11. Kami

11

Kami

I 've been watching everyone around me.

Thus far, Oz has proven a sterling companion, guarding me without regard to his own safety.

He's not the biggest guy with us at the holding area either. Everyone around us looks scary and strong.

I've spotted an ogre and five werewolves. You can tell them apart because they're wild, a glint of the wolf in their eyes despite their human seemings.

Over half of Rilitar's "tributes" are monsters. Shifters, vampires, and ghouls, mostly. The others are rough-looking fae. Mages and elves, sylphs and a gnome, and a few redcaps—murderous goblin descendants with a thirst for blood.

All of them have looked at me as if I'm their next meal.

Having finished mine, I'm pleasantly stuffed and am able to think clearly for the first time since waking from my hibernation as a tree.

The clear water they gave us had to be spiked with a healing mixture, because I feel healthy after drinking it.

For the first time in forever.

A heavy weight on my soul makes me shiver.

I glance up from my now empty plate and spot the white-haired man looking at me.

He's extraordinarily attractive, even among the others. It's common for fae to be much better looking than regulars. Most human-like features aren't considered pretty by fae standards.

Fae like larger eyes, dexterous hands, and skin of hues different than what most humans possess. In that, at least, I look the part.

In this town, being fae is a huge plus.

But the white-haired guy is immensely good-looking. Then again, Ahza used to say there's something wrong with me because I prefer big and rough to slender and gentle.

The fae who blew me off in the forest is more along the lines of elegant, though he wears a mask of indifference and has a build that's muscular, but not so huge as the others near me.

"Yes?" I say to the white-haired man still staring at me.

"I would like to offer a proposal."

The dickhead next to him sneers. "She's likely heard them all before. You're nothing special, Malkar."

"And you are, Firefly?"

Ries, the water fae, chokes on his food and turns with a raised brow to regard the guy. "Firefly? That's your name?" He laughs.

Malkar laughs as well.

Firefly simmers. His dark eyes already had a flash of red in them. Now they turn orange.

Hell. He's a fire sylph. Maybe it's a good thing I didn't syphon off any energy from him.

If he'd caught me, he'd probably have fried me.

A glance next to me shows Oz glued to the byplay. "Firefly? I thought your name was Crash. "

"It is. Was," Crash growls. "Firefly is what others in town have called me. Because I can burn all you fuckers to the ground." He makes a fist.

Nothing happens.

He frowns. Looks down at his hands.

Malkar tilts his head, his dark eyes impossibly deep. He snaps his fingers.

Nothing happens.

"Oh shit." He pulls back his sleeve and nods to Crash. "Look at your arm. Do you have this?"

They both show an odd mark inked into their skin. As I look closer, the X sectioned with a curved line isn't burned into flesh but into their magic, visible yet not real.

"Fucking Rilitar. When I get out of here, I'm going to burn his ass for eternity." Firefly's?—

Crash's —eyes are blazing, but there's no hint of fire anywhere.

I don't know what Malkar can do, but he's not doing it here.

They both turn to Ries, and Malkar asks, "How did you wield water then? I see a mark on your arm."

We all look at Ries, who holds up an arm sporting a similar mark. He shrugs, gazes at a glass of water, and concentrates.

Nothing happens.

Uh-oh.

Ries's gaze darkens. "They got me too. Somehow. I didn't have this earlier."

Oz sighs. "It's in the food. I've seen Rilitar do this before. We ate the spell. It's not affecting my magic, because I'm not a spellcaster or elemental." He glances at me. "You feeling it, Kami?"

I touch the pear on my plate and it sprouts leaves. I shrug.

"I guess not," Oz says .

Malkar smiles. "A dryad. Ah, now we really must talk…Kami."

I flush, not sure why. "About what?"

Before he can answer, Enwiss yells to get our attention. "Oy! Look here."

A few prisoners ignore him. One in particular gives him an insulting gesture and mentions Enwiss's mother. The poor woman.

After being electrocuted, the rude monster pisses himself while seizing on the floor.

Everyone shuts up and stares at Enwiss.

"Okay, fucknuts. Here's the deal. You get tonight to relax, regroup, and conserve your strength. If you're smart, you'll make alliances. No killing anyone before tomorrow, though. Save all that energy for the arena."

Arawhel, the mage with the electric ball from earlier, adds, "We want strong, sharp combatants for the games. Rilitar demands it."

There's a moment of silence. No one wants to get even more on the mob boss's bad side.

Enwiss continues, "Enjoy your freedom. Your rooms are above, and you're sharing. But again, no killing." He glances my way and smiles. "Take your pleasure while you still can."

Way too many gazes turn to me.

Fuck you so much, Enwiss.

I tense, telling myself I'm not getting raped tonight or any other night. I'll do whatever I have to in order to make it through this nightmare.

I concentrate on images of making Rilitar pay for killing Ahza.

Yeah, that dispels the fear enough I can function.

The food and dishware vanish. Then the tables go as well .

I hurry with the others to stand. The few who aren't so quick fall on their asses when the furniture disappears.

We gather into a line and walk to a stairwell I hadn't before noticed. Once on the second floor, Oz and I are pushed by guards into a room already occupied by three other monsters.

They ignore Oz but focus on me with wide, ugly grins.

Before the shifter and ghouls can do anything, though, the three guys who had been sitting across from us enter. Crash watches while Malkar lifts the werewolf as if he's a child and Ries shoves the ghouls headfirst into the hallway.

"Enjoy the evening, bitches." Ries grins at me. "Hey cutie. I have a proposal to put to you before the white-haired freak gets his turn. I think you're going to like what I have in mind."

I can't help staring at the massive erection tenting the guy's pants.

I swallow audibly, and he laughs. "Not yet, pretty dryad. But soon. Now here's what I'm thinking…"