The nets in the colosseum mean there’s only so high they can fly, though, and they mill around in a flock that circles the gladiators in the moments before they attack.They fling their razor like feathers, forcing the gladiators to dodge, but one is cut nonetheless.The crowd roars in response as blood sprays the sand, but the razor wings are just getting started.
They dart down towards the gladiators, swooping past them, slicing at the exposed portions of their flesh with their wings.The gladiators cry out, but one of them manages to throw his net at one of the razor wings, bringing it to the ground before thrusting with the trident he holds.
It should be blunted, but instead, it pierces the razorwing’s heart, leaving the great bird to twitch and die on the ground.The crowd roars in response and I know this is deliberate, something designed to give the crowd a taste of blood and death without risking the lives of the gladiators.The razor wings will be able to hurt them, but not kill them, while the gladiators will slay them in return.
It seems deeply unfair, a travesty against the games.The arena is a mere butcher’s block now, on which to slay these magnificent animals.I can’t bear to watch it, so I send my awareness out instead, looking through the eyes of the other animals around the colosseum, looking into the council box through the senses of a rat no one has noticed, scurrying in the corner.
“I wasn’t told they’d be fighting with fully sharpened blades,” Marcus says.
Olivia shrugs.“It’s what the people want.As Selene points out, now my proposal has passed, we should get the people ready for the bloodshed to come.”
I drag my awareness back to myself, grateful Marcus didn’t know about this slaughter, but still sickened by the fact it’s taking place.Except… I can hear screams around me now.Another of the razorwings is down, but the third isn’t trying to engage the gladiators.Instead, it’s flying around the netting designed to contain it, running its feathers along those strands until it hits a weakness.
The net falls apart, and that means it doesn’t have to attack heavily armed gladiators anymore when it can target the crowd.It flies at the common folk in front of me and I curse, standing and throwing out a hand as I reach for it with my powers.
“Leave,” I command it.“Go in peace.Go from this city.”
I back the words with my power, holding the razorwing back and directing it upwards, into the open sky.It barely pulls out of its swoop before it can slice into anyone, then flaps its great wings and is gone, escaping the colosseum and fleeing Aetheria, my mind pushing it as far away from the city as I can manage.
Even as I do it, I realize my cloak has fallen away from my features.I try to pull my hood up, but people are already staring at me and pointing.
“Lyra Thornwind!It’s Lyra!”
They sound surprised and excited to see me, but others have harder expressions.
“A creature going crazy like that?She must be behind it!”someone calls out.
People start towards me and I run through the crowd, pulling my hood up again.Someone grabs for me and I shove them away.I reach for the emotions of everyone around me, making them fear me, forcing them back so I can rush through them.I make for the exit, and I’m fast enough that the guards don’t seem to realize what’s going on before I’m past them and out on the promenade beyond.As usual, it’s thronging with people, so I keep my head down and try to lose myself in the crowd.
A hand clamps onto my arm and I turn, ready to fight, but it’s Thalia.She passes me a mask, along with a yellow cloak that’s a contrast to my dark one.I realize she’s somehow managed to snag a disguise for me, even as she’s caught up to me.
“Which part of ‘don’t attract attention’ didn’t you understand?”she asks.
“I didn’t set the razorwings on people,” I insist.
“No, but now I’m sure the rumors will be sure you did,” Thalia says, with a curse.“Come on, we need to get back to the safehouse.If you’re spotted out here now, the crowd might kill you.”
We sneak through the streets together, avoiding those who might be watching.
“It’s worse than I thought,” I say, as we go.“I overheard Olivia talking to Marcus.The match was her idea, or rather, Selene’s.Something so people could enjoy blood being spilled, and get used to things being killed in the colosseum again.”
“Someone must have deliberately cut corners with those nets, as well,” Thalia says.“Chains would have stopped them, but rope was never going to work.”
“Why would…” I begin, but I can guess the answer.“SeleneknewI’d be there.She knew I’d intervene.Which means she wanted me to look bad.”
“That’s my guess,” Thalia says.“She would have known you couldn’t stay away from the games, that you’d want to see what was happening.”
“But if I hadn’t come…” I begin.
Thalia shrugs.“Then a few people would have died before the guards killed the razorwing.Do you really think Selene cares?”
I shake my head.Of course she doesn’t.Selene only cares about gaining power, and she’ll do whatever it takes to get it.Today was bad, but I suspect things are only going to get worse.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Thalia’s right about one thing: Selene quickly blames me for the disaster in the colosseum.
“Did you hear what happened?”one man whispers to another in one of the many taverns of the entertainment district.“Lyra Thornwind was so angry at being thrown off the senate that she stood up in the middle of the games and set a razorwing on the crowd!”
