“What’s going on? Doyouhave any idea what’s going on, Zara?” he seethed.
“Kirobus,” a female centaur with a long dark braid down her back approached them. “What seems to be the problem?”
Ignoring her, he took a step forward, invading Zara’s personal space. “Zara, you are ignorant of their ways?—”
“Excuse me?” Her nostrils flared. “How dare you call me ignorant?”
“I…” He scrambled for the right words, the fire in his chest now spreading all over his body. “What I meant was you are innocent.”
“Innocent?” That clearly enraged her more. “You better choose your next words carefully.”
He inhaled deeply. “You do not want to go in there.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “And why not?”
“Because…because…” How was he supposed to explain this to her? “You just…you can’t.”
“Excuse me.” The female centaur once again interrupted, this time, placing a hand on both his and Zara’s shoulders. “Just tobe clear, you do not wish for Zara to enter thekezilwith another male, correct?”
Finally, someone who was reasonable!
“Yes, she shouldn’t be in there?—”
“Say no more,kirobus.” She clicked her tongue twice at her companions. “The rope!”
“Thewhat?”
Before he or Zara could move, a thick rough-hewn rope wound around his shoulders and pulled him closer to Zara. Their bodies slammed together, and the others cheered as they were dragged inside the dimly-lit tent.
“What in Khrona’s name is going on?” Hektor wiggled, but the rope only tightened its grip. “You cretins! Free us,” he shouted.
“That’s not gonna work,” Zara whispered.
“I am a Drakkon,” he declared. “I can free us from these restraints.” Flexing his muscles, he pushed outwards with his arms, trying to loosen or break the rope but it didn’t budge. “What in the world is this?”
Zara wiggled her body, then peered up at him. “It’s a magical rope.”
“Magic? You are jesting.”
“No, I’m not. The centaurs explained it to me.”
“Did they explain how to get free of its bonds?”
“Yes.”
He huffed. “And?”
She chomped on her lower lip. “It’s part of a game. We’re trapped here for eighteen minutes. That’s the name of the game.Zegizh minwha.It’s similar to a game we play in the Upperworld called—” Her mouth clamped shut.
“What game?” He tried wiggling again, but to no avail. “What game, Zara?”
“Er, it’s called seven minutes in heaven.”
“Seven minutes—” He muttered a low curse. She didn’t have to further explain as he was able to piece together the mechanics of the game from context. “So, we can just wait out these eighteen minutes until the magic frees us?”
“I suppose we could.” She blinked up at him. “But there’s a way the ropes will loosen quicker.”
“How?”
