Page 20 of Dance of the Phoenix
My hold on time, on my magic, released like air out of a balloon, and the pain receded to a lingering soft pounding in my temples. Blinking my eyes open, I realized I was down on my knees, raindrops falling now that time had resumed, wetting my hair and my clothes.
Ragnor crouched before me, putting his hand on my shoulder. “Again.”
A pathetic whimper escaped me. “I ... I can’t.”
“Yes, you can,” Ragnor insisted, forcing my head up with his fingers under my chin. His eyes met mine. “You held on for fifteen seconds this time. You need to keep on practicing so we can get to half a minute today.”
“I said that I can’t!” I snapped, glowering at him as I pushed his hand away from my face. “My head is fuckingkilling me, Ragnor! I can’t take it anymore!”
His face contorted in cold anger. “I didn’t take you for a quitter, Aileen.”
I shook with barely repressed rage. We’d been at it for the past two hours, and I was cold, exhausted, and at my wits’ end. My progress was so painfully slow, I was on the verge of having a frustrated meltdown.
Ragnor’s sigh brought my eyes back to his face. He gave me a pitying look that did nothing to calm my fury. “Look,” he said quietly, “in the Hecatomb, who do you think will win, Atalon or me?”
This was such a ridiculous, out-of-left-field question, I couldn’t help but let out a humorless bark of laughter. “You, of course.”
He nodded. “Yes, I’m stronger than him,” he said, not out of arrogance but with cold self-assuredness. “Then what do you think the Atalon League participating members will do?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
The rain grew from a drizzle to a full-on downpour, and Ragnor grabbed my elbows and helped me up to my feet. Once we were inside, he threw me a towel and led me to the dining table, where he sat me down and seated himself right next to me. “There are six fights in total in the Hecatomb,” he said then. “Five between the League members, and one between the Lords.”
“I remember,” I said, cuddling the towel close.
He nodded. “Since the battle between the Lords is the one to decide which League wins overall, do you remember what happens to the losing League’s members if they lose in the members-versus-members fights?”
I recalled the piece of paper he had shown me a few days ago, back in his office.
In the event that League X wins more rounds, and its Lord wins the final battle, League Y’s both Common and Gifted members will submit to be put in a special Hecatomb Auction.
In the event that League X wins more rounds, but the Lord of League Y wins the final battle, League X members have three choices:
1. Remain as a League and appoint a member as a new Lord
2. Initiate a Hecatomb Auction and dissolve the League
3. Become Leagueless
“Yes, I remember that too,” I said now as I realized where he was going with it.
“Now,” he said, “who do you think the Atalon League members believe will win?”
“You,” I said without hesitation.
He gave me a brief smile. “Yes, me. Then who do you think is more motivated to win the members’ rounds? My League, or Atalon’s?”
Realization dawned. “Atalon League,” I murmured, as things became clear. Ragnor was trying to tell me that even though everyone in both Leagues knew he was most likely to win the battle between the two Lords, when it came to the members’ fights, the Atalon League had far greater motivation to win.
Meaning the Rayne League members had to give it their all, too, or we would end up dead.
Grimacing, I looked away and said, “I do wonder, though, if it’s right for me to use magic when I’m signed up to the Hecatomb as a Common.” I thought of Atalon, and my hands curled into fists. “You’re not the only one who’s aware of my powers, after all.”
“That’s what he wants, I believe.”
I whipped my head toward him and narrowed my eyes when I saw his face turn somber. “You think Atalonwantsme to use my powers against his League members?”
“Yes,” Ragnor replied at once, “I believe that’s exactly what he wants.”
