At the center of the square enclosure, Niche floated above an altar placed between flaming torches. Her hair had that rippling water effect, and her arms drifted as though she were underwater. She was encased in a block of glowing air, a protective cube of magic.
Chimeras circled around the steps of the raised altar, holding off several of the other competitors. Their lion bodies paced around and they snarled and growled at any who dared come closer. I spotted Brax try to slip around them from behind, but the moment he did the chimera’s snake-tail struck out. Brax jumped back, the tail’s venomous fangs barely missed his midsection. The body of a lion and the tail of a cobra. This was going to be a hard fight. Heads you die, tails you die.
Lightning forked out over the star-riddled sky, and in the distance thunder rumbled. The turbulent weather reflected my inner turmoil. How was I going to get past the pack of chimeras and rescue Niche? Would the others survive if I did? Would I survive if I did?
One competitor sprinted forward. With his speed he may have a chance. As he jetted by, I caught spots on his tan skin. Jaguar shifter? The light of the torches reflected off his black crew cut and olive-colored skin. He was small and agile like a ninja. Every move he made was like that of a dancer. Just when I thought I saw an opening in their ranks, the jaguar sprang forward between two of the four guards.
An inch before he reached Niche a cobra-headed tail snapped out latching onto his thigh. He tilted his head back and screamed in agony. The lion roared and whipped its tail about. The jaguar flailed, blood pouring from his leg. Then the chimera tossed him away like a house cat flinging a dead mouse aside. I swallowed steeling my nerves against these beasts.
They rubbed against each other as though they were a pack, roaring and licking, all the while pacing around Niche. Beckett glanced over his shoulder at me, then filled his hand with a glowing blue energy ball. “You ready for this?”
The flames going down my swords flared higher. “Bring it on.”
I flipped forward twisting my body to hurdle over them. Beckett flung his energy balls turning them into disks. I leapt from one to the other creating a staircase up and over the chimeras.
I swung out with my sword and sliced the head of a cobra from its tail. The lion spun toward me bearing its teeth, about to strike. An arrow suddenly jutted from its eye. Ashryn! Yes! The lion’s tooth had caught my shirt, but now it ducked away batting at its eye. My feet hit the ground and I spun toward Niche sprinting up the stairs toward the altar. Beckett landed beside me. I glanced over my shoulder catching Ashryn’s eye and nodded thanks.
Grayson sped to my other side. His hair was windblown and his cheeks pinkened from exertion. “Ready for this?”
“Yeah.” I tightened my grip on my swords waiting for the chimeras to turn and follow us up to the altar. I darted forward taking the stairs two at a time. When I reached the top I dove into the magical field that protected Niche. I pulled her from her frozen state and into my arms. On the other side of the altar, Brax wrestled with two chimeras, holding them apart by the throats. Cuts marred his torso and legs, yet he didn’t let go. “This way, Tuck!”
Behind him Adrienne looked as though she was about to leap over the chimera. A the last second her toe caught on the stone step she tumble forward, and inexplicably rolled between the two chimera Brax held at bay. When she shot to her feet she peered around dazed as to how she got there. “Come on, Tuck!” She waved me forward then fell back on her hands scrambling away.
Behind us the other two chimeras charged against Grayson and Beckett. I jumped down from the altar and ran toward him. The moment my feet hit the first step I felt the magic shift around me, as though the walls that had been holding us in before had dropped. One chimera swung its head digging its teeth into Brax’s arm. Brax’s teeth elongated into tiger fangs as he bellowed in agony. His hand dropped a second before I reached him.
The chimera pivoted shoving its tail towards Niche’s neck. I turned and shielded her with my body. Two piercing wounds dug into my ribcage as the cobra-tail bit into my skin. I clenched my teeth feeling the venom seep into my blood. It lit it on fire in ways I’d never felt. My knees buckled and hit the ground. I threw my hand over Niche’s head protecting her from the other chimera. Its breath tickled my neck and its teeth were an inch away from my skin when suddenly Grayson charged at it with his vampire speed throwing his shoulder into its side. “Bad kitty!”
The chimera went flying. The others took a step back, hesitating to charge at me. Beckett knelt down beside me. “Can you make it?”
Sweat poured from my body, dripping off my chin and onto the gray stone steps. My hands shook around Niche. Her body was heavy in my arms. “I- I don’t think so.” I sat back on my heels and turned handing her over to Beckett. “Get her out of here. I felt the magic shift, you should be able to portal now.”
The moment her weight was lifted from my arms I fell over letting the coolness of the stones seep into my skin. As a phoenix I couldn’t burn from any sort of fire, but the chimera’s venom felt like acid melting away my veins. As I gazed up at the star-studded sky I couldn’t help but wonder, Is this what death feels like? Black dots swarmed my vision and the last thing I saw was Grayson’s pale face lingering over me and then…darkness.