Rise of the Gryphon (Belador #4)(82)

Tristan let her finish. “The only place I can go from here is T?μr Medb. Get in line.”

“Have you really swapped sides?”

He caught her by the throat and lifted her.

She grabbed his arm, squeezing to break bone.

Clenching his teeth, he brought her to his face and whispered, “I’m compelled, dammit. I can’t do anything to help you or any other Alterant. Kizira will be here soon. If I show you any leeway, she’ll kill me and my sister. She only brought Petrina here to dangle her life in front of me if I show any sign of not being under her power.”

Evalle caught on quickly that he was covering their chance to talk by manhandling her, but Storm would be livid.

Tristan’s grip loosened, but he kept a deadly glare pasted on his face. She struggled against his hold to make their confrontation look believable and whispered, “I don’t want to leave here without you and your sister.”

“You’re not leaving and neither will any of the others. Kizira won’t allow it. You want to help us, come to T?μr Medb.”

“I can’t. VIPER and the Beladors will think I’ve gone rogue.”

“Sen’s waiting outside for you.”

“What?”

Tristan murmured, “Kizira’s coming,” and shoved Evalle away. “Get. In. Line. Now.”

She got up, dusted her pants and stepped over to the end of the line . . . next to Boomer.

Storm watched it all from outside the dome. Evalle gave a small shake of her head, telling him not to try anything. His jaw was set with determination that worried her about just what he might do.

Purple haze swirled, spinning a moment, then ending with Kizira, priestess of the Medb, in skintight black pants and a snug top. “Congratulations on surviving your fights and to those of you who won your Elite matches in the Achilles Beast Championship.”

Kizira continued, “Negotiations have been completed. You now belong to the Medb.”

“I don’t have a sponsor, so I speak for myself,” Evalle said. “I don’t believe you can make good on your offer.”

Kizira turned on her. “Oh? Then why did you enter the beast championship?”

Evalle had been expecting that. “To tell these Alterants that they have another option.”

“If they didn’t belong to me, that might be true,” Kizira countered, then addressed everyone. “But why would any of you turn down the opportunity we’ve offered that would allow you to protect yourself and those you care about?”

Rumblings of approval rolled through the group.

Boomer leaned over and told Evalle, “I’ll be a free man as soon as I become immortal, and when I do, you’re the first one I’m going to kill. The next one’s going to be your pretty healer.” Then he shouted at Kizira, “Take me first.”

Several more made noises of agreement. Even Bernie wouldn’t meet Evalle’s gaze. This was a dismal failure. Evalle told Kizira, “They may not know better, but I do.”

“You mean you’d rather leave and have your healer face Kol to answer for helping during your match with Sandspur?”

Evalle looked at Storm then back at Kizira. “He didn’t.”

“He’ll have to prove it, because a wizard by the name of Grendal claims you were helped and that he can prove it.”

Evalle couldn’t give up Lanna.

Neither could she let Storm face Kol.

With no comeback from Evalle, Kizira kept selling her program to the entire group. “You are all offered a chance to become warriors who can defeat death, but I do not want any who are not willing to prove themselves worthy. Step forward if you wish to join us in T?μr Medb, where as warriors you will be treated well and trained fully. If you do not step forward, you become the property of Kol D’Alimonte.” Kizira’s gaze landed on Evalle when she added, “And as I understand it, VIPER has a contingency of agents waiting to apprehend any Alterant caught leaving here.”

This was the reason Sen had been so accommodating when she’d asked for the warded SUV. Just a piece of cheese for his trap, because he’d assumed she would come for the chance at immortality. It wouldn’t matter that she’d come for the right reasons, she was still going to be facing a Tribunal if he took her in.

Evalle watched every Alterant in the dome take a step forward. All but her.

None of this bunch would give up the opportunity Kizira outlined.

Leaving this beast championship after being seen by plenty of people who would sell Evalle out in a minute would end with her facing the Tribunal. Macha would not come to her defense once she found out no Alterants returned with Evalle.

If Evalle refused Kizira, Storm would be at Kol’s mercy. If she accepted the Medb offer, she’d have to walk away from the Beladors, and Storm, forever.





TWENTY-NINE





Evalle’s eyes met Storm’s. He hadn’t moved from watching the battle dome activity, but he couldn’t hear what was going on either.

Her heart hadn’t beaten this hard when she was fighting Boomer. She lifted a finger and touched the emerald, mouthing the words My choice.

Then she stepped forward to complete the line of Alterants accepting Kizira’s Medb deal.

Storm’s mouth dropped open. He started shaking his head and yelled a string of words she didn’t need her hearing to know were curses. Then he took off to his left.