Set Fire to the Gods by Sara Raasch & Kristen Simmons

Author:Sara Raasch & Kristen Simmons [Raasch, Sara & Simmons, Kristen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780062891587
Google: vQy8DwAAQBAJ
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2020-08-03T23:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

Madoc

“JANN’S BEEN FAVORING his right side since the first match.” Elias fastened Madoc’s breastplate, pulling the metal flush to his chest. “When you make your move, go for those ribs.” Elias jabbed him in the spot he meant, which reminded Madoc too much of Stavos’s body and the puckered wounds around the arrows in his back.

Madoc focused on the slashes of light streaming through the small barred window farther down the stone wall. The breeze that swept through the corridor from the arena carried the harsh bite of woodsmoke.

Ash was fighting outside. He’d heard the announcement before they’d made their way to the corridor near the south entrance. Her opponent was someone named Brand, and it had taken extreme force of will not to go to the window to see who was winning.

Ash’s fight was her business. The Metaxas’ lives didn’t depend on her advancement.

“He’ll see it coming,” Madoc said, rubbing the side of his unshaven jaw, where Narris had landed a punch in training that had knocked Madoc on his back just yesterday. One of his heels bounced against the floor.

“It won’t make a difference if you can get there faster,” Elias told him, moving to the other side for the final adjustments to his armor. “He’s from Arsia—the ground is softer there, so he’ll think that he’ll be able to pull up more of it than he can.”

Madoc pictured the northern province, circled on the map pinned to the wall in the barracks by Jann. Arsia has the finest dirt and the finest lovers, he’d declared all week. Madoc hadn’t thought that information would actually prove useful.

More smoke wafted in on the breeze as, outside, the crowd erupted in cheers. Had Ash pinned her opponent or had Brand defeated her? Madoc didn’t know if he wanted her to win or lose. A victory might secure her safety a little while longer, buy her favor with Ignitus. But her victory also meant that Madoc might have to fight her in the final battle.

And Madoc had to win that final battle.

A high cry stabbed through his concentration, weakening his resolve not to watch the event outside. Pulling away from Elias, Madoc stalked to the window. Please let her fight be over, he found himself thinking, even as he wished it would go on forever, just so he wouldn’t have to face Jann.

He spotted Ash immediately. Her armor was charred on her left hip and her long hair was slicked back with sweat. She’d lost her sword in the sand and her hands were open, pulsing with deadly balls of orange flames. With another cry, she launched herself across the arena toward Brand—a young, thick-shouldered gladiator carrying a shield and a spear. Fire hurtled from Ash’s hands, barely blocked by Brand’s shield. Just before she reached him, she dropped to the ground, kicking out his feet in a spray of sand.

Madoc’s pulse tripped as Brand fell to his knees. The spear landed just out of reach, and as Brand stretched for it, Ash pounced on his back.

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