The Arena novel Chapter 28

When Ish and Kali return home, they tell us they found the arena. Kali is pacing in the way only a predatory feline can. Back and forth, back and forth.

“Kali, please have a seat.” Her nervous energy is making me nervous.

“Ishir, we can’t just leave them in there for another week,” Kali says.

“We have to. You didn’t see the locks.” He turns to me. “They made preparations for another attack. You can be sure they will be prepared to fight when we show up.”

“I’d like to see them fight against my fire.”

“It’s not you that I’m worried about. Kali, me, and every other shifter in the arena… we’re the ones that will be shot with whatever crap they fill their bullets with. I’m not worried about the silver, but that’s not all they use. And don’t even get me started about their possible use of poisoned arrows.”

“Okay, so what’s the plan?”

“Same as before, except this time we have Kali. We’ll stop and get Avani on the way …”

“No. We didn’t need him last time, and we won’t need him this time.”

“Tana. We do need him. If you’re fighting the spectators and the ranked members, we’ll need him to rip the cages out so the shifters won’t burn alive.”

“We have Kali this time. I’ll fly in and lay down the fire. You can go into the arena and fight the spectators that jump into the arena, and Kali can work on the cages. We don’t need Avani.”

“What do you have against him?”

“He’s an arrogant asshole, and we don’t need him.”

“Fine. But you better hope that we can get the shifters out before your fire gets to them.”

“I can rip out cages while I blow fire.”

He shook his head but didn’t say anything more about it.

Because I had been leaving early for Kenna, I decided not to take a day off before we left. I took the week before the arena to take Kenna out after work and begin teaching her about her fire.

My daughter is an amazing girl.

We practiced pulling on the different kinds of fire, and then we practiced how to open and close her wings. This was harder because I couldn’t help her feel her wings; she had to find them on her own.

Her development was strange to me. As a one-year-old, a dragon is considered much more advanced in age than a human child. Dragons are considered fully grown by age five. So, while my daughter’s body continues to grow at a human’s pace, making her a one-year-old in looks, her intelligence, balance, and strength far exceed her appearance.

On Friday, we prepare to leave, and I warn Kenna about using her fire in anger. “You need to maintain control. What do you do if you get angry?” I ask her, making sure Jena and Palila are listening.

“I can count. Or I can use my words, or I can take deep breaths until I calm down.”

“That’s right. And what happens if I come back and you’ve hurt our friends?”

“I will answer to the dragon.”

“That’s right.” I kiss the top of her head. “You know I love you, right?”

“Yes, Momma.”

“And that I know you can do this and be a good girl for me while I’m gone?”

“Yes, Momma.”

“Okay, Jena and Palila are in charge. Say goodbye to Kali; she probably won’t be coming back with us.”

Kenna says goodbye to Kali, who rubs her face against my daughter’s. She says goodbye to Ish, who is a total sucker for my little girl. Then she comes to me. She wraps her arms around me.

“Please be safe, Momma.”

“I will, sweet girl. Remember, listen to Jena and Palila and practice your healing if you get a chance. We’ll be back in a couple of days.”

I strip and put my clothes in the bag before leaping off the outdoor patio and shifting mid-air.

“Hey, girl. I don’t know your name, but I’m your friend. I know you’ve helped us destroy two arenas so far. Those look really painful. I want to help you.”

I turn, looking at Cedric. His hands are up in front of him, palms facing me.

“My name is Cedric. I won’t hurt you. I know Ishir, and I know you know him. I’ve also met Avani. Let me help you.”

I look around. The arena is burning down around us. Spectators are screaming as they burn alive. The smell of fire and burning flesh is pungent in the air. Avani is still tearing down walls and ripping out cages. There is no one else, and if I don’t let Cedric help me, he could get caught in the arena and could become a casualty of this battle. As angry and hurt as I am, I can’t let my daughter’s father die, not like this.

I lay my head down, putting my eye at his level. He’s in his Lycan form, and he’s huge, close to seven feet tall. He’s able to look me in the eye as he slowly approaches me.

“Okay, girl. Let’s see how we can get this out.” He looks at the harpoon. When the point punctured my shoulder joint, it opened like an umbrella, hooking into the top of my body.

He turns back, looking at me. “We’re going to need to break the chain, and then I’m going to have to pull the harpoon through your wing to get it out. Since I don’t know your name, I’m going to call you Red.”

He moves to the chain that is dangling from this side of the harpoon. He turns to me, “I’ll be as gentle as I can, Red, but this will probably hurt.” He pulls on the chain until it gives, tugging on the harpoon and putting pressure on my shoulder. I try not to make a sound, but when it pulls against my shoulder joint, I can’t help the keening sound that escapes.

Avani turns to me. “Are you okay, Tana?”

“Yes, Cedric is trying to get the harpoon out. It’s painful.”

“You’re a dragon, beautiful. I know it hurts, but you can do it,” he says as he rips another group of cages from the ground.

“Okay, Red. I don’t know what you and Avani are saying, but I need to get on your wing to pull this out. So, don’t eat me when I run up your wing.”

He moves to the end of my wing, running up my wing. It’s painful; each step causes the harpoon to move in my shoulder. When he gets to the top, he kneels down, touching his hand to my wing. Instantly, it feels better. It’s like Cedric is a healer as well.

“Ready, Red?” he asks, getting a grip on the harpoon. “I’m going to rip it out as quickly as I can.”

He grabs hold of the harpoon. “One … two …” And he yanks it out.

The pain is sharp, instant, and overwhelming. I instantly feel the world around me going dark. I collapse, hearing the awful sound of a dragon in pain, but it sounds far away.