For amoment, the palace courtyard was stilled of motion.Even the sandwyrm seemed topause.Then, slowly, a few chuckles spurted out from the crowd, quicklybuilding into a chorus of hoots and shouts.The air of the dead city filledwith taunts.Isaac could feel the pirates jeering at him, rattling theirweapons and barking out laughter.
OnlySoren stayed quiet.She watched Isaac with a silent fury.He met her one-eyedgaze, his arms ready to cast.
“Shutup!”Soren yelled.“Shut up!”
Thelaughter died.The bunny stared him down.He could see his face reflected inher black eye.His dirty blond hair had grown long and wild.He was filthy,sunburned, unshaved, and just as gaunt and thin as a starving prisoner.
He knewhe looked pathetic.
Hopefully,he would not be pathetic, when it mattered.
“It’syour right,” Soren said, “to request a champion, unconventional they may be.”Slowly, she lifted her cutlass, aiming the point at Isaac’s chest.“You want tofight me, love?Is that bravery or ignorance?”
“Neither,”Isaac replied.“You’re barely worth my time.”
“Toughwords.”
“I’veearned them.”
Soren’sblack eye gleamed in the twilight.“Oh, I see it now.I see that fire in youreyes.You got some venom in your blood, don’t you, human?”
Isaacdidn’t answer.
Shescraped the tip of her cutlass across the knuckled courtyard pavement.“Knewthere was something off about you.The way you look—either you’re horriblylost, or you’re the meanest cunt standing here.”
Hestill did not answer.
Sorensnorted.“What is it then, Zaria?Is he some monk from a monastery, crackingstone with his fist?Got some magic tucked up his arse, does he?”She turnedher gaze to the hyena.“You willing to trust your life in his hands?”
“Wouldn’tbe standing here if I wasn’t,” Zaria said.
“Howabout I just sic my crew on you both and save us all the trouble?”
“We’lltake half your crew with us if you try.”Zaria turned back to the pirates.“I’ma fair sort.If my champion loses, I’ll submit.But the first lad who violatesmy rights is gettin’ his teeth carved out through his cock.That’s a promise.”
None ofthe pirates answered.Some were angry.Many were glancing nervously at eachother.A few were already stepping away.
“Enough,”Soren said.“Human.Do you pledge yourself in service of your knight here?”
“I do,”Isaac said.
“Do youunderstand that if you lose this duel, either by yield or death, then her lifeis forfeit?”
Next tohim, Zaria shifted slightly.
“I do,”Isaac said.
“Fine,then.You lot—scatter.”
The piratesstepped back, creating a circle around them.Zaria did so as well, pausing togive him one final squeeze of the shoulder.Soren never took her gaze off him.
“Jarrett,”she called.“Search him.Make sure he’s got nothing tucked away.”
A malefox stepped forward, approaching Isaac like one might approach a bomb.Hepatted him down, running over his legs and arms, pulling off his pack anddumping the contents on the ground.All his alchemical equipment rolled acrossthe knuckled pavement.Soren eyed the vials and ciphers, her black eye churningwith reflections.
“He’sclean, capt,” the fox said.“Nothing on ‘em.”
Thebunny’s ears flicked.“Give him your saber.”
