Blood Oath (Book 2 of Alfireán age)

Choices

"Stop," Drake said as Rex ran down the circular hallway.

The vice champion skidded to a halt as he rounded the bend and almost ran headlong into a crowd spanning the entire length of the hall. Sounding like a swarm of angry hornets, hundreds of people's voices buzzed in the crowded corridor, and the overwhelming tension felt thick enough to cut with a knife.

Drake grabbed a doorknob to his right and yanked open a door. "In here," he hissed, "before the mob sees us." A bead of perspiration ran down his forehead and his senses came alert. He'd seen what angry crowds could do. If these people spotted them, they'd end up like an injured gazelle on the open plains surrounded by ravenous lions.

With nary a sound, Rex and the maid quickly shifted into the room, and Drake pulled the door shut as he slipped in.

Standing in a large training room filled with barbells and random equipment, Drake made his way over to the far wall.

"That was some crowd," Rex whispered.

"Yes, and they are truly desperate as well," the head maid said. "Their fifteen minutes is running out, and Dy'Ixion's apparition will no doubt soon be back."

"Can't say I blame them," Rex said as he peeled open the door and peeked out. "What are they doing anyway? There are way too many for me to see past them."

Stopping at the farthest point in the room, Drake activated dragon Ra'avah and gazed through the wall and past the angry mob. From what he could tell, the crowd was five or six layers deep and every Tom, Dick, and Harry at the front was desperately trying to break down a shield spanning the width of the corridor, be it through physical force or magical methods.

Drake focused more energy into his eyes until he could see through the shield. "It would seem your father was able to establish a barricade and has fortified his position inside the infirmary. However, these people are doing their best to break through."

"Well, that's just peachy." Rex closed the door and leaned back heavily against the doorframe. "How are we supposed to get to him?"

"I'm not sure yet. Give me a moment to think." Drake closed his eyes and massaged his temples with his right hand as he listened to the frenzied mob. Dy'Ixion had made the perfect strategic move, and now Drake's options were limited. Worse yet, until they were able to regroup with his uncle, there was no way he could plan their next step. Which meant they had to get through the peasants, and he had to do it now, before the blood oath reappeared. He took a deep breath, dropped his hand, and looked up at Rex.

The young man read his body language to a T and rolled his eyes. "You've lost your marbles if you think I'm going to hack my way through them."

Drake nodded in understanding. So that was not an option. He closed his eyes again and visualized the arena. The main lower hallway made a complete circle around the entire coliseum. They could run to the other side, but he already knew there was a mob on that end of the infirmary, as well. He mentally went up a level. If he had someone who was good at earth magic, they could dig their way down to Mr. Havanger, but he didn't. Rex had just opened his magic—he'd be more likely to stab himself with an earth spike than properly mold the earth.

"What about the slides in the pit. They lead down to the infirmary," Rex offered.

The maid shook her head. "They were sealed when your father activated the infirmary's lockdown."

"I've got it," Drake said standing to his feet. "But we'll need a way to make the object invisible for my plan to work."

Rex frowned, "Turn what invisible?"