7 Deadly Instincts (The Sinfire Chronicles Book 1)

Settie was in the canteen, alone, when Gray and the rest of his squad entered the building.

She had her hat pulled down, and she was sipping her charbrew, with her mask resting on the table.

Pinch kept her distance, walking far behind the last remaining squad members.

Gray didn’t know why for a second, and then he realized, the fae girl didn’t want them to think she was trying to take Ames’s place.

Midj’s face had dark circles under eyes, and it was clear, she’d been crying.

Tomi just looked lost, while Rynn gripped Gray’s hand.

Midj beat them all to the table, climbing up and sitting on her knees. “Any word on Ames? Please, captain, please tell us good news.”

Settie glanced up and focused on Pinch. “What is she doing here?”

Gray sat down and took Settie’s charbrew and sipped it. It had gone cold. How long had she been there?

Maybe the real hardship of Soulshred Week was the cold coffee. It was funny, it made him laugh, when every part of him wanted to smash First Field and kill everyone he met. The world was cruel in ways he would never understand. Might as well laugh at it.

No. That wasn’t the truth. The truth was, every minute was precious. Every moment was to be savored. Because it was all so very fragile.

Gray grinned at the captain. “That’s Pamalee Thornpinch. She wants to join up.”

“Really.” Settie smiled. “This is unexpected. Of course, if she wants to be our fifth player, we should take her up on it. But long term? Her? Her father hates me. He would never allow it.”

Gray passed the charbrew off to Rynn.

Settie’s eyes followed it. “That’s my charbrew,” she said stiffly.

“It’s cold.”

“It works.” Settie nodded at Pinch. “Your father will disown you.”

The fae girl nodded, standing back, as if she were afraid Settie might launch herself over the table and stab her with her charbrew spoon. “You are correct, captain. He will disown me. I will most likely be stripped of all my titles. I will have nothing.”

“Why do this then?” Settie asked.

“Because…” she glanced at Gray, at Rynn, and then forced herself to stare into Settie’s eyes. “Because I want to win. Not just Soulshred Week. I want to win the Testing. And I want…I want friendship. You all have friendship. I’ve never had that.”

Pinch was blushing so brightly it looked like she might , and she looked like she might cry, except, of course, she knew how to harden her heart.

She lifted her chin. “Gray said I could join. I will fight the Winners with everything I have. I would imagine they will find another recruit to join them, and so, it will still be seven against five. However, Gray will keep my core filled, and I will not tire. I…will…not…tire.”

Midj took the mug of cold coffee, drained it, made a face, and slammed it back down. “Ames, Captain. What about Ames?”

“Ames is with Mrs. Quillswrath and the Widow Stone. They are doing everything they can to bring her back. I was with them all night. It doesn’t…it doesn’t look good. Every second that passes there is less of a chance of her core re-igniting.”

“I could help,” Gray said. “I could give her mana. Please.”

He felt Rynn looking at him. He was so ashamed of what he’d said. Blind John had always said that living was better than dying any day of the week, that life was worth the pain.

Settie took her cup and looked into it. “As I said last night, visiting is impossible. Would someone be a dear and get me a fresh cup? I would like to return to the topic of Pinch joining our squad. You said that Gray gave you permission to join.”

Rynn looked worried. “I…we all agreed to it. I suppose we should’ve checked in with you first.”

Settie shook her head. “Oh, Rynnanatha, I think we are quickly reaching the point where my leadership rests on the whims of a certain boy from Cradleport rather than my own experience, knowledge, and acumen. Better to ask for permission than forgiveness. Is that not right, Grayson Fade?”

“Better to win this thing, right, Captain Sevanya?”

She took off her hat and set it on her mask. “Get breakfast. Bring me some and new coffee. And I have to warn you, I have an ancient dragon disease that is very contagious. It most affects the genitals.”

Gray shrugged. “This is Soulshred Week. Who fucking needs genitals?”

Then they all settled in for a strange breakfast. Pinch didn’t speak, but she was quick to answer questions, and quick to offer help. She clearly wanted to fit in.

It was funny. Rynn had gone through her two trunks that morning before breakfast. The money was all gone, of course, but as she went through her fine clothes, she didn’t seem every excited. She said they felt like they belonged to someone else.

Then the fae squad came in, and with them, was Blythe Donnaruma, obviously bathed, rested, and famished.

“The dragon,” Pinch said softly. “I thought they’d choose Kabe. But of course it would be the dragon.”

“Worried?” Gray asked.

Pinch’s face hardened, and her violet eyes turned cold. “Of course I’m worried. And if you aren’t, you’re a fucking fool.”

