That crowd cheers now, realizing that I’m the last gladiator left standing, but there’s something muted about the cheering, as if they can’t quite believe that I would slay my enemies with the same brutality as Selene.
I raise my spear in victory, and Selene stands.She applauds me, and the amplification effect of the senate box makes the clapping resound around the colosseum.She’s smiling as ifshe’sthe one who’s just won.Maybe she thinks she has, forcing me to do exactly what she wants.
“Well done, Lyra.You are the victor.I always knew, if I put you in the right spot, you would put aside your foolishness refusal to slay your foes.”Selene looks around at the crowd.“There’s a lesson in what happened here.A lesson in why weneeda strong ruler, a ruler with magic beyond anyone else.There are some situations that require ruthlessness and power.Some situations where there is no choice but to slay your foes.”
I can see people nodding along with her.Selene thinks she’s forced me to do something fundamentally against my nature.But she’s declared me the victor in this bout, so it’s time to show her the truth.
I call to the crocodiles, bringing them back to the surface.Each of them holds a gladiator in its jaws, and each of those gladiators gasps and splutters as they finally get a breath of air.There’s blood in the water, because there’s only so gently the jaws of a crocodile can close, but those gladiators are very much alive.
I spread my hands, and the crocodiles let go of their prey, obeying me even though their instincts are to bite down and kill, to tear and devour.I send the crocodiles swimming neatly away, heading for the same gate they came in through.The trainers there open it, and I remove them from the colosseum.
Selene looks down at the scene in shock.
“No!”she says.“You can’t do this.Your enemies are still alive, Lyra.This bout is not done!”
“I’ve knocked every enemy from the platforms,” I say.“You yourself declared the fight done.”
“That was before,” Selene says.“Now-”
“Right now, you are not yet an empress,” I snap.“And I will not kill just because you want me to.Does anyone here want to dispute that I’ve earned my place in the final?”
None of the gladiators speaks up.They’ve obviously realized how much worse things could have gone for them.I can feel the relief coming from some of them.After all, they could have been in Selene’s bout, cut down just so she could prove a point.
I raise my spear again, and this time, the roar from the crowd is almost deafening.Selene might not be happy with the way I’ve won, but she can’t deny that I have.I walk from the floor of the arena, heading for the preparation rooms.
I’ve fought my way through to the final.I’ve passed every test Selene and her followers have put in front of me.I can feel the anticipation of the crowd already starting to build as they realize the consequences of my victory against so many foes.
I will be fighting Selene this evening, for the throne of Aetheria.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
I spend the time between the morning bout and the grand finale in the receiving rooms of the colosseum.I have Alaric by my side, using a disguise as a young nobleman rather than a trainer, this time.I can see him watching everything around me carefully, clearly looking out for any danger.
“I don’t like being here,” he whispers.“There are too many people around here who might want to hurt you, just to make it easier for Selene to win.”
He almost dashes a goblet of wine from the hand of a servant offering it to me.I manage to take it before he can, smiling an apology to the servant in question.
“We don’t know whether that’s poisoned or not,” he says.
I sniff the wine, borrowing something from the senses of the rats in the colosseum so that I can smell it more carefully.There’s no trace of anything that shouldn’t be there, no hint of poison or drugs that might slow me down.
“I think it’s fine,” I say.
"Oh, the wine is perfectly safe."Selene approaches, and I tense.She raises her voice, looking around at the rest of the room."If any of my friends does anything to interfere with our contest, they will no longerbemy friend.I will regard them as a traitor, undermining the fundamental principles of Aetherian law.They will be punished as such, to the fullest extent of the law.”
I can see a few figures looking nervously at Selene, then at me.How many of them were planning to find a way to sabotage me?Were they planning to tamper with my armor or drug me, make it so my weapons would break, or quietly stab me before the bout so that I might bleed to death during it?
There are so many possible ways that someone might rig this final contest against me, but it seems like Selene doesn't want to win that way.She truly believes what she says about those with the most magic deserving to rule, and Selene won’t be happy taking the throne unless she can prove her superiority in the arena.
“I want a fair fight,” Selene says.“No tricks, no games.Just you and me, facing one another.You can’t beat me like that, Lyra.”
“You sound very certain of that,” I say.
“I am,” Selene replies.“I know what you can do, and you’ve seen what I can do in return.You aren’t strong enough to beat me.”She turns on her heel, getting ready to walk away, but then pauses.“Oh, and Alaric, you can drop your disguise.No one is going to take you and throw you in a cell.At least...not until this is done.”
Alaric looks briefly shocked.Clearly, he thought, as I did, that his illusions were fooling everyone.His features shimmer, returning to their usual form.He glares at Selene.I get the feeling that he might attack her if he thinks he might get away with it.
“Enjoy the rest of the day here,” Selene says.“Say goodbye to one another.I’ll be killing Lyra soon enough.”
