I stand in stunned uneasiness. “What the hell is so funny?”
Osrik’s entire chest is rumbling, Judd is bent over clutching his stomach, and Lu has to wipe tears from her eyes. “Yeah,Rip,” she says through her laughs. “Why don’t you tell Gildy what’s so funny.”
He’s the first one to stop chuckling, but his dry amusement stays on his face. “Which one of you was it who spread that particular rumor?” he asks.
“Me,” Judd says proudly, running a hand through his floppy mustard hair. “Good to know it spread all the way to Sixth Kingdom.”
My brows draw together tight as I try to keep up. “Wait...what?”
Osrik is the one to answer me this time. “We gave him that nickname,” he explains with a lopsided grin. A smiling Osrik is a little freaky. “But it’s not for ripping people’s heads off. Nice touch, though, Judd.”
Mustard looks thoroughly pleased with himself. “I thought so.”
My thoughts stutter. “So Rip isn’t for...ripping off heads?” I repeat lamely.
Lu shakes her head. “No, but that’s funny as shit. Does everyone in Sixth think that?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I just heard it somewhere.”
“Divine, no wonder Midas’s guards nearly piss themselves every time you come around,” she laughs to Rip.
My shoulders stiffen as I round on him. “The guards?Myguards?”
Black eyes flick over to me. “Midas’s guards, yes.”
I ignore his pointed correction. “I want to see them,” I say, taking a step forward as new desperation fills me.
He doesn’t even blink. “No.”
Anger makes my ribbons tighten. “Why not? You let me visit the saddles.”
“That’s different.”
“How?” I press.
“Because those soldiers were meant to serve as your protection, and they failed,” he says evenly, all amusement gone from his expression, the shadows seeming suddenly darker over his face. “They don’t deserve for you to visit them.”
My head jerks back. “Don’t talk about them that way. There wasnothingthey could’ve done against the Red Raids. I want to see them,” I demand, my glare daring him to deny me.
The other three grow quiet, and I can practically feel their gazes bouncing between Rip and me.
The commander takes a step forward, and I instantly back up a step. I tell myself it’s an automatic reaction because he has all those sharp spikes out, but really, he’s plenty intimidating even without them.
“Fine,” he says, surprising me.
I should’ve known better, though. Should’ve seen where this was going by the arrogant tilt of his mouth.
He leans in dangerously close. “If you want to see them that badly, then I guess you’d better get started,” he tells me, black eyes glinting. “Because like I said, you’re not leaving the circle until you fight.”
Chapter 24
AUREN
Rip circles me.
The highest spike between his shoulder blades juts up like the fin of a shark breaking the surface of the water.
The other three have squared off against each other, every man and woman for herself, fighting like it’s their favorite game as they trade insults and goad one another.