Tomi snorted. “There’s the fairy bitch we all know and love.”

Pinch went white. “I’m sorry. That came out…a tad sharp.”

Gray just laughed. “I have to say, I agree with Tomi. Welcome to the squad, Pamalee.”

She frowned, clearly confused.

Which made Gray laugh more. “If you were all sweetness and light, we would never fucking trust you. But there you are, our prickly Pinch, calling us names and being unpleasant. At least you’re not hitting us. That’s new.”

“I was paid to hit you,” Pinch said. “It was a job.”

“If you’re a duchess, why did you need a job?” Gray asked.

The fae girl frowned. “My mother. I’m helping her. It wasn’t only the money, though. It was more. To live free. To make my own way. To win. Finally, to win something on my own. I don’t expect you to understand. After today, my value to your squad will become clear, or you will expel me. Either way, my past doesn’t matter. Only my future.”

“No,” Rynn said quietly. “The past is gone. The future isn’t real. All we have is this moment. This food. This table. The game ahead. We need to tell your our strategies so you can help us win.”

Pinch looked at Rynn for a long time. “You are right. So, how can we win?”

Tomi seemed to have fallen back asleep, but she snorted out a laugh. “By getting the most points. Come on, Pinchy, get with the program.”

The fae girl didn’t know if she was kidding for several long minutes until Midj, between bites, pointed at her. “This is when you laugh. It’s just easier, and it makes Tomi feel better.”

“It does,” the cat girl said. “Gods help me, but it does.”

Then they all laughed, except for Pinch, who smiled politely.

Settie fixed her gaze on Gray. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Me too,” he said with a grin. “Me too.”

They were laughing, eating, talking about the upcoming game, but Gray knew they were all still grieving Ames. If she returned, it would be wonderful to see her again. If she really had passed on, well, she would know peace forevermore.

It wasn’t up to him to decide that. All he could do was enjoy the minutes of that day and look to see where he could help his friends.

That would honor Blind John more than anything.

Gray knew in his heart of hearts, he wasn’t responsible for Blind John’s death, despite what Lilian Everheart had said. It was just the world turning. It was just the flow of life. The trick was not to cling to anything. Life was just a long series of letting go and trusting in the flow.

*

It had warmed up, though clouds littered the sky, and there was the muttering of thunder, like an old man cursing the winter. The field had been cleaned up, much of the snow removed. The vendors were out, selling coya and butterbang and frizzle twists as well as sausages and Alastrian red bread with the spicy peporonchi on top.

Word had spread that it had been the bloodiest Testing in generations and of course, that drew in an even bigger. Also the fact that it was the championship game—the final event of Soulshred Week made it even more of a spectacle.

The rest of the recruits who had spent the last two days in the crypts were parades down the path with an audience. The recruits looked exhausted, completely spent, their eyes sunken into their skulls. Several had to walk holding on to each other but they’d made it. No one had rung the bell in the crypts.

Gray felt a stupid pride at that—that even Doralimb, grieving the loss of her brothers hadn’t given up. He felt the mana swirl around his core, but he was already so swollen.

He was standing on the field, off to the side, when the fae came striding up to him.

He was short, squat, muscled, but his face was just as pointed as most of the fae. His black hair looked like ink on top but it had gone white on the sides, bone white. He had white skin like alabaster—it almost didn’t look real. His eyes were a startling green with bright orange flecks.

Gray had seen him before—it was the fae squad’s sponsor.

The thick fae approached him. “Grayson Fade. I would like a word with you.”

“With me?” Gray didn’t like this fae. Not one bit. He was dressed in red velvet and gold with a cloak that was probably worth more than Gray’s life. He was rich and powerful, and he knew it. He walked like the world should be grateful to feel his feet.

“With you. You poached our Pamalee Thornpinch from us. We, of course, are not pleased. I’m assuming you didn’t use lust magic. Her behavior has been erratic for some time now. She is lost to us.”

The week had made Gray’s patience brittle. “Why are you talking to me? It’s her fucking life. We needed a fifth player because Freek went on a murdering spree which has something to do with fae money poisoning First Field. Not that poisoning this fucking place is all that hard.”

The fae showed no emotion. “I don’t know anything about that.”

“What’s your name again?” Gray asked. “Eric something Shade something?”

“Irik Shadefall.”

Gray laughed. “You and your fae names. What do you want, Irik?”

“I’ll pay you to lose.”

