THRONE OF CLAWS AND FANGS

oss noticed was that the

ike condensation, fogged and slick. From where he stood, nose nearly pressed against the reinforced partition, the arena below

er was do

tiful thing that hurts to look at for too long. Same face as Aeryn, but

me. Not in the school they'd forged documents to get into. And definitely not in this dome, watching the Trials of Asce

ldn't b

er had

one Asher had given him last month. It was warm against his skin

ning, ruffling his hair. "You'll ruin the mysteriou

ne entering an underground death mat

act

n couldn'

the arena. It wasn't human-it was some kind of spectral p

Class. House of Blood

amed down. A f

epped into the ring. His eyes glowed violet, his fangs

owd er

felt

ir appeared. Towering. Massive. Golden tat

was n

c bursts. Asher fought like he was dancing, dodging claws and spinning his

. Shattered ground. Both began to stumble, fa

n sa

adows of the arena gate. Not part

re raise

nto the air like

slo

's window for just a seco

lyph

scre

o the wall. A moment later, the blast caught Asher acr

re. Too much. Something is

against the glass. "S

e lis

g, shoving. Some ch

ickered. Static. The dome

er crawl to his knees, one eye glazed, blood drip

ly at

hed one

e coll

ve him flared

ty rus

aw the hooded

n the air like something s

-

fter that ca

grabbi

The silver chain s

psed to the fl

hen-b

-

ke, he wasn't

't in t

en in the wo

by red torchlight. Symbols glowed on every wall. A circle of s

crimson hair stepped forward

t supposed

acked when he tried to spe

ever meant

behind her. A boy stepped out. Older. Pale, with

ave... we'll have t

u people?"

't answer. Sh

forward and dragge

open. The col

he demanded, fighting the d

irl. "He died so y

lose. Her br

d Aeryn Cross. You are the real

er. Aeryn turned t

hed darkness beyond the

et eyes and blo

he

iv

il

e, it wasn't his

," he said. "Yo