The kick sends Thorn backward, but he doesn’t lose his footing. I frown. With Celine’s strength, he probably has at least one cracked rib. How can he stand there as if he feels nothing?
“I don’t like this.” I shift my weight, my hands balling and releasing as I watch the fight.
“Relax,” Malach says. His green eyes dart my way before focusing back on Celine. “She can handle him. You must remain calm.”
I’ve almost managed to convince myself he’s right when Thorn hurls a jagged burst of red energy over Celine like a net. Her head drops back, her mouth opening in a silent scream.
Celine is in pain. Terrible pain. My fingers spasm, and a low rattle escapes my chest as the familiar icy chill sinks into my eyes. My basilisk has had enough. As far as it’s concerned, everyone here needs to die.
“Hold it together,” Alistair hisses. “She’s got this.Fuck—your eyes. Look down!”
Hands shaking violently, I stare at my feet.Calm down. Calm down. Calm the fuck down,I beg. It doesn’t work. I’d rather kill the first person to accidentally make eye contact with me than miss the fight. I can still hear everything, and my brain is filling in the blanks with worst-case scenarios.
Pain stabs my gums as my fangs descend, coating my taste buds with bitter venom. I grab Ali’s arm. “Tell me what’s happening,” I beg.
“They’re keeping their distance. Circling—wait, he’s charging! Move, angel!” Alistair shouts. The crowd gasps with delight.
“What?” I squeeze his arm brutally, my fingers spasming as I fight the urge to shift.
“She let her wings out and used them to dodge. Get a hold of yourself; you need to see this. She’s incredible.” There’s reverence in Alistair’s voice. I can’t believe I’m missing this.
“Come on,” I beg my basilisk to stop fighting me. It listens, probably only because it wants to see too, and the cloudy, cold mist in my eyes retreats.
Whipping my head up, I take in everything I missed.
An airborne Celine hovers above Thorn near the top of the cage. She’s using the vantage point to watch for an opening. I’ve never seen her fly before, and gods, she takes my breath away. Ferocious, deadly. I’m gone for her.
“Creative,” Malach whispers fiercely. “Be creative, My Truth.”
Thorn stares up at Celine, and the slight widening of his eyes is the only sign he’s surprised. He hurls another bolt of red magic at her. She doesn’t try to dodge, gritting her teeth as the magic hits her shoulder. Then her wings smoke.
“Smart.” I squeeze Ali’s arm. “She’s letting him get a few hits in so she can get mad.”
Another bolt of magic grazes the tip of her right wing. A heartbeat later, it bursts into flames—each feather burning bright orange.
Screams, gasps, and cheers erupt around us as the crowd loses it, turning into a feral mob as Celine catches fire. Frenzied, they press forward. It’s all the three of us can do to keep from being shoved under the cage and trampled.
I snarl at the people behind me, but they’re being pushed too.
“Back up,” Alistair shouts. There’s a mesmerizing quality to his voice that I’ve never heard before, and the hairs on my arm stand on end. Like zombies, the row of men behind us steps back as one, buying us some breathing room. Their eyes are glazed.
“What did you?—”
“Compulsion,” Alistair snaps. “It won’t hold forever, but it should buy us some time.”
I nod and drag my attention back to the fight.
Face flushed with anger; Celine snaps her flaming wings together. The move sends her hurtling to the floor of the cage—body aimed like a spear. Thorn dodges her fists and feet but forgets about her wings. Spread fully, they bathe him in fire from the tip of his headto his knees.
His clothes light up until he’s a walking candle, and the crowd roars.
“Shit,” I mutter. Celine didn’t break any rules, but if Thorn panics, he won’t survive this. And I know Celine didn’t come here to kill anyone.
Luckily, he doesn’t panic. Instead, he drops to the floor, rolling until the cloud of thick, gray smoke makes it hard to see what’s happening.
He’s saved himself from burning to death, but Celine doesn’t waste the opening.
Through the haze, I see her kick him in the head—once, twice—only stopping when his head lolls to the side. With her foot in the air, she watches Thorn with a hard stare, then blinks rapidly, as if she’s coming out of a trance.
