Kato’s expression doesn’t change, but a flood of color hits his cheekbones.
“Why are you here?” Lycheron asks.
“I am Alpha Sinta,” Griffin announces, officially usurping Egeria. “I need you and your herd to guard the Sintan border while I seize the Tarvan throne.”
There’s a beat of surprised silence. Then Lycheron throws back his head and laughs. His laughter goes on long enough for a muscle near Griffin’s eye to tighten ominously.
“The Power Bid already?” Lycheron keeps laughing. “Petty humans asking me to get involved in their petty wars.”
Having already moved up next to Griffin again, I cross my arms and glare. “Petty humans don’t make it this far onto the Ice Plains bearing a Goddess’s gift.”
Lycheron leans in and sniffs me. It’s unsettling. He cocks his head. “Magoi. Strong. But still human, girl.”
Girl?My eyes narrow. I open my mouth.
Griffin’s hand circles my wrist, squeezing. “I propose a challenge.”
Interest flickers in the Ipotane Alpha’s eyes. “What sort of challenge?”
“A battle of wits,” Griffin answers. We talked about this, preferring brains to brawn since we all figured Lycheron would be bigger than Griffin, which he is. “Answer my riddle correctly, and we’ll leave. Answer it wrong, and you and your herd will protect Sinta until my task in Tarva is complete.”
Lycheron doesn’t answer straightaway, and nerves start hopping inside me like living things. Finally, he says, “I accept your challenge if it’s a best of three, and I’ll name the tasks. To begin with, it will bemyriddle thatyouanswer without any help from your companions.”
A shadow flits across Griffin’s face. This time, I think we’re being outmaneuvered. “And the other two?” he asks stiffly.
Lycheron smirks. “I’ll name them as they come. I only anticipate needing the first two.”
“If I win, you’ll come to Sinta?”
“If you best me, I will protect your insignificant border for no longer than six months.” Lycheron’s bored tone tells us how likely he thinks that is to happen. “If I best you, you must pay a forfeit.”
“What type of forfeit?” Griffin asks warily. The Chaos Wizard warned us that a bargain must be struck. I guess this is it.
“You’ll give the Magoi girl to me.”
I stop breathing, my insides contracting hard.
Griffin refuses flatly.
Lycheron’s mouth lifts in a small but confident smile. “Are you really in a position to say no?”
“I am,” Griffin bites out. “And I refuse. Categorically.”
Lycheron’s smile fades into a flat, penetrating stare, focused entirely on me. “Her scent intrigues me.”
Well, that’s just disturbing.I lay my hand on Griffin’s arm and shrug almost apologetically. “I swore I’d stay with him. Magoi blood… Binding vows… What a pain.”Literally.
“He can undo it,” Lycheron says.
“Never,” Griffin growls.
Lycheron doesn’t look amused. At all. His lip curls slightly, and then his shrewd gaze slides over Kato’s tattoo. “Then I’ll take his snake.”
Kato rubs his neck, frowning. He’s been doing that a lot lately. “The snake is gone.”
Lycheron stamps a hoof in irritation. “If you have nothing to offer me, then the bargain is off.”
“Fine,” Griffin snaps, “as the challenge you’re proposing in no way resembles my original offer.”
