"Well." Darian turned the mirror back and forth. "That happened."
"I beg your forgiveness, my liege." Zenith sank to one knee before her, head bowed. "I should not have allowed him to escape."
"It's fine," Darian said. "We've got this now, at least. Maybe we'll learn something by studying it."
Just then, Theo heard a gasp from above. His heart jolted when he saw Sam swaying atop the wall, her eyes closed.
Then she pitched forward.
A scream tore from his throat. He reached out, but couldn't hope to close the distance between them.
Something huge and gray streaked in front of him. A man again, Lodovico caught Sam in his arms.
He fell to his knees, breathing hard, but he'd shielded Sam from the worst of the fall. Gratitude welled inside Theo, hot and choking.
But before he could say anything, his Levia spiked. That was all the warning he got.
Suddenly the arena's icy Levia rushed away like air from a decompressing plane, making his ears pop. The ground started to shake and the stalls collapsed one by one, their dark coverings melting into furls of black smoke.
"Wh-what? What's happening?" Theo squinted, trying to see through the thickening smoke. It didn't just come from the stalls; the ground was swirling away like plumes of ink too.
"I'm guessing the girl was the wizard who made this arena," Meg called above the rising rumble. "Now that she's no longer feeding it Levia, it's going to collapse."
"Collapse? You mean – "
With a clank of armor, Zenith appeared by his side. Before Theo could get his bearings, Zenith picked him up and hauled him up onto his back just like he'd done earlier.
But now his cape was tattered and a giant hole gaped in his armor. "Hey, are you sure you're – hey!" as Zenith took off running.
He moved with surprising speed, showing no sign of pain from his injuries. Just as well, because the arena didn't stop dissolving. Wind howled past Theo's ears, stinging and bitter upon his skin.
As the wind reached a deafening pitch, a crackle filled Theo's head. It grew louder and louder, drowning out even his fear and panic.
When it finally faded, he slowly blinked his eyes open.
The arena was gone. Instead, he saw a scuffed linoleum floor, flickering fluorescent lights, the dim red glow of an exit sign. It seemed they had ended up in one of the covered market's empty back halls.
Zenith let him down. Theo swayed, but didn't fall. His shoulder still ached, but the pain was muted now.
Meanwhile Zenith had returned to his glamour, hair disarrayed and glasses askew, but otherwise looking none the worse for wear. Meg, Darian, and Lodo were there too, all sweating and breathing hard. And in Lodo's arms –
"Sam!" Theo stumbled toward her, but didn't get far before Zenith placed a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder.
"She's fine," Meg said. "Just sleeping. Seems she's been drained of Levia."
Theo's pulse still roared in his ears, but it gradually slowed down as he examined Sam. Her eyes were closed, but her chest rose and fell at a steady rhythm.
Relief rushed through him, leaving him dizzy. If it weren't for Zenith's grip, he would have fallen to his knees.
"Oh, thank God, she's okay. She's okay…."
"So you know her," Darian said, casting Sam a troubled glance.
"Yeah, we're best friends." Though he didn't want to think about the battle, not so soon, images flashed across his mind anyway. Sam on her knees, clutching her head, fighting the Infernal Legion's control with all her might.
"The demon seemed surprised, so they probably didn't know that," Meg said. "Still, that they're already targeting people close to you is cause for concern."
"I take it you know where she lives? We'll bring her there." Darian glanced up at the ceiling, where rain was drumming a steady rhythm. "After the rain lets up, anyway."
"Wait." Doubt stirred inside Theo. "So we're just going to...drop her off at home? And then what?"
"Then we'll regroup at our base." Darian ran a hand over her face, looking haggard. "Discuss this attack and what, if anything, we might have gleaned from it."
"Without Sam?"
Darian and Meg exchanged glances. "She was an unfortunate victim," Darian said, slow and deliberate. "This has nothing to do with her, but she was dragged into it anyway. I never wanted to put innocent people in harm's way."
What she said made sense, but Theo couldn't accept it. "Shouldn't we give her the choice? I mean...if the Infernal Legion was able to make her into a thrall, that means she has Levia, right? So she can become a wizard."
It felt surreal talking about Sam while she slept, yet Theo didn't just want to drop her off and pretend nothing had happened. What if she remembered everything and wanted answers? And who was to say she wouldn't get dragged into it again? If she learned wizardry, she'd at least be able to defend herself.
Or maybe his motives were more simple and selfish. Maybe he was tired of lying to her like he'd never lied before. Maybe he wanted to share this world with his best friend.
"That is true...," Meg said, rubbing her chin.
Darian shook her head. "I won't involve more people if I can help it."
"She's already involved." An unfamiliar sternness entered Meg's voice. "And it's my personal philosophy that if one does possess the gift of Levia, they have the right to know of it."
Zenith stepped toward her, his brows tight, but Darian waved him back with a sigh.
"Fine. We'll take her to base. But you should contact her family in case they're worried about where she is, Theo."
Theo nodded. "I can tell them she's staying over at my place."
"Good." Sighing, Darian raked a hand through her hair. "This rain's not stopping, is it?"
"Not until midnight, it seems," Meg said, checking her phone. "I'll call us a ride."
"Order us a pizza too. I doubt Lodo's feeling very up to cooking."
"How very thoughtful, my prince," Lodo said. "Might I recommend Angelo's arugula margherita?"
No matter how often it happened, Theo could never get used to these people – a prince, a wizard, a werecat – talking about average everyday mundane business as easily as they did about Tielos, the Infernal Legion, and arenas. In spite of everything, he smiled a little.
But the smile faded when he turned toward Zenith. The homunculus knight had folded his arms and lowered his head. "What's wrong?" Theo asked softly, placing a hand on his arm.
Zenith jerked. "It's nothing, just...."
"Just?"
"You were hurt." Zenith's voice came out so quiet Theo almost didn't hear it beneath Meg and Darian loudly debating which ride to pick. "I failed in my duty as your familiar. As a knight."
"Don't say that." Theo used all his self-control not to shout; he sensed Zenith had brought up the subject now so the others wouldn't overhear. "You didn't fail. It's my fault for being so reckless, anyway. In this battle, and all the others, you've always done your best to protect me."
He gripped Zenith's hands, squeezing the long, elegant fingers. Hoping that in some small way, he could provide Zenith even a fraction of the reassurance that Zenith always gave to him.
Though the troubled light didn't leave his eyes, some of the tension in Zenith's face relaxed. Then he squeezed back, a little hesitantly, but his grip firm as ever.
"I won't allow any more harm to come to you, Theo. Upon my honor, I swear it." His whisper brushed Theo's skin like a silk curtain, raising goosebumps in its wake. Theo's hands twitched with the sudden urge to pull away, but he forced himself to cling tighter.
"Thank you, Zenith," he whispered back.