Page 21 of Rune Assassin

“The bubbles are not merely bubbles but are crafted with a magic that could cause an explosion strong enough to destroy stones.” Miles came up behind him with a covered platter in one hand. Lusio grabbed the knob of the lid and pulled it off. The crowd strained to see the contents but we in the booth could see the mess of broken rocks that littered the platter.

Lusio waved his hand at Miles who proceeded down the steps and over to the crowd to indulge their curiosity. “This is what happens to a stone struck by the worst of the bubbles. The stone shatters into a million small pieces and this is but a fraction of those pieces.” Miles made sure to give Cordelia a good look at the remains before he returned to the terrace. Lusio rubbed his hands together and grinned. “Now then, Miss Blost, are you ready?”

She plastered a smile on her face but her eyes told a story of irritation and threats of death. “Of course.”

“Then let the trials begin!”

Lusio snapped his fingers on one raised hand and the bubble bowls began to glow. There were many different colors but the same size of bubbles slowly emerged from the mouth of the bowls. The droplets broke free of the pots and hovered a few inches above the rim before they zipped forward toward Cordelia.

She reached into her dress and pulled out a small worn satchel. The woman was forced to dodge the first barrage of bubbles but a few of them exploded on her arms. Great balls of fire shot up and she winced and stumbled back. The crowd cheered the flaming explosions that left Cordelia’s arms singed.

Cordelia wrenched the bag open and drew out a vial of some green liquid. She threw the vial at the sand at her feet and the glass exploded, sending a thick mist up around her. The bubbles struck the mist and it was like watching an overly eager vampire attack its first victim. The moisture was sucked out of the bubbles and they didn’t so much pop as shriveled out of existence.

The crowd clapped and cheered as Cordelia stood in the center of her protective fog while the bubblers pounded away at her defenses. They could do nothing, however, and after a minute Lusio snapped his fingers. The bubble pots stopped their rampage though the glow in the bowls didn’t subside.

“Bravo, Miss Blost!” Lusio shouted as he clapped his hands. “You have passed the first test!”

The young men in the audience cheered as the fog dissipated. Cordelia appeared waving her hand to clear the mist but the moment the air was mostly free of color she turned to the audience and bowed low, giving the single men and many married ones what they wanted. She then turned to Lusio and sashayed over to him where she joined him at the top of the stairs.

“Are you in need of some medical attention?” Lusio asked her as he accepted her outstretched hand.

She smiled and shook her head. “I was hardly touched.”

Lusio smiled. “We shall see, but until then-” He turned his attention to the audience and raised his voice. “We shall have the next contestant!”

CHAPTERTWELVE

Beringer roseto his feet and sauntered past our group. He took up position in the center of the sand with a bemused smile on his face. The older gentleman received polite claps from the audience, but most were amused by his advanced age compared to the woman who had just left the stage.

“Are you ready, Mr. Beringer?” Lusio called to him.

Beringer leaned on his cane where he faced our host and nodded. “I am, sir.”

Lusio snapped his fingers and the bubble pots were revived. The dangerous droplets floated above their containers before they shot across the sand to their victim. Only Beringer wasn’t a victim.

He smiled and tapped his cane against the ground. The very air vibrated as the ground shook. The women in the crowd let out screams and leapt to their feet.

“Be calm, everyone!” Lusio shouted as he held up his hands. “There is nothing to fear from the contestants! You are perfectly safe!”

The same couldn’t be said for the staves. The sticks rattled as cracks shot out from the base of the cane and darted through their ranks. Many threatened to fall over and a few splashed their contents onto the ground. The vibrations in the air meant the bubbles popped before they could travel even halfway to Beringer.

“Enough!” Lusio yelled as he snapped his fingers. The magic dulled and the bubbles stopped coming.

Beringer stopped his earthquakes and the sand settled back into the cracks. Soon it looked as if nothing had happened.

“You have passed,” Lusio announced.

There was sparse applause from the crowd but Beringer bowed his head nonetheless before he exited the field. He resumed his seat beside Cordelia who looked him over with an amused smile. “You made quite the show.”

Beringer smiled at her. “Thank you.”

She dropped her eyes to his untouched person and the corners of her lips twitched downward. “And not a scratch on you.”

His eyes twinkled. “No.”

Lusio waited for the crowd to settle down before he cleared his throat. “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the representative from the Key senate, Mr. Quinn Rowan.”

The introduction caught the attention of the spectators, and while the clapping wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as for Cordelia everyone’s eyes were focused on Quinn as he stood. He skirted around the booth and down the steps where he positioned himself in the same spot as the others.

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