Page 65 of Clash of Storms
Sirius gave the bitch a dangerous smile. "Well, let's be honest. I'd never be on my ass in the mud. That right there should have given the game away."
He kicked her in the chest as she ran at him, and the breath slammed out of her as she flew through the air.
Shouts echoed in the mist. And the earth trembled, just a fraction.
"Wake up,"Sirius whispered, sending the thought through the earth.
"Over there!" someone called.
Any second now, he'd be surrounded. Unless he finished this swiftly. Vanishing into the mist, he stalked his prey as Roar floundered out of the mud
"You can't hide, Sirius," Roar hissed.
Sirius prowled through the steam, dropping to the psychic level."Who said I was hiding?"
"Come out and fight like a male."
"A male who needs four others to assist him?"Sirius laughed. "Ylve has bigger balls than you. But you always were a pathetic little hanger-on."
Ylve hauled Roar to his feet. "Where is he?"
"I don't know." Roar pushed her out of the way as he strode into the mist.
That's the way. Over here....
He moved parallel to Roar, searching for an opening, even as the sound of voices came nearer. Damn it. He was going to miss his chance.
"Wake up, Great Lord,"Sirius sent. "Someone killed your goat, so I brought you dinner."
For the first time, he sensed that enormous mind brush over his own as the greatdrekihunted for him. It came back to him, as if perusing him curiously. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"I am Sirius Blackfrost,"he replied."Of the Zini clan."
Pressure began to crush him as the beast surged fully awake."This is the second time I have been disturbed in as many days. You will pay a tithe for waking me."
"Gladly, my lord,"Sirius purred. Árdís must have encountered the great beast."Take your pick. I have brought you five dreki warriors."
"You betray your own kind?"
"They are my enemy, and will not face me one-on-one."
"Cowards."
"Yes."
Hard fingers stoked through the outer recesses of his mind."You arenotblood of my blood. You are not Zini."
"My father was Zilittu,"he replied."Though I was raised in this court."
A snarl filled his head. It was all he could do to keep standing. Mother of dragons, the sheer immense power.... Fáfnir was stronger than he'd believed. Stronger, perhaps, than even he could handle.
"You thought you could stand againstme?"Fáfnir sounded amused as he picked the thought out of Sirius's head."I could peel you open like a grape."
Crushing mental claws began to squeeze his mind. Sirius reinforced his mental shields, swaying before the blow.
"There is another here,"Fáfnir whispered, and the sound threatened to explode his eardrums."I can sense her."
Sirius forced the brutal beast out of his head."She has nothing to do with this."
