Her words are meant to comfort me, but they do the opposite. Someone like Bastian, and all the wrong he's done in his life, doesn't deserve a second chance. He doesn't deserve mercy. He's being punished exactly how he should be. It doesn't make the ache in my chest lessen.
I'm about to watch my childhood best friend die.
The circular arena reminds me of Draakstan, except it's filled to the brim with Vashbehtanians eager to watch the demise of the Beast of Midori. Built into one of the rocky mountains, the stadium is impressive. From where Nyx and I are seated, beside the Naziri's private box, I have a clear view of the entire sandyfighting area. Carved into the mountain on the opposite side of where we are is an iron gate, presumably where they keep the creatures who fight here.
My heart is clawing to escape my chest. Despite being covered by a canopy and shielded from the merciless sun, I'm sweating through my clothes. I flap my overlay, hoping to generate some airflow since there's not much of a breeze. Suddenly, a small gust of wind strikes me, blowing my hair to my left in tornado like fashion. I turn to look in the direction the wind came from and find Hani grimacing and offering a tiny wave.
"Did you do that?" I mouth and she nods sheepishly.
"I'm an Air-wielder," she mouths back and shrugs. "Still working on it."
Up until now, I'd forgotten the Naziris are sand and air wielders. I wonder if all their children have some kind of power. My gaze slides from Hani to her sister Hagar. She sits with her arms crossed over her chest. I'm not sure if she's enjoying herself or not. I don't recall seeing her smile the entire time I've been here. And her twin brother, Helios, beside her mirrors her body posture. Something tells me I should be scared of them, but I can't pinpoint why I feel that way.
"They look excited to be here," I whisper to Nyx. When he fails to respond, I turn to my left to look at him. His focus is fixed on the Naziri booth. I follow his gaze and find him staring at Hagar. I should have known. He couldn't keep his eyes off her when we first officially met them.
I elbow him in the side, drawing his attention. "You're staring."
"I'm observing my surroundings."
I scoff and lean closer to him, "Would those surroundings including Hagar Naziri."
His lips twist into a smile. "Maybe it does."
Our conversation ends abruptly when the crowd boos. Their jeers echo in the cavernous arena and within seconds, it's an overwhelming cacophony of hatred and doom. I press my hands to my ears and stare down into the fighting area. Sure enough, four guards with spears and shields escort Bastian to the center. His wrists and ankles are shackled and he appears to have lost a bit of weight. He's still not eating. Shit.
Once they're in the middle of the arena, one of the soldiers unlocks his manacles and the four of them walk out the same way they came in.
Bastian is standing alone. He turns in a circle. Wherever he looks there's an angry face or a fist being shaken his direction. He doesn't react to any of it. He's accepted his fate.
"Bastian!" I scream, drawing his exhausted face. "Fight!" He makes no indication that he's heard me or if he cares. He simply turns his back to me and faces the gate where his punishment awaits.
I press my hand to my stomach. "I think I'm going to vomit."
"Because of him?" Nyx points at Bastian with anger and surprise in his eyes. "He's lucky the Naziris didn't execute him on the spot when they rescued us."
I sigh, grounding myself. I knew he would be pissed discovering I want Bastian to live but I was hoping to have had a chance to talk to him about this before the fight. Too late now.
"Nyx, you have every right to hate him – "
"You're damn right," he interrupts with a snarl. "You should hate him too. Because of him, Drogon now has access to our realm and will wage his war. Not to mention the torture we endured – "
"You're right," I cut him off, returning the favor. "I should hate him."
He searches my face but seems to come up empty for whatever he's looking for. "But you don't? Why?"
I swallow the emotions bubbling in my throat and stare down at Bastian. People are throwing bits of food at him now and he just stands and accepts each blow. "When I look at him, I have hope he's still the boy I once knew. That maybe there's redemption for him."
"He's not who you once knew anymore. Why can't you just accept that?" Nyx poses the question I've been asking myself for days. And truth be told, I don't have a solid answer.
"Can you tell me with absolute certainty he doesn't have a chance to redeem himself?" I answer his question with one of my own.
Nyx slips his hand into mine and squeezes. "I love you, Shaye, but that's a fool's hope."
"Then I'm a fool." My lip trembles and I swipe a tear from my eye with the back of my free hand. "I believe he can help us defeat Drogon and reclaim his honor. He knows the inner workings of their operations better than anyone else in our realm."
"If by some miracle he survives this gauntlet – which was designed for him to fail, by the way – do you think Atlas will let him breathe knowing what happened to you? What happened to me?" He tucks a finger to my chin and turns me to look at him. He's worried. It's written all over his face. "Kitarni, he's a dead man walking. We know it, and Bastian knows it too." When I don't respond he adds, "No matter what happens today, you can't interfere."
"Nyx – "
