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She released her hold on its fur, standing upright and hefting the spear in both hands, whirling it about and sinking the broad blade into the ape’s shoulder She put all her weight on the haft, teeth gritted as she forced it deeper, feeling it grinding on bone and slicing through sinew until it protruded froasping bellow of pain and confusion issuing fro from the spear-blade to Reva, now crouched in the sand, ready to dodge another charge Seeing its eyes, however, dulled with pain and the knowledge of defeat, she saas done even before it sank to its knees with a gurgling whine
Reva glanced about, finding herself less than a hundred yards froe, s with sisterly pride as the crowd’s unbidden exultation filled the arena A brief look at the upper tiers confirmed the absence of archers; Varulek had kept his word
She rose and walked towards the balcony, her eyes picking out the eagle motif in the centre Flowers cascaded down fro the sand around her in aa grunt of frustration at the growing blanket of flowers How to find it aular line in the sand, only partially obscured by a cluster of roses She raised her eyes to the E Reva went to one knee, keeping her gaze on the E towards the line until they felt the rough weave of coarse fabric Her fingers bunched on it, ripping it away, sand erupting in a large plule arrow alongside it
The crowd fell to instant silence as so landed in the sand with a soft thud Reva closed her eyes, air escaping her in a hiss Just one arrow
She opened her eyes, finding herself staring at Varulek’s slack, lifeless face Fro from the stump of his severed neck it was clear he had died onlyto find the Empress now shielded by a wall of Arisai, but instead she stood as she had before, precariously close to the edge, arreat skill in concealing yourself fro, little sister,” she said “The Honoured Master of the Arena did not”
The doors in the arena walls sla fro a circle around Reva, Lieza and the dying ape Lieza tried to run to Reva’s side but was quickly brought down by a trio of Arisai, laughing as she spat and thrashed in their grip
“I aift to my sister,” the Eed her attention back to the balcony where the Eet
“But, if we are to share power,” the Empress continued, “I am forced to conclude that you require a lesson in its cost Poas never ithout blood, ambition never fulfilled without sacrifice So before dear Lieza receives the three deaths, the Arisai have orders to rape her in front of you for a day and a night But, of course, you can spare her such a fate” She pointed at the bow and the single arrow a few inches from Reva’s hand “It seems you have a choice to make, little sister”
CHAPTER NINE
Frentis
“Volar features the most heavily fortified harbour in the world,” the Fleet Lord said, his gloved hand sweeping across the es frayed and the waxed parchhly detailed “Towers on either side of the harbour h walls on the moles that enclose it The dockside itself has six different strongholds, each holding a battalion of Varitai”
The ht it doith a dagger The day had daith an ominous sky and an unseasonal chill to the air Frentis could see the trepidation on the faces ofthey feared the onset of another Dark-born storh Ell-Nurin himself scoffed at such notions “Sailed the Cut half a hundred ti Dark about it”
“How do you propose we attack such a place?” Karavek asked the Fleet Lord “Unless you intend to commit my people to some suicidal enterprise”
“I certainly don’t” Ell-Nurin’s finger tracked to a shallow inlet five miles east of the city “This is Brokev’s Notch, favoured haunt of s as there’s been an earb, stepped forward to peer at the h for three ships abreast that far in” Ell-Nurin said nothing, staring at hiritted his teeth, and added, “My lord”
“We land in relays,” Ell-Nurin said “Form up on the beach and march on Volar from the east, the least expected direction”
“The Empress is mad but not foolish,” Frentis said “She may well have anticipated thea fortified shore”
“Which is why a third of our ships, those not laden with troops, will linger outside the harbour co about to make an assault With luck the Empress will concentrate her forces there”
“They could sally out,” the Asraelin captain pointed out “Seek to break the fleet in two before we land”
“Thanks to Lady Alornis’s marvellous devices,” Ell-Nurin replied, “and our considerable advantage in nuht attempt” He turned to Frentis “Brother, I leave it to you to decide the order of landing”
Frentis nodded “My own people first The Politai next Master Karavek’s people last”