Emergence (The Primogenitor Chronicles Book 1) (25 page)

The crowd continued to grow, showing surprise at who was to be disciplined; though mostly a wellspring of support emanated from them. Curiosity ran rampant, but even when in trouble, they still emotionally supported their wingmate. At least they were following the rules and not talking to her. Respect for the ritual, a fundamental that was just as important as knowing how to fight.

The quiet murmur of the crowd ceased, and Marcus saw that all eyes had turned to the southwest corner. The crowd parted and Robin strode onto the field, his wings rippling behind him, his face a blank mask.

Marcus absorbed the shocked silence as everyone took in the fact that Kelley would be facing Robin for her trial. Hushed whispers started from all over the grounds as the crowd started to respond to the unexpected.

“Good lord, it’s Robin. What did she do?”

“Robin doesn’t normally stand judgment; this must be pretty bad.”

“No wonder she’s been meditating so diligently. She must have known who she was facing.”

“She can’t hope to win.”

“That’s the point,” Marcus replied to those nearest him in an even voice. Then, crossing his arms, he returned his attention to the field and called a halt to the unnecessary speculation by bringing the discipline to order.

“Let us begin,” he called out, his voice reverberating from the walls of the valley, and he nodded to Robin to take over.

Robin raised his arms for silence. “Has everyone gathered?”

“We are here,” resounded from several hundred voices.

Robin turned around to face the stone circle on the other side of the field and raised his voice, the strong sound eerie with an echo. “Kelley Ashborne, Beta Hunter of the First Flight of Puma Sept, do you stand in abeyance of your status until such time as you prove otherwise?”

Rising gracefully, Kelley shook out her wings, lifting her head. “I stand in abeyance.” Then, sinking to one knee in the circle, she faced the gathering. “I kneel for judgment.”

Robin turned around to slowly scan the waiting crowd then continued. “This Hunter has endangered our safety by revealing our skills to those who would question. She also endangered those we wish to protect outside by causing them to question. For this, she will be punished.”

Robin caught his eye as he raised his hand into the air. “Marcus Sinclair, Alpha of our clan, will you stand witness to the validity of the accusation?”

Marcus stepped forward and mantled his wings. “I will stand witness.”

“Kelley Ashborne, what is your choice? Will you relegate yourself to permanent Omega status within Puma, or will you fight for your standing? Know that if you choose to fight, you could be permanently hurt or killed.”

She held her head high and replied with just the slightest quaver to her voice, “I will fight.”

“Who will witness?”

“Witnessed.” The affirmation thundered out from the surrounding crowd.

“From now until the end of the penance period, your status will be Omega. After which time how well you fought will determine your final status. Killing blows are to be avoided; the boundaries are the edges of the practice grounds and the immediate air space. Are you ready?”

Her face ashen, she stood and took a deep breath before answering her Flight leader. “I am ready.”

He bowed to her and replied, “May you fight hard and well.”

She slipped between the stones of the circle, loosening her wings as she paced the width of the grounds. A wary eye followed Robin. He circled her slowly, like a cat stalking prey.

Marcus settled down on the ground to watch the fight, worry niggling. Robin would show no mercy for her because she was his Second.

The two Hunters moved with lethal grace. Feinting toward her, Robin forced Kelley to jump back nervously, and he laughed, starting to taunt her. He circled, herding her farther into the center of the grounds. She kept backing, her reticence obvious. He toyed with her like a cat with a mouse, but he allowed her to stay just out of his reach.

Marcus was a little surprised at his tactics and her caution. Normally she loved to engage Robin, and while walking into a fight like this didn’t qualify as normal practice, he’d expected her to rush forward in her normal brash way to get the reprimand over.

Then Marcus caught a glimpse of Robin’s face and his blood ran cold. His eyes had gone completely feral.

