Stealing the Dragon’s Heart by Kiersten Fay

42

The space station was made up of subtle curved lines. The entire structure was cylindrical, but so large that, without the view of the central, open arena, a person could walk the entire length of one floor and never know they’d gone in a circle. Square columns with delicate beveled edges held up the outcropping formed by the upper floors. Sinuous counters fronted each vendor, the aroma of cooked food blending to creating a unique and alluring fragrance that called to the stomach. But there was no time to stop for a bite. Onnika was on the hunt for one kindly old man who might offer them the means to save Caryn.

At first, she was frantic, rushing through the crowd and scanning faces, but then she began to worry that in her haste, she might miss his rather ordinary countenance among the eccentric splendor that fans and contestants were presenting. Being so near the end of the race seemed to have inspired the crowds to dress more extravagantly, as though attending a fabulous soiree. Colorful feathers and glittering tiaras decorated the heads of many finely draped females. And more than a few had dyed their hair platinum and styled themselves suspiciously similar to the way she did. The men’s garb had a little more versatility, with some wearing tight, uncomfortable-looking suits or flamboyant costumes, while others were clad in worn trousers and utility jackets for easy movement. It was easy to tell who was a race-hopper and who wasn’t. Yet, Onnika didn’t think the old man was the type to wrap himself in a stuffy costume. Though they’d only met a few times, she couldn’t picture him without that dusty old hat and scruffy beard.

At the center of the arena was a large square edifice comprised of an odd mixture of metal, stone, and glass. A passerby had called it The Gauntlet. It was the only sharply cornered structure in sight, and therefore seemed wildly out of place. The front was made up of a dark stone carved in relief with images of snarling beasts as if in warning, with extended claws and dripping fangs. Glass walls allowed her to see into many innocuous small rooms along one length of the complex, completely empty of furniture or any sort of decoration. She couldn’t see anything beyond that, for the inner walls were made of the same kind of opaque black metal. As soon as they found the old man and convinced him to help, she’d have more time to investigate—in order for them to leave as soon as possible, they’d need to win as many vouchers as they could. Something told her it wouldn’t be easy, but she could only deal with one problem at a time. For now, she needed to keep searching.

Onnika continued to scour the crowd, the employees, everyone she passed. No one went unnoticed…except for one small brunette making her way through the crowd toward The Gauntlet. Only contestants huddled over there, contemplating their chances at whatever lay inside, so she largely ignored them at first. But then heads began to turn toward the center of the arena, and interest lit the faces of those around her.

A strange chill skittered up her spine, and something told her to take a closer look.

Gaze darting over the gathering crowd, she caught sight of the source of her distress. Caryn, still looking sickly pale, was standing at a registrar booth, holding her bracelet out to be scanned. The registrar handed her a folded white cloth. Caryn accepted it, then she headed into The Gauntlet, through a dark doorway that suddenly resembled a predator’s gaping jaw.

“Look at this little waif,” a tall, sallow man standing nearby dispassionately told his bejeweled female companion. “Who is she? I haven’t noticed her before.”

The woman replied. “I’m not sure. Whoever she is, she hasn’t been competing much.”

“Well, she doesn’t look like she has much of a constitution for danger. I give her five minutes in there before she raises that white flag and begs to quit.”

The woman laughed. “Or she’ll die. Either way, this ought to be entertaining.”

Fine-edged terror sliced through Onnika’s chest. She grabbed the man by the arm harder than she meant to. “What is The Gauntlet?”

Startled, the man staggered back, breaking her hold with a scowl. Then recognition took hold and his expression turned stunned. “Oh, it’s you. I did not hear that your ship had arrived.”

The woman gasped, her eyes going wide. “Do you think you’ll brave The Gauntlet?”

“What is it?” she demanded again, hearing the hysteria in her own tone.

An awkward form of confusion creased their features. Finally, the woman replied, “It’s a deadly obstacle course. Anyone who conquers it would receive enough vouchers to leave for the finish line instantly, but no one will beat it. It’s too difficult.”

Onnika’s mind didn’t register anything after the word deadly. Before she made the mental decision to move, she found herself sprinting toward the place where Caryn’s form was vanishing behind a veil of darkness. Heart thundering, she shoved people aside in her mad dash, knocking some of them over. Cries of outrage followed her, but she didn’t care. When another unsuspecting individual meandered into her path, she barreled over him. Seconds felt like hours by the time she made it to the entrance, but before she leapt over the threshold, a strong hand snatched her back. She whirled around, ready to throw elbows. “Let me go!”

A part of her expected to see Aidan, but it was the registrar who held onto her. He had a stubby, slug-like rounded nose that took up the majority of his face and was bisected by evenly spaced horizontal wrinkles, but his small eyes were kind, though he did seem more than surprised by her outburst. “I must scan your bracelet, miss.”

He quickly did so, and she tore off after Caryn, bursting through the cave-like mouth of The Gauntlet. She thought she heard the registrar call out something about a flag, but she wouldn’t be detained any longer. Eyes adjusting quickly, she found herself in a small, dark room illuminated only by strips of green light bleeding through the grooves of a tiled floor. The effect was beautifully geometric.

Caryn stood near the center of the room, gazing down at her feet—she stood exactly in the center of a twelve-by-twelve tile—but her head snapped up as soon as Onnika crossed the threshold. Onnika’s heart sank when she spotted the dark smudges under Caryn’s bloodshot eyes.

“What are you doing?” Caryn asked, her red-rimmed eyes widening in horror.

“What am I doing? What the shit are you doing? Get over here right now. I’m taking you back to the ship.”

Onnika started to advance, intending to haul Caryn back out to the open when Caryn suddenly threw her hands up and cried out. “No! Don’t step there!”

It was too late. The tile under Onnika’s foot lit up so bright, it was nearly blinding. Behind her, she heard the sound of stone grating against stone, and she realized a large portcullis had just locked them inside.