Page 80 of Lost and Stolen Gods
My stomach quivered. “Yes, Guru.”
“Step forward.”
I glanced at Pashim, but he was busy staring daggers at Guru Chandra.
I moved into the ring, my mace held loosely at my side.
“Kriti, I’d like you to attack Leela.”
Kriti blinked sharply. “Attack? All due respect, Guru, she’s a novice. I don’t wish to hurt her.”
“I’ll do it,” one of the other women offered. My heart sank. She had a mean mouth, and her eyes were such a pale gray they almost blended with her irises, giving her an evil vibe. Her silvery white hair was cutshort, leaving only a few tendrils curling against her cheeks. She would have been pretty if not for her sullen mouth.
“Very well, Briella. Please step forward,” Guru Chandra said.
“Excuse me, Guru,” Pashim said. “What exactly do we hope to achieve by this exercise?”
Guru Chandra fixed Pashim with a withering look. “I do not need to explain myself to you, Pashim, but since you have raised the question, I shall answer it for the class. With this demonstration you will see the disparity between you and them.” He pointed at Kriti and Evan. “It will allow you to gauge how far you must go to reach the level of expertise required to pass the tests.”
I would have thought watching Kriti and Evan fight had done that.
Briella’s weapon was a mace also, and she held it like she was ready to smash my head in.
Great. Just fucking great. The last thing I needed before the gauntlet was broken bones.
“You can do it, Leela!” Blue hopped up and down at the edge of the arena where the other anchors were standing.
“Your anchor is a rat?” Briella sneered. “How telling.”
“Fuck you, you squinty-eyed bitch!” Blue cried. “I bet your anchor is a worm. Kick her ass, Leela.”
“Not helping, Blue,” I bit out.
“No, he really isn’t,” Briella said. “I was going to knock you on your ass and leave it at that, but I think I might break a few bones now, just because.”
“Enough chatter,” Guru Chandra said. “Fight!”
Her mace flew at my face. I dodged and spun in time to block her second attack, and fuck, she was fast, giving me no time to gather my wits and attack, only to defend. Frustration ballooned inside me, growing larger and larger because this was so unfair.
I dodged another blow aimed for my face and grunted in pain as it glanced off my shoulder, jarring my arm and leaving it dead.
I ran backward, panic a live wire running through my body as she advanced. “You’re pathetic.” She swung hard, landing a blow smack bang in my solar plexus before I could dodge. The impact lifted me off my feet and flung me onto my back.
The air whooshed out of my lungs, and blood filled my mouth.
“Get up!” Blue yelled. “Leela, get up!”
I turned my head to find him, but found Araz instead, his body a mass of tension, one foot forward. Was he going to help me? But he stepped back and folded his arms, leaving me to my fate.
A shadow fell over me. “Get up!” Briella kicked me in the face. Stars filled my head, and her next words were buried beneath the ringing in my ears. “Get up so Ican finish this.”
I rolled onto my side, crying out as fire circled my torso, and Briella retreated.
“Surely this is enough?” Pashim said to Guru Chandra.
“Not yet,” Guru Chandra said.
I bit back a sob, pulling myself to my feet.