Oh no, he’s unleashed everything; no wonder she’s so wary. Unless she can match him and bring her own predatory instincts up to the surface, she won’t last long. And any hope for her status will be in the toilet. No wonder he’s taking his time and pushing her.

“Come on, Kelley, changing your mind already? Don’t wish to face me after all? You want to stay Omega for the rest of your life? I thought you were a good fighter.” The grin on Robin’s face gave Marcus chills. He feinted to the left then snapped out a wing, nearly clotheslining her as she dove under.

She rolled, then jumped, taking a wing beat into the air to turn back toward him. “Oh, I’ll face you in my own time, Robin.” Her voice wavered, and landing, she continued to back up.

He circled her lazily, herding her more and more toward the center of the grounds. She stayed on the defensive, not rising to his bait. Then she stumbled. Robin’s laugh followed her as she jumped back, expecting him to take the opening and attack. He just stretched and yawned.

“Practicing for Omega status already, Kel?” Then he lunged, taking her off guard. Her reflexes slow, she dove out of the way, but he still landed a solid punch to her back as she rolled. Grunting, she whipped around and just managed to block his follow-up punch to her stomach. She brought her own leg up and planted a weak kick to his ribs.

He whirled away unfazed and laughed. “Boy you are a wuss today. Look at you; that kick didn’t even wind me. You fight like a five-year-old girl.” Slowly fanning his wings, he grinned as she started to growl low in her throat, finally having enough of his taunts.

“That’s right,” Robin said quietly. “That’s it. Bring it up.”

His smile faded and his face grew grim. “Time to get serious. Now,
fight
me.”

Lunging for him, Kelley sent a flurry of kicks and punches at him; blocking them, Robin spun, raking her neck with his nails.

“First blood!” he yelled as red flowed down to stain the collar of her vest.

Her eyes flashed and she spun a kick into Robin’s gut, doubling him over. Then she grabbed for one of his wings and started to pull the frame, but he lashed out, knocking her knees out from under her. They fell side by side, and he backhanded her in the mouth.

Rolling away, she looked up at him and slowly wiped the blood from her chin. Then, rising with a feline grace, she started to circle her Flight leader, keeping her eyes glued to his. Taking the initiative, she lunged straight for Robin’s throat. He twisted and dodged, barely managing to block her knee, but she grabbed his hair with one hand, pulling back to expose his unprotected neck.

He seized her other wrist and pushed it away from his face, so she leaned forward and sank her teeth into the hollow of his neck, just missing the vein.

With a shout, he twisted his free hand in her hair and pried her off then slammed his knee into her gut, dropping her to the ground. Backing up, he slapped a hand to the bite and applied pressure.

Gasping for air, she scuttled back, and then with a feral smile, her tongue swept his blood from her lips. She slunk around him, her breathing ragged, blood dripping down her throat from the scratches. Robin growled, and with a laugh, she launched into the sky.

Only a wing beat behind her, he made a grab for her legs, but she tucked her wings, somersaulting. Then as he shot by, she uncurled, lashing out to strike him on the shoulder blades with the full thrust of her legs, sending him plummeting out of control.

He turned his plunge into a dive and soared down, skimming the practice grounds to gain momentum before angling into a sharp climb, driving straight toward Kelley.

Hovering, she waited for him. As he neared, she turned her hover into a stoop, but before she could strike, he turned the move against her. He clapped his wings to his side and spun in a barrel roll. She couldn’t correct her flight fast enough. He snapped his wings out to stop and snagged her pinion struts in both fists as she shot by.

A scream ripped from her as her momentum was arrested and her wings were wrenched out of their sockets. She struggled, twisting, trying to get some hold on Robin behind her.

Flapping heavily as he descended, Robin dropped to the ground. One arm still clenched on a wing strut, he pressed into her back, his other arm snaking around her neck.

“Do you yield?” he growled into her ear.

“No,” she gasped out. And bracing her feet, she dropped her hips and pushed into him, heedless of the damage to her neck or wings. She bent, throwing him over her shoulder.

