I swallow hard at that, not exactly sure what the creature means.
“Do not despair,”the nasken adds.“I knew I was marked for death, as do all who are captured for these games, but all will be well now that you have arrived.”
My throat grows even tighter, and I stiffen.“What do mean now that I’ve arrived? You say that like you know me?”
“The song in the forest,”the creature mumbles nonsensically.“The oracle’s last prophecy. It must speak of you, but beware, mistress. Not all will be happy the time has come.”
Nothing the creature’s saying is making any sense, and I move even closer to it, desperate to understand.“What prophecy are you talking about? The one where I’m destined to destroy my mates and make us lose the war? Yeah, I already know people won’t be happy if that happens.”
The creature makes a series of strange grunting noises, and it takes me a moment to realize it’s laughing.“You will see, in time, mistress. She has been waiting for you.”
“Who? Who has been waiting?”
But the nasken doesn’t answer my question. Weakly, it adds,“As have we all.”
The nasken barely finishes speaking before Ian wrenches the sword out from behind its frill, then he’s plunging the blade in again. I cry out, but the nasken isn’t fighting him. It knows its time is up. As Ian drives the sword deep, the nasken closes its eyes, and its body falls still.
My lips tremble, but I force myself to hide my sadness as the air fills with the roar of the crowd.
Ian twists the sword before yanking it out again, and he lifts the bloodied blade into the air above his head, shouting as the crowd applauds louder.
Now that the nasken is dead, the image that was being projected into the sky soon dims and disappears. Something roars from elsewhere in the arena, and there’s more fevered yelling from the crowd. I can only guess the students in one of the other oases are battling more creatures, and the crowd’s attention has moved on for the moment.
Knowing I’m no longer being watched by thousands, my shoulders sag. Kenzie is at my side, and though she couldn’t understand the conversation I just had with the nasken, she wraps an arm around me anyway.
Ian jumps from the creature’s back, landing close to us, and he gives me a cruel smile. “Surprised you two are still alive. You’re welcome, by the way.”
Kenzie bristles, but I don’t say anything.
“Didn’t know you could speak to the bastards,” Ian adds. “Guess it makes sense. You freaks speaking the same language, I mean.”
“Shut up, Ian,” Kenzie snaps, but I couldn’t care less what vile words he spits right now.
I’m too busy puzzling over what the nasken has told me.She has been waiting for you...The words play over in my head.Who was the nasken talking about?
There’s a rustle from the trees somewhere behind me, and we all turn in unison. A familiar feeling creeps over me, and I get the sense that someone else is watching us.
“There’s another creature out there,” Ian shouts, and he points to a few of the other students, including Satine and her minions. “Well, what are you waiting for? Fucking get after it!”
The students push past me and Kenzie, running into the trees, and all I can do is watch them go and hope they’re too slow to catch whatever’s out there.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
~ Shade ~
I’m not sure how many students and creatures perish that night. Ian and the other students hunt down a few more creatures in the jungle, while Kenzie and I take refuge high up in one of the trees. We settle down for the night on the branches, using vines to bind us to the trees so we can’t fall while we’re sleeping.
The amphitheater is still filled with spectators. The warriors scream from the stands at intervals, likely when another creature or students are killed, and I try to ignore the sounds as I close my eyes.
It feels good to be up in the trees like this. I know it’s a false sense of security because if there are still creatures in this jungle, they might be able to climb, but after years as a crow it’s nice to be off the ground.
“You spoke to it,” Kenzie says softly, just as I’m about to give in to my exhaustion.
I open my eyes, peering down at her. She’s on the branch that sits below mine, and she stares up at me, her back resting against the tree trunk.
“Yeah. It seems I can talk to the zenali creatures,” I answer. “No one’s more surprised than I am.”
She frowns. “I haven’t heard of anyone who can do that.”