“More poison.” Gray closed his eyes. He missed Ruin Manor. He missed Yellow. He missed waking up and sliding over to Rynn and holding her close until she woke up. Then she would smile, and moan, as he kissed her. Why was he wasting his minutes on these stupid games?

“I could make you rich,” the fae sponsor said.

“I’m already rich.” It was the truth for him, though it was clear that Irik Shadefell would laugh at the little stipend that Gray got from First Field. “You have nothing I want.”

“What about your life?” Shadefell’s eyes were cold.

Gray charged his stick. “That sounds like a threat.”

“Oh, it is. Let’s not kid ourselves.”

Gray’s anger refilled his core as he strode forward.

Shadefell had training, that was certain, and he shifted his weight to balance himself.

It didn’t matter. Gray feinted with the stick, the fae fell for the trick, and then Gray kicked his leg out from under him. At the same time, she shoved the man—he was stocky, but it was so quick and so brutal, he couldn’t stay on his feet.

Gray charged his stick until it glowed a lethal red. “Stay the fuck away from me and my squad. That includes Pinch now. I’ll be sure to let Captain Sevanya know you threatened me. I can tell you right now that she’s not going to take it well.”

Shadefell laughed. “I never threatened you. We were talking about Pamalee Thornpinch and how worried we were.”

Duskdrop and a few of the fae jogged over with their bloodless blades glowing red.

Gray backed up. “You don’t need to worry about Pinch. You need to worry about yourselves.”

Rynn ran up to him. “What’s going on?”

“Bribery, murder, threats, promises of Alastrian red bread. You know the deal.”

Duskdrop helped Shadefell to his feet. Both were smiling and laughing as they hurried to rejoin the rest of their squad.

Rynn took his hand. “We can’t lose you too, Mr. No. Promise me you won’t die.”

“I can’t die. We don’t have a healer.”

The elf girl sighed. “Who knew that First Field would be dangerous?”

“Everyone,” Gray said. “Everyone knew.”

Back with Settie, when he told her about his encounter with Shadefell, she smiled. “It shows a lack of control. Let us enjoy your desperation. Just don’t die.”

“That’s what Rynn said.” Gray nodded at Pinch. “What do you think of this?”

“I agree with the captain for the most part. But I don’t think it was a message for you. I think it was a message for me—both a warning and temptation.”

“Is the money or death the temptation?” Gray asked.

Pinch shrugged, not answering.

Crewel called the leaders of both squads out. Gray met Duskdrop at the midfield line. The sun was covered by the clouds and there was a wet chill in the air.

Duskdrop stared at Gray, right in the eye, and Gray stared back.

Crewel tossed the coin. “Duskdrop calls it.”

“City.”

It was the city and not the dragon, and while he usually wasn’t all the superstitious, he couldn’t help but take it as a good omen, since Squad 23 didn’t have the dragon on their team. Then he remembered that Settie might just be the oldest dragon in the world.

“We’ll take the ball first,” the fae said.

“Very well.” Crewel took the coin away from Duskdrop. “Let me remind you both that murder is against the rules. There has been some close calls this week, and we have been lenient. Don’t count on that leniency today. I will look to expel players who are breaking the rules. And if there is another death, I will personally kill the recruit who caused it. Understood?”

Duskdrop drew close to Gray, locking eyes with him. “I understand. Do you understand the stakes, Grayson Fade?”

Gray used both hands to shove Duskdrop back—he was so swollen with mana, he didn’t dare charge his meridians or he might’ve shoved his hands right through Duskdrop’s chest. As it was, the fae ended up stumbling backwards, landing on his ass.

The fae screamed bloody murder and charged forward. The crowd in the stands answered with shouts of vengeance of their own.

But by that time, Gray was jogging back to the sidelines.

Settie nodded at him. “You certainly aren’t making friends out there.”

“All my friends are here. I don’t need anyone else.”

“Ames,” Midj said. “She’s the friend we’re missing.”

“Then let’s win this for her.” Gray led his team out to the field for their last game of Chaotica and an end to Soulshred Week.

It was strange standing on the field with Pinch, and Gray felt her eyes on him as Rynn came close and they kissed.

“Is she going to really help us?” the elf girl asked.

“We shall see.”

He then took Rynn in his arms. If this was the last time he was ever going to hold her, he wanted to make it last. He felt her body fold into his as her core shined with such light.

He closed his eyes for a second, capturing the moment.

Then it was time for war.

At the beginning of the second quarter, the fae squad was ahead by a single point, but when Crewel unleashed the demons, they came out of both end zone doors as well the door at the midfield line.

They didn’t call it Chaotica for nothing.