Mantle of the Gods

Aelin fell asleep first.

As soon as she got a fire started, she had started to nod off, so we had let her go to sleep while the three of us moved a little ways up river. Close enough that we could still see her, but far enough away so that we could talk without scaring her if she overheard.

“He’s going to try something, isn’t he?” I leaned on the new stick that I’d found.

“If I had to bet on it.” Ether looked to Justia for confirmation. "I’d bet he wants to, but I’m not sure that even he is that stupid.”

“There’s four of us and one of him.” The brown-haired Healer confirmed. "He was confronted and probably felt backed in a corner when he attacked us the last time.” She shook her head. "He might be able to rationalize how we beat him last time as a fluke, but he’s going to have to psych himself up a lot to start the fight.”

“So he’ll hit us if he sees a chance, but otherwise he’ll just watch us while being pissed?” I summarized.

“Pretty much.” Justia agreed.

“Does this mean we shouldn’t split up?” I looked at Ether. "We’d be able to do the snakes faster if we stayed together. But is that going to put us too far behind?” I had thought about doing the math, but I was too tired to think that much and I knew she’d probably already calculated it.

“If we can up our speed to one every six minutes, then we’d be able to do the same, but I’m not sure if you can keep up with that pace.” Ether moved closer to me. She took my arm and urged me to sit down with her. Once we were sitting, the red-eyed woman moved behind me and started massaging my back. "You took a beating today from more than just the snakes. I don’t know if we should be pushing you quite so hard.”

“Can we afford not to?” I closed my eyes trying not to feel guilty about the relief I was being given. "Can Rix afford for us not to?” I opened my eyes and looked at Justia, who was the only one I could see. "The floor boss is supposed to be fought with a team of six.” I nodded in Aelin‘s direction. "When it was five, I had my doubts, but with four? And no gear?” I took a deep breath. "This feels like a suicide mission.”

“I think that’s what it’s supposed to be.” Ether wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly.

“Doesn’t Edward wanting to leave the team accomplish what they were trying to do?” I laid my head against her arms.

“If they were watching us, then maybe.” Justia shrugged. "But what they don’t know is that the only way Mister Vowler is getting pulled off of the team is if you’re not on it.” She shook her head. "That’d just mean that they’d try again to make us quit.”

“We have to prove that we deserve him to be our teacher.” Ether affirmed. "That we’re better than they are. Beating the first floor boss in record time and with only four party members is a pretty good way to do that.”

“True.” I closed my eyes. "If we can do it.” I opened them and looked at Justia. "But if we do it, won’t that bring too much attention to us?”

“How so?”

“Aren’t things like floor clear time recorded? Won’t every team be able to see that we beat the first floor boss in our first week?”

“I hadn’t thought about that.” The green-skinned Healer looked concerned. "That’s something I hadn’t thought of.”

“Is hiding that you’re an abnormal more important than Rix’s life?” Ether leaned forward, resting her chin on my shoulder.

“No.” I hoped she couldn’t tell that I didn’t believe the answer. Honestly, if word got out and one or more of the Gods decided to level the Cathedral to kill me, then she’d die anyway, even if we saved her here. I guess I wanted what I said to be true. I didn’t want Rix to die to keep my secret safe. Not like this.

“I have a feeling that the ArchBishop will do something to keep it off the books.” I hoped he would anyway. "They could always say that we cheated somehow to keep us from getting credit. That would be enough to protect everyone.”

“That would work.” Ether mused. "So for tomorrow, we try to go a little faster than what the two of you were doing and we stick together, in case his highness decides to attack us.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I blinked back the exhaustion that was begging me to fall asleep. "All we have left is to figure out watch.”