• • •
CPD cruisers and National Guard vehicles formed a perimeter around the stadium parking lot to keep curious humans away from the battle, and deflect the dragon, if necessary, back toward the stadium, at least when the dragon arrived.
In the meantime, it had roamed as it pleased. The National Guard had held its fire this time, fearing that loosing more mortars and missiles on the city would only wreak further destruction. I wasn’t sure they could have done any better.
The stadium glowed with light, sending up a yellow haze over the city. I wasn’t sure whether the dragon was attracted to light, but it couldn’t hurt in getting him to the right place.
Brody pulled the SUV up to the service entrance, where CPD officers waited for us. We climbed out with our quartet of magicked swords. The Ombudsman’s van pulled up behind us. Mallory hopped out, took the pitted ceramic pot that Jeff handed her, followed by Jeff and my grandfather.
Pierce and Wilcox walked toward us. For a moment, I was afraid the mayor had reneged on her promise, and we’d have to arrange our battle within their rules and parameters. That fear dissolved quickly enough.
“Everything should be ready,” Wilcox said, offering Ethan a hand. “The ops plan looks good.”
“I have a very capable team,” Ethan said, returning the greeting.
The rest of us exchanged the appropriate hellos.
“The helicopter’s waiting in case anyone needs an evac,” my grandfather said.
“Good,” Wilcox said. “We’re on standby out here, with guns ready in case the dragon needs to be pushed back toward the stadium.” He looked at my grandfather and Jeff. “You’ll be coordinating that from the van?”
“We will,” my grandfather confirmed.
Wilcox nodded and looked at our swords, brow lifted. “You sure that’s enough firepower?”
Ethan’s smile was thin. “We’re sure. You let us do what we do best, and we’ll end this tonight.”
“Understood,” Wilcox said.
“And if this doesn’t end tonight,” Pierce began, “what’s the backup plan?”
“There is no backup plan,” Ethan said. “We fight the dragon until it’s dead, or we are. It’s that simple.”
Her eyes widened, but she nodded. “Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Good,” he said. If only they’d done that in the first place . . .
I put a hand at his back. They’ve done it now. So we’ll do what we can.
• • •
The law-enforcement types stayed outside the stadium. We walked through the dark tunnel toward the playing field, and I bet our sense of anticipation wasn’t much different from what the professional athletes felt on their way to a game. Excitement, nerves, adrenaline, and a killer instinct.
“You ready?” Mallory asked me.
“I absolutely am.” I felt calmer than I had in days. I knew how to use my sword, my sword had been charmed for extra power, and I had two very good fighters at my side. This was, literally and figuratively, what I’d trained for.
“Get it,” Mallory said, and we bumped knuckles.
We walked onto the field, the lights glowing above us, the seats stretched in an oval around us.
“Lions in the coliseum,” Catcher murmured.
“Better than gladiators facing lions,” Ethan said. But he held back when Catcher, Mallory, and Jonah walked into the middle of the field, turned to me.
“This is my last opportunity to request that you don’t fight tonight.”
I lifted my brows at him, irritated that he was going to start an argument before a battle.