Bound by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #2)(44)

“We could always try talking to them,” I said dubiously as I glanced at the maddened shifters snarling in their cages. “Maybe get some information that could help us stop this”.

“Already tried that,” Lakin growled. “They’re unresponsive, the lot of them. Full of blood lust.”

For three more fights, we watched shifter after shifter get thrown into that horrible cage and forced to fight each other. The drugs pumping through their system made them ferocious – they didn’t even think twice about attacking each other once they were free of their shackles and thrown into the ring. The humans ate it up of course – they shouted and cheered and threw popcorn and apple cores at the shifters, as if the beasts fighting in the cage weren’t living, breathing beings that deserved respect and freedom. It made me sick to my stomach, both the inhumanity of the situation and the effort it took to hold back the emotion that kept trying to burst out of me.

“Alright, ladies and gentlemen!” the announcer cried after the last two shifters – a cougar and a wolf – were dragged off the stage and returned to their cages. “And now for our final match, I offer you a treat! Lion versus tiger, in a fight to the death!”

Horror rushed through me, propelling me to my feet, and I nearly jumped off the bleachers before I remembered myself. Luckily, the rest of the crowd surged to their feet with cheers and whoops, so my cover wasn’t blown. Blood pounded hot and heavy in my ears as I stared at the ring, watching as the lion and tiger shifters were tossed inside. My heart twisted as I watched the tiger – a female – struggle to her feet, her long hair matted and the bags under her eyes so deep they looked like smudged charcoal. Whatever they’d been pumping these shifters up with was clearly hitting her harder than the male she was facing, who’d already started to change. I could tell the woman was struggling to reach for her beast, but it wasn’t happening.

He’s going to rip her to shreds.

A wave of helplessness washed over me as I watched the glow fade from around the lion shifter’s form, and I clenched my trembling hands into fists. I felt so useless, so ashamed. Who was I to call myself an Enforcer, if all I could do was stand by and watch as one of my own kind was murdered?

You are not just a shifter, Sunaya Baine, a voice murmured in my head. You are also a mage, and it is your birthright to use your magic to protect the weak.

I started, not just at the unfamiliar voice in my head, but at the way the air around me changed – it grew lighter somehow, reminding me of the air inside Resinah’s temple. I didn’t know if it was she who spoke to me but the words filled me with strength, and my doubts and fears fell away. I wasn’t helpless – I had the power to help these victims, and damned if I wasn’t going to use it.

Reaching for my magic, I focused all my attention into the center of the ring, willing the illusion in my mind to form. Two seconds later, a towering flame sprang to life right between the two combatants, licking the ceiling with its long, colorful tongue. The lion shifter, who was about to pounce, shrank back, and the crowd’s cheers turned to terrified shrieks as the fire began to spread.

Of course the fire wouldn’t actually burn them, but they’d feel the heat and smell the smoke as if it really were.

The humans in charge of the Royale rushed to contain the shifters, a few of them throwing sand on the flames to try and put them out. I allowed the illusion to die down before the humans realized the fire wasn’t real, and leapt from the bleachers as everyone else stampeded for the exits. I tried to make a run for the cages, but Annia grabbed the back of my dress and yanked me back.

“Get ahold of yourself, Naya,” she growled. “You’ll blow our cover for sure!”

I snarled, spinning around to confront her, but the velocity of the stampeding crowd forced me to either follow her or get trampled. People pushed and elbowed each other as the crowd clogged outside the stairwell, and I glanced back once more at the shifters stuck in their cages. They were already being moved out of the room by the few staff members who weren’t corralling the spectators into an orderly evacuation, through a panel that had been slid open at the corner of the far wall when we weren’t looking.

Guess we weren’t allowed to use it as an emergency exit.

I wanted to turn around and investigate the secret entrance so badly it was a physical ache in my chest, but I knew Annia was right. If I did anything more now it would only blow our cover and possibly get us, and the shifters, killed. No, it was better to get an actual team of Enforcers, ones who weren’t being bribed, to come in here and arrest everyone. Until then, we had to pretend we were normal humans just like everyone else.

Once we made it to the upper floor of the warehouse, things calmed down a bit. Members of the event staff worked to direct the flow of traffic to the various exits, and they managed to gather everyone into the lot outside of the front of the building.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” The announcer called, standing up on the hood of a steamcar to make himself visible. “We apologize profusely for that rude interruption of tonight’s Royale. Our staff has managed to put the fire out, so there is no need to call the fire department. If anyone is injured, please head over to the front – we have professionals who will render you first aid. For the rest of you, we are giving out free tickets to our next Royale as compensation for the abrupt end to this evening’s entertainment. For those of you who are interested, please go and see Solin Endeman over there.” The announcer pointed to his right, where Solin, the man who’d sold us the tickets, stood waiting.