I rocked backward and lay on the ground, my head in the straw. I clawed the earpiece out and then clamped my hands over my ears. I concentrated my healing powers on my eardrums, willing the throbbing, pulsating pain to stop. The ringing eased slightly, and the pain lessened to a stinging ache, and I could hear well enough to make out someone shouting my name.
More than one someone, actually, I realized as I arched my head back, trying to get a look at the battlefield from where I lay. The action reminded me of when I’d been taken down by the wolves in Caleb’s warehouse, and that made my head swim more. The challenging ring seemed eerily empty. Most of the Ahks and Gelals had been destroyed in Brent’s explosion. A small bunch of them, shielding Caleb at the far north side of the ring, remained, and a few others scattered about the field. I could make out only five remaining werewolves in the smoke that rolled into the ring from the burning house. I wondered how many of the wolves had been defeated in combat, and how many had run for the hills after the explosion.
Daniel was one of the people who shouted my name. I could see his mouth moving as he fought two giant wolves that seemed to be trying their best to stop him from making it to my side. Their battle was bloody as they clashed in the air, and Daniel swung his sword at their flailing limbs. It all seemed to happen in surreal slow motion.
It probably didn’t help that I was seeing the whole thing upside down from the way my head was positioned on the ground.
Talbot also shouted my name, and I rocked my head so I could see him. He and Lisa were taking on two more of the terrible wolves. And even Slade and Zach, who were fighting off a few of the remaining demons, shouted at me. They all seemed to be waving their arms at me, as if trying to signal something. I was so disoriented from the blast that my brain took too long to process this information.
I rolled over onto my stomach so I’d be able to see normally, and looked up just in time to notice someone running at me, a spear raised in one hand, while the other hand waved me away. It was Jude. Why had he entered the ring?
His words finally made purchase in my brain. “Grace, run!”
I scrambled up onto my knees just as Jude sent his spear sailing over my shoulder. It hit something just behind me, and I heard the growl of a wolf. I turned my head just enough to see the open jaws clamp down on the collar of my robe. The wolf yanked me off the ground, and with four great bounding leaps crossed the entire challenging ring, with me as its prisoner. It didn’t even seem to be fazed by the spear that protruded from one of its front legs.
ONE LONG PIERCING SCREAM LATER
The brown wolf flung me to the ground, my hip slamming against the hardened dirt. I looked up and found myself staring into the yellow, murderous eyes of Caleb Kalbi.
His wicked smile cracked across his face, reminding me of a garish jack-o’-lantern when combined with his glowing eyes. We were at the north end of the ring, just in front of the boundary line of torches. They sent garish shadows dancing around him.
“I am glad you listened to my message,” he said.
I scrambled to my feet, ready to charge at Caleb. Two Gelals grabbed me by the right arm, and two Ahks grabbed my left.
“Where is he?” I seethed at Caleb. “Where is James? I came; I’ve fought. Just like you wanted. You said you’d bring him! Now where is he?”
Caleb leaned in close. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
I screamed and tried to smash my head into Caleb’s face, but the demons holding my arms yanked me back. They pulled so hard it felt like they were attempting to rip me in half.
Caleb snorted. “You think you’re strong enough to take me on?”
I grunted with pain. “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? That’s why you wanted me in the ring, so you could fight me yourself?”