The Book of the Sea (Vesik 11) by Eric Asher

Author:Eric Asher [Asher, Eric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Eric R. Asher
Published: 2019-11-21T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

The arena, as it was called, was small by the standard of most arenas Nixie had seen in her life. It wasn’t a full half circle, and there were only about twelve rows of stone seats leading to the top. Each row was carved from a curved section of marble and evenly spaced between one of three sets of stairs.

But the fact the arena wasn’t large didn’t mean it wasn’t full. Water witches and blue men shared the stands, intermingled with no obvious division between who was there to support Nixie, and who rooted for Deirdre.

Nixie’s opponent stood at the base of the arena called the orchestra. Deidra waited there, a half step below the pulpit that Shamus had led her in on. Nixie’s armor might have been better, as it was the armor of the queen of the undines, but Deidra’s would do its job.

Intricate battle scenes and one of the small round flags that marked Lewena’s followers adorned Deidra’s breastplate. The flattened metal gave a sharp line down to her waist where jointed layers of chainmail would protect against almost any strike. But even through that thick armor, Nixie knew a hard enough blow could do its damage. It would just be a matter of catching her when she wasn’t translucent and malleable.

“There’s still time to stop this,” Deidra said. “Give up the crown you don’t deserve.”

Nixie shook her head. “I step into this arena of my own free will.” She looked up to the stands. “No matter the outcome, remember that we can all change. You live in this place in peace. With no need of drowning the commoners, sinking their ships, stealing their children. Remember that. Remember I did not want this fight. You’ve chosen your champion. She will fall.”

Most of the stands remained silent. And that surprised Nixie. She’d witnessed more than one duel in her time. They were usually rife with taunts and insults. She hoped their silence was a good sign, but she had no way of knowing. She wouldn’t know until the fight was over, if she was the one still standing.

The moment Nixie’s boot hit the stone surface of the arena, Deidra struck.

Nixie heard the shouts from the crowd then. She heard the gasp from Shamus and the curses from Pace. Deidra’s assault may have been unsportsmanlike, but Nixie had expected it. She parried the blow, smoothly drawing one of her daggers as the water witch sailed by, her sword arcing out to strike at Nixie.

The blade in Nixie’s hand tested Deirdre’s defenses. She poked and swept and lunged to bait the other water witch. Deidra was skilled, easily dodging the blows and scoring a hit against Nixie’s wrist. The metal guard sizzled, and Nixie had no doubt that the blades Deirdre wielded were stone swords.

“You want a world overrun by the Unseelie Fae,” Nixie said. “You’re a fool.”

“And so what if it is?” Deirdre snapped. “Better to serve a ruler who knows their place in the world than bow down to the commoners.

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