Dust flew as he landed flat on his back, the breath knocked out of him. Dragging her wrenched wings, she tried to stomp him, but he rolled out of the way. He hooked his leg out and knocked her feet out from under her.

Off balance, she fell and tried to curl into a roll, but her spasming muscles wouldn’t cooperate, and she landed heavily on her side instead, breathing hard.

Kicking her over onto her stomach, Robin walked up her splayed wings and knelt on her injured wing joints to hold her down. He wrapped his fist in her length of blond hair and lifted her face out of the dirt.

“Do you yield?”

“No,” she rasped, and Marcus could see the blood that flowed down her neck glisten wetly in the sunlight.

Slamming her face into the ground, the Hunter asked again. “Do. You. Yield?”

“No.”

The muffled reply reached Marcus and he watched Robin slam her head into the ground again.

“Yield, damn it!”

Come on, Kelley, enough is enough. Don’t make him knock you out.

“I…yield…”

Robin’s head dropped as she finally surrendered.

*Robin. Are you ok?*

His Second’s mind voice sounded faint with fatigue.
*I’ll be fine, Marcus. This was just more difficult emotionally than I had anticipated. She did well though, don’t you think?*

*Yes, she held her own. I expect her rank will rise from this.*

Robin released his grip on her hair and smoothed it out, then rested his hand on the back of her head for a moment. After a last caress, he lifted himself away and raised his arms.

“This judgment is over.”

Marcus stood. The only movement around the grounds came from Beth and Leslie. They hurried across the field over to the two combatants; he moved to join them. Everyone waited to see if Robin’s Second was all right.

“Beth, could you and Les get Kel over to the infirmary?” Robin asked softly. “I don’t think she can make it on her own.”

“You need to come too, Robin. Your neck looks like it might need some stitches.” Beth peered at his wound. “Come on.”

“I’ll be fine, Beth, really.” The Hunter sighed.

“Move it, Robin,” she snapped.

“I’d do what she says, son, if I were you.” Marcus laughed.

“Kelley needs help more than I do.”

“And she’ll get it, right alongside you,” Beth replied starchily. “Marcus, can you carry Kelley alone?”

“I’m sure I can manage.” He knelt down next to the prone Valkyrie and carefully folded her wings across her back. The joints were too loose. Gently he touched her shoulder and asked, “Kelley, are you aware? Can you roll over?”

“I don’t think so, Marcus,” he heard, the words faintly slurred.

“Brace yourself. I’m going to turn you.” He worked his hands under her shoulder and hip then carefully rolled her to her back, wincing in sympathy when she yelled from the pain. Her face was a bloody mess, and he used his sleeve to wipe the worst of the blood and dirt from her eyes.

“I don’t think I can stand. Everything’s spinning,” she got out between shallow, sobbing breaths.

“That’s probably because you let Robin pound your head into the ground too many times. Don’t worry. I’m going to carry you. Though I think your wings might be dislocated, so this isn’t going to be too pleasant.” He slipped his hands underneath her shoulders and legs and slowly lifted her into his arms. She bit her lip until it bled. Rising, he turned around to the others, but her wings dragged on the ground and she screamed.

“Hold on, Kel. Hold on,” he whispered and gripped her tighter to him as Beth and the others rushed back over. “Beth, can you get her wings folded up? I should be able to hold them if you can.”

His wife dropped to her knees and Marcus could feel movement as she gathered up Kelley’s useless wings.

“I’ve almost got it. Leslie, if you would please hold that end? Ok, Marcus, now.”

He closed his eyes, and reaching into his power well, he started to pull the energy out of himself, shaping it into a rope of light that he used to wind about the trembling Hunter in his arms. He lashed her wings tight to her body. A portion of his concentration went to maintaining the mental image, then he opened his eyes. A faint light engulfed Kelley’s torso and he tested his control of it. “Ok, Beth, I’ve got it.”