Page 86 of Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth

“How much will you need?”

“A fair amount,” it said, eyes trained on my already dripping palm a few inches from its face.

I nodded. It brought my hand gently to its mouth, and my body shuddered at Ezren’s lips, his tongue that ran along my palm. And then it sucked, drawing the blood from my veins.

At first, it was just a tug, as if a string ran through my body to my chest. But a few moments later, the tug turned into a pull, and then a yank. And then the yank did not remain isolated to my chest but came from everywhere. And I could no longer describe it as discomfort, but sheer pain. The essence of my flesh was being sucked out, leaking through every pore. I bit so hard on my lip, stifling my scream, that iron tang coated my tongue. My body shook, uncontrollably, and I remembered that Ezren could feel my suffering. But then the Talpa stopped, staring at me in wonder, and the pain disappeared.

“Did it work?” I asked, breathless, reeling from the ordeal and surprised it ended so soon.

“You, you are bound, child?” it asked softly, now gentle with me, still holding my palm.

I shook my head. “I still don’t fully know what that means, but yes, I am bound to the warrior Ezren.”

Familiar green eyes sparkled back at me. “Well, you have lost less life-blood today because of him. He sent me much of his, rapidly and with intention, so I needed no more than a few drops of yours. The process is not usually so… brief.”

I gaped at him, wondering how Ezren could have done such a thing. “Does that mean Ezren is your master?”

“No, no, it was your skin that was pierced. You have the power to dismiss me,” it replied.

“Well, then, Talpa, I release you of service to me or any master previously.”

And then it cried out, overjoyed, hopping some wild dance in Ezren’s form. It picked me up and twirled me around, and I got so lost in its jubilance that it took me a moment to register when it collapsed, gagging.

I rushed over, opening not-Ezren’s mouth. Carefully, I removed the lodged parchment, thick and crumpled like it had been the first time.

It read:

Competitor! Congratulations. Not only have you made this creature see your beauty, but you were the first to do so and have thus won the first contest. You have now moved to the contest of Strength.

Strength comes in many forms. There is strength of mind, of will, of resolve. There is corporal strength, the strength of skill and body. You must show all forms, as you must kill the Talpa standing before you.

The first to do so will win this event. The last to do so, and those who fail to do so before the next sundown, will be disqualified. Remember, contestant, you may eliminate your competitors at any time.

Skøl!

We both stilled, our arms placed on one another, and I looked into the creature’s eyes that were not its own. My gaze flashed to my wrist, where a shimmering gold tattoo snaked from one side to the other, leaving a gold band. If I’d been the first to complete the test of Beauty, I could guess what it meant. This was the winner’s mark. I pressed my eyes together in exasperation, drawing a slow breath. If I wasn’t a target for the other competitors before, I surely would be now.

I looked back to the Talpa, peering down at me. I shook my head. “I—I can’t. Even if you did not look like him, I cannot,” I whispered, slowly untangling myself from the creature. I took a step back, shaking.

I expected the Talpa to shift, to turn and bolt. But it did not. Instead, it leaped on me, knocking me to the ground.

Saving me from a whirring arrow that soared right over our heads.

“Crawl!” it shouted at me in a whisper.

But I did not follow its order. Instead, I wrapped my arms around it and I portaled us both.

We landed on hard ground, next to where I’d left Romeo. I panicked, wondering if our pursuers had caught my steed. But he whinnied on our arrival, appearing from behind a large oak.

“Thank the gods,” I muttered, jumping on his back. “Go Talpa. You are free. Leave this place and save yourself.”

The creature, still in Ezren’s form, turned to run but hesitated. “When were you born?”

I blinked at his question and Romeo danced, wanting to move. “We hardly have time for?—”

“What. Date.”He ground out urgently.

“Uhh—fifteen days after the last spring new moon, ninety-two days after the Spring Equinox in the old Fae calendar. My twentieth was mere days ago.Why?”

---