Page 106 of The Only Way Out Is Up

Clatter steps right over the spray of debris from Star’s broken arm. I reach out and feel a tug at my spirit.

The weapon detonates with a roar and a bloom of evil orange flames. These BLASTS, built from orange sigil blanks, are even more powerful than the ones we used on Rotwurm. They convert stored sigil energy into HEAT and FORCE modulated by a few carefully placed STRONGs and FASTS. Star can fit three of them inside his carapace, and they drop out through hatches in his underside. They’re wrapped in metal skins like little eggs, and they don’t look like much—it’s no surprise Couvere didn’t notice this one, dropped under cover of purging a leg.

Applied to Clatter’s shell, I doubt it would have done more than scratch its armor. But coming from underneath, the turtle runic has no such protection. Clatter actually rises a few centimeters into the air, all its bulk lifted clean off the ground for a moment. It lands splay-legged and stands stock-still for a moment, smoke gouting from beneath it in torrents, then slowly topples sideways. Small fires flicker on the flagstones all around it. Couvere is shouting something.

I only have eyes for the judging platform. Hisham is just staring, but Alzimyth has straightened up, nearly rising out of his seat. Our eyes lock across the arena, and there’s a strange expression on his face. Not just surprise, but—

He looks away, then speaks, voice booming over the rising chatter of the crowd.

“Taj and Star are the winners!”

THIRTY-THREE

Ky rushes out of the stands to greet me, and I brace myself for another knockdown hug, but this time she pulls up short and just looks at me for a while. I stare back, grinning. She’s blushing a little.

“This is working,” she says eventually. “It’s working.”

“So far, so good,” I agree. “Everyone’s seen the BLASTs now, though. Our next opponent is going to be ready for them.”

She waves this away. “Star can handle them. He’s faster than any of these runics.”

[Addendum: also smarter and more handsome.]

You know she can’t hear you, right?

[Dissatisfaction: you should do something about that.]

I’ve never thought about that, but I probably could. One of those sound-enhancing constructs, maybe—

“Taj?”

I blink. “Sorry. Star’s basking in the praise.”

“Is he?” Ky gives Star a speculative look. “Tell him that if he wins the tournament I’ll buy him… What do runics want, anyway?”

[Request: a harem full of beautiful women.]

What would you possibly do with them?

[Dissatisfaction: you should do something about that, too.]

I’m not even going to think about that one. “He says he’s excited.”

[Outrage: translate accurately, meat creature!]

“Okay.” Ky pats me on the shoulder and glances back at the stands. “Okay okay okay. I’ve got work to do.”

“Work?”

“Palms to grease, smoke to blow up assholes. Politics.” She lets out a breath. “The more you win, the more they’re willing to talk to me. Two more fights, Taj.”

Two more fights and I’ll have everything I ever wanted. A place for my family to be safe.

“Do you need my help with the smoke-blowing?”

She shakes her head. “Watch the next fight. It’s a straight bracket now; the winner will be your opponent the day after tomorrow.”

That’s news to me. I take a look at who’s waiting in front of the judge’s stand. Closest to me are Niami and (sigh) Bitey, the big tiger sitting back on its haunches like a real cat, huge primary optics gleaming in the sunlamps. Their opponent is a master I don’t recognize, another young woman in severe gray standing beside a crab-shaped runic laden with heavy armor.