Chapter 52

I approached another pedestal as I spoke. "So, I propose you each let me retrieve an orb for you from the pedestals. When each of us has a ticket to tomorrow, we fight together, drive Lance off, and help each other deposit an orb in each pot. I know the temptation, of course, would be for the first of us to deposit to switch and join Lance, try to ensure the other three get ejected, narrow the field. So, we need to swear, swear that for today we fight together to secure each of us a place in tomorrow's contest."

My hand entered the field, and smoke began to rise again. My level 2 SHIELD kept my arm from disintegrating, though the pain was still intense. Magneblade continued watching, his visored head giving nothing away. Gideon stared at me, his eyes hard. "I can accept an oath from the ladies, but you're a commoner shopkeep. You can't make an oath worth valuing."

I finished the process, extracting another orb and tossing it to Lauren. Katya darted in to snatch it, bouncing back on the balls of her feet, casting Lauren a hard-to-decipher look. Lauren remained stoic, waiting for me to approach the next pedestal. I said, "Very well, I don't know if we have time to argue. How about we let it rest on your honor then, Gideon? My orb can be deposited last. How does that sound?"

Gideon hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Fine. We'll do it your way, for now."

Katya and Lauren exchanged glances.

Lauren said, "An oath then. We swear an oath, bind ourselves to this task by our honor."

Katya stared pointedly at Gideon. She said, "An oath is the right thing."

Gideon snorted. He said, "A commoner can't swear an oath. A commoner has no honor to lose by breaking it."

But his words were empty, insincere.

As I handed the third orb to Lauren, she said, "I'll be content, Gideon, that you bind your honor to it. I trust Tiberius well enough, and you don't have much choice."

Katya said, "Speak an oath for us, Tiberius."

I said, "On my honor, for today, we fight together to ensure each of us makes it to tomorrow."

They each repeated the oath. We should have felt like our problems were solved. Lance couldn't stand against the four of us. But there was a strangle quiet funereal atmosphere.

As I retrieved the last orb, my arm felt weak and the armor was marred badly with blackened portions, smoke rising from folds in my forearm. The flesh beneath felt scaled and tender from the repeated taxing of the burning fields. I held the last orb, and there seemed to be a moment of indecision, like we couldn't decide how to proceed. It was easy to speak the words of the oath, but a different prospect to march into battle together when we had been competitors for so long. I feared the priests would call time on the show, declaring the competition over if too much time passed without an attempt to score.

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I marched down the corridor. There was no sound behind me for an instant, as if the gravity of the moment stayed my temporary allies. Then I heard three sets of armored feet start to follow me. I emerged from the corridor first, Lance waiting for me, sneering.

"Ah, shopkeep," he said. "I was hoping you'd get another one. I haven't had my fill of taking you apart yet."

But as I stood there, I saw his mouth twitch, confused, as Lauren stepped from the corridor to stand alongside me.

"What's this?" he said.

Then he took a step back as Katya emerged on the other side of me.

"You can't be serious," he said. "You can't be joining forces with this commoner. You're a princess, and you, Lauren, your family is too proud for you to join forces with a peasant."

He froze with great shock as Gideon stepped forth, between me and Lauren, facing him.

Lance's voice was shocked. "Gideon, of all of them, I thought better of you...."

I could see the cogs turning in Lance's head. He had been so close to securing ultimate victory, and it was a long way down for him to realize that tomorrow he would face us all again, especially me. He had to fear my growing attributes.

"No!" he shouted. "Magneblade! This is collusion! This can't be allowed."

I made no comment on the hypocrisy. He had allied with Gideon before, and his father's men had targeted me during the race. Magneblade's voice cut through the tension, calm and authoritative.

"I see nothing wrong here, youngblood," Magneblade said. "Make yourself ready. I think you have a fight on your hands."

There was definite mirth, definite amusement, in Magneblade's voice.

I had promised to be the last to deliver my orb. I took the central position, Katya and Lauren flanking me. Gideon moved to deposit his orb.

Lance came at us like an animal. He attacked with all the frustration that could be born of the situation. He had nearly done it, and now he was impotent. I held him back. It was easy now. He couldn't abandon himself to the assault, Lauren and Katya corralled him and forced him to guard himself. Still, he fought with the insanity of a cornered rat.

"You're not getting through me, Lance," I growled, pushing back against his sword.

Lance's movements grew wilder. The tight control, the perfect form, they began to slip. Desperation and frustration drove him.

"Stay out of my way, shopkeeper!" he snarled, firing his BEAM in a desperate attempt to hit Gideon, who was making his way to his pot. I managed to deflect the BEAM, my SHIELD absorbing the energy, though the strain was immense.

Gideon reached his pot and deposited his orb.

"That's one down!" he shouted.

Gideon moved to my side, relieving Lauren as she moved to deposit her orb.

Lance's fury only grew. He came harder. Even if he couldn't beat us, he was expelling the demons of his rage on us.

Lauren didn't waste time. She reached her pot and tossed the orb in

Calmly, almost quietly, she said. "That's two."

Katya darted away from her position and Lauren took her place.

Lance, seeing her approach her pot, fired his BEAM. But I was ready. I knocked his blade aside, the shot scoring the wall instead of Katya's armor.

Katya's turned her head to me as she dropped her orb into the opening of her pot.

She said, "Three. It's nearly done."

Lance's screamed. All composure was gone. The flesh of his neck was scarlet, the veins seemed ready to explode.

"You think this will stop me?" he screamed.