He was pointing at the large rectangular trough at the far end of the training ring, just past the gate which led to the stable yard. But the Tenebrian nobles, who had gathered to watch outside the tall wooden training fence, weren’t paying him any attention. They were staring at the screaming groom and Elli saw money changing hands—apparently the nobles were making bets on how long he would live before the flames consumed him.
“These fools are useless—I’ll have to do it myself,” Roke growled. He started to push Elli under the lowest bars of the fence, where she’d come through in the first place. “You stay out of the way. I’ll go help.”
“No!” Elli grasped at his arm urgently. “No, Roke—you mustn’t!” she exclaimed, holding him tight.
“What are you talking about? That idiot groom will die if I don’t put him out,” the big warrior growled.
“And you’ll die if you get anywhere near Demon right now,” Elli told him. “He’s in a Fury.”
“Yes, I can tell that,” Roke snapped. “But as long as I stay near the edge of the fence and keep clear of him—”
“No, you don’t understand.” Elli shook her head. “When a zorel goes into a Fury, no one and nothing can calm him down and he will kill anyone in his territory. In fact, we both need to get out for now.”
She squeezed under the fence and waited expectantly. Roke cast a last glance over his shoulder at the hapless groom, but the Tenebrian servant had fallen down by now and was only twitching. Demon was still rearing and tossing his head and now he rolled his red eyes, his gaze coming to rest on Roke, who was still in the training ring.
“Hurry!” Elli said anxiously. “He’s still mad with the Fury. You have to get out of his territory, Roke!”
As though to prove her words, Demon lowered his head and rushed towards them, black smoke billowing from his nostrils.
“Hurry!” Elli gasped again. “He’s going to flame!”
Roke seemed to believe her at last, because he squeezed under the fence—with a great more difficulty since he was so much bigger than her—and barely got out of the rampaging zorel’s way.
Finding his quarry gone, Demon screamed in rage and blew a stream of flame from his nostrils in their direction.
Elli ducked and pulled Roke’s head down at the same time. She was barely in time—she could feel the deadly heat of the huge zorel’s flames radiating against the back of her head and rippling down her spine. But thank goodness, nothing caught on fire.
“Stay down,” she muttered to Roke, hoping he would listen to her. “Just stay down—we have to wait until the Fury passes.”
The big warrior said nothing but he laid low with her until, with an angry snort, they heard the big zorel gallop away.
At last Elli dared to raise her head. She saw that Demon was galloping around and around the training ring fence, which was too high for him to jump, snorting angrily and blowing puffs of black smoke.
The Tenebrian nobles had backed a prudent distance away, all of them keeping a close eye on the huge, angry beast. Some of them also seemed to be settling up their bets for Elli saw money being exchanged. The sight made her sick and angry at the same time.
“What did I tell you?” Roke’s deep voice was shaky and furious as he looked up at her at last. “Didn’t I say that thing was fucking dangerous? But did you listen? No!” He stood and dusted himself off, glaring at her the whole time. “I mean, are you fucking trying to get yourself killed? Why in the Seven Hells did you rush in there like that?”
“They were hurting him!” Elli flared. “And besides, I didn’t know that they would make him so angry they’d send him into a Fury!”
“What does that mean? You keep saying that—in a Fury—what is that?” Roke demanded.
“It’s similar to when a Kindred warrior goes into Rage,” Elli tried to explain. “It’s sort of a temporary loss of sanity—the anger just takes over and there’s nothing you can do until it passes. As soon as he calms down, I can try again.”
“Try again? After what we just saw?” Roke demanded incredulously. “That beast just fucking killed a man and you want to try again?”
“Of course I do,” Elli said tartly. “As soon as he’s calmed down. I just need to get close enough to catch his eye so if I approach him slowly…”
“Like hell, you will,” Roke growled. “We’re getting the Seven Hells out of here while you’re still in one piece! If I have to, I’ll throw you over my shoulder and drag you back to my ship!”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Elli snapped, glaring up at him.
“You just watch me, little priestess! In fact, you’re coming with me right now!”