“Which is a siphon, a seraph, and not allowed. I’m going to need you to place your blade”—Ezra removed one of the kamikira and waited—“in here.”
I opened my hand and materialized Ebonsoul. Its black blade glistened as I placed it in the case and took the kamikira instead.
“Anything else?”
“Your other weapon, please.”
I drew Grim Whisper and handed it to Ezra, holster first.
“I want to go on the record that I’m doing this under duress,” I said, thinking back to my conversation with Peaches and smiling. “Also, this sucks.”
“Understood,” Ezra said with a small smile of his own, before growing serious. “Neither Tristan, Peaches, nor I can help you during this examination. Do you understand?”
“I’m on my own. Fighting to the death with a powerful elder, who needs to make me jump through hoops to make sure I’m worthy of handling a mission that will probably kill me, and those close to me—crystal clear.”
“Good, you understand,” Ezra said with a nod. “Tristan, any last words?”
“Really?” I said, staring at Ezra in disbelief. “Last words?”
“My apologies, that came out wrong,” Ezra answered, stepping to one side. “I meant any final piece of advice you can share with Simon. Better?”
“Not really,” I said, shaking my head. “I think we both need to get out more.”
Monty stepped close.
“Red Mountain mages are adept martial artists, but most of them depend on their abilities and connection to the earth to supplement their techniques,” Monty said, glancing in Jen’s direction. “Use your observational skills, and break that connection. That is the only way you can get through this—alive.”
Just what I needed before a fight to the death; convoluted magespeak advice on how to take down my opponent that made absolutely no sense.
“That was completely cryptic and demotivational, but thanks—I think.”
“Remember: you are one with the force and the force is with you.”
I stood there mouth agape. “You just Imwe’d me?”
“Remember our conversation about frequency?”
“Vaguely.”
“This would be a good time to apply it.”
“I would, if I even understood what you were talking about.”
Peaches padded over and nudged my leg, gently, for the first time ever. That’s when I knew this was serious. I crouched down and grabbed his massive head with both hands.
<I’ll be okay, boy. She just wants to know if I’m flawsome enough to take this mission.>
<She wants to hurt you. If she hurts you, I’m going to bite her…hard.>
<No. You can’t. Rules say you can’t interfere. If you do, you’ll get hurt. I don’t want you to get hurt.>
<The rules are stupid.>
<I agree. Take care of Monty. Now, promise you won’t try and bite her.>
<Only if I don’t have to do an exercise program.>
<You are unbelievable, you know that? You can’t go back on that, you promised.>
<You have to promise to come back—alive. On your word as bondmate.>
<On my word as bondmate. I promise.>
With Ezra by my side, I headed over to the lawn where Jen stood waiting. He extended the case and she took the other kamikira.
“When I step back, this area will be self-contained,” Ezra said, waving a hand and forming an enormous circle beneath our feet. “The seal will only be broken when one of your energy signatures disappears, signaling death and the end of the examination.”
“Understood,” Jen said, moving to the other end of the circle. “I’m ready.”
“Good luck, Simon,” Ezra said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “We’ve given you everything you need to pass this examination. Use that coconut you call a brain, and figure it out before she shish-kebabs you.”
Ezra stepped out of the circle. A wall of sky-blue energy rose into place at the edge of the circle, enclosing Jen and me inside. I poked a finger at the wall.
It was as solid as steel when I pushed slow, but had some give when I jabbed a quick finger into its surface. It acted like some strange reverse non-Newtonian liquid. Unless I intended to run up and over the side of the wall in an extreme parkour move, I didn’t see a use for it. There’d be no leaping through the energy at the edge of the circle.
“Ready?” I heard Ezra say, and Jen and I nodded. “Begin.”
FIFTEEN
Several things didn’t make sense in a hurry.
Why kill me if she wanted me for this mission? Why not just take Ezra at his word? It’s not like his recommendation didn’t carry a certain weight—he was Death, after all.
Something else was happening here and I was missing it. I took a deep breath and calmed myself. Jen stood across the circle observing me, which was creepy as hell.
I was used to the raving-lunatic-racing-at me kind of opponent, but she just stood there, absolutely still, and gazed at me. It was unnerving, because it made me realize I couldn’t take her lightly. She was analyzing, extrapolating, and looking for weaknesses to capitalize on. It’s what I would do.
If I attacked, I created more openings for her to exploit. If I stood still, I was working on her timetable. Damned if I did, and damned if I didn’t. I took stock of the situation and slowed my breathing even more.
She was blind, but she could see. How? Is that why she was waiting? My movement would betray my location?
“Are you hoping I die of old age in here?” Jen asked. “Or maybe it’s boredom?”
I declined to answer and remained still.
Goading tactics. Easily ignored. I focused on what her body was doing, not what she was saying. She stepped to the side staying close to the edge of the circle. I stepped to the side, maintaining equidistance.
She moved with a practiced grace only produced by years of training. I wasn’t a slouch and had reached certain proficiencies with my prior training and, most recently, intensive training with Master Yat—although training with Master Yat felt like getting advanced lessons in pain tolerance.
I hefted the kamikira in my hand. The blade was perfectly balanced. The last time I faced one of these blades, my method of escape was leaping from
