obstacle course toward the finish line, avoiding the streams of laser fire.
"What's going on?" she asked a woman in green standing next to her.
The woman was tall, her hair short. She had a dusting of freckles on her cheeks and nose, and pretty amber-colored eyes.
"The Emperor's Face accepted a challenge from the overlord's marshal," she said excitedly.
"What does that mean?" Kira asked over the crowd's roar as Graydon leaped, catching hold of one of the ropes dangling from an overhanging branch, before using its momentum to swing his body in an arc before releasing it. He landed on top of a drone. He hammered a vicious punch into its metal body, puncturing it. He withdrew his fist, wires clasped in it. He leapt from the crashing drone, landing on one of the bridges before racing across it and swinging down.
The woman finally shifted her attention from the arena, and glanced up. Her eyes widened at the sight of Kira. "You're the person everyone's been talking about. The lost child raised by the humans."
Kira frowned, not exactly surprised the woman knew of her, but wishing her circumstances weren't known by quite so many strangers.
"I'm Eta," she said happily. "I'm so glad I'm getting to meet you. The rest of my squad will be so jealous."
"Why?" Kira asked.
"Because you're a mystery, and your survival gives hope for others who lost their children during the Sorrowing," the woman stuttered.
Kira fell silent, fiddling with the cuffs of her sleeves.
Eta visibly shook off her awe, returning to the previous topic. "They'll compete to see who reaches the other side the fastest while doing the most destruction to the drones."
Kira turned to see Graydon make an impossible leap, snatching one of the drones out of the air and hurling it at another. The two crashed with a harsh crunch and dropped into the water.
Eta sighed, the sound happy and admiring. "The commander is winning. Not that I'm surprised. He's one of the best. Roderick just challenged him because he’s an ass."
Kira made a noncommittal sound, not wanting to distract the chatty woman.
As they watched, Graydon swarmed up a wall and across one of the bridges, while Roderick struggled to evade the three drones locked on him.
For defense, Roderick carried a long wooden staff, using it to deflect their fire.
Not very well, she noted when several beams hit his leg and torso.
Pain reflected on his face even as he pressed forward.
Graydon reached the final platform easily, crossing the line amid groans of dismay from those in green and cheers of victory from those wearing black.
Graydon raised one arm in response, looking around the arena. His gray, stormy eyes found Kira's and then moved beyond her. When he realized she was alone, the smile faded from his face, leaving the hunter staring back at her.
"Ah, crap," Kira muttered.
She thought about retreating, fading into the trees and making her escape before he could reach her. She'd been on the opposite side of enough dressing-downs to know this wouldn’t be pretty.
She sighed and stiffened her spine. Running would only prolong things and make them worse. Besides, the last time she’d run from one of the Tuann hadn't exactly worked out for her.
"He's coming