7 Deadly Instincts (The Sinfire Chronicles Book 1)

In the end, things weren’t as desperate as Gray first thought.

Ames managed to get back up to the labyrinth’s ledge by climbing up protrusions in the rock wall. Once there, she stripped and made a rope using all their uniforms. Gray and Lilian and tossed their clothes up to the quelling elf, who tied them together.

Seeing Lilian in her lacy under things had Gray’s lust resonance pouring the mana into him. It truly helped him in all kinds of ways, even though Lilian caught him looking.

She smiled but didn’t tease him.

He knew that would come later.

Once they had their rope, Lilian was able to climb up to her. Once she was safe, she helped Ames create enough of an anchor for Gray to haul himself up to them. Once they were safe back on the ledge, they all collapsed onto the scorched stone.

Both Lilian her binding top on, cupping her breasts, but Ames chest was bare. Laying back with her hands above her head, he could see both her hard nipples and her smooth underarms. That meant more fuel for Gray’s core. The two women’s skin tones couldn’t have been different, and their body shapes, and that variety gave Gray any number of ideas.

But he had to remind himself that any more bonds could prove lethal—both to himself, his two wives, and the woman they invited to join them. He couldn’t forget the damage he’d cause back in Emerilia’s work room.

Still, since he was only his underclothes, it was clear that he found the whole situation stimulating. He gave up trying to hide his excitement and pretended he didn’t have the tell-tale bulge between his legs.

Both of the women were polite enough not to mention anything.

Lilian sat up, throwing her arms around herself. Her voice was bitter. “The box is gone. As is my sword. This is terrible. How much time do we have left?”

“A little under four hours until midnight.” Ames had managed to keep hold of both her sword and the ruby. The fire numbers hung in the air, giving them heat and light.

“I’m so thirsty,” the princess complained. “And hungry. Who knew coming to the bottom of the world to learn magic and hunt demons would be so…uncomfortable.” She then laughed. “Okay. Putting it that way, I can’t complain.”

She glanced over at Ames, her eyes going to the quelling elf’s bare breasts. Her eyes lingered until she caught Gray noticing her glances.

“What? It’s not every day I see a topless elf. Unlike you, I’m destined to a life of celibacy unless I want to risk being together with someone forever and ever. Which is not likely to happen.” She stood up and started untying the rope their clothes had made. “And I saw you sneaking peeks at me, Grayson Fade. You’re a married man. Twice married. And your wife was right there.”

Ames smiled. “I am right here. I looked. You’re very pretty, Lilian Everheart. And you were brave. I might have misjudged you.”

“What? No fire that barfs or whatever? Ice that pukes? The enduring flames of winter. What did you say?”

Ames giggled. “I forgot.”

Lilian threw the elf her blouse. “That’s very sweet of you to pretend. This has been impossible even without the assassination attempt. And there’ s nothing we can do, is there?”

Ames paused, not putting on her blouse. Her eyes were on Gray’s face for a second before they drifted south. Just having her look at him took away his breath for a minute. He felt her lust. She wasn’t alone, but there was no way they could do anything right then.

Lilian pinched the bridge of her nose. “Are you going to dress?”

Gray had his pants, but he wasn’t putting them on. He was a bit too excited, and he knew trying to zip them up might be painful. He’d already spent the last hour in agony. He needed a bit of break.

“No, Lil, there’s not much. We can tell Crewel, but for all we know, the magistrate is in league with both squads. And I find it a bit suspicious most of the new recruits going through Redemption Midnight are orcs. After what happened with Freek, we can’t trust them, any of them.”

“That big orc woman is intimidating.” Lilian buttoned her blouse but her nipples were still prominent. A crooked grin covered her face. “And a bit sexy maybe. I’ve never seen such a big green ass!” She laughed a minute, then got serious again. “Calling me Lil. I’m not sure you ever did that before.”

“Maybe not. But we’re on the same squad now. Friends?”

She nodded. “Friends. If you can be friends with the fire that farts. Was it the ice that belches? What did you say again, Ames?”

The quelling elf just smiled and finally put on her shirt and her coat. Her pants went on last, and Gray was sorry to see those long legs get covered up.

Lilian kept talking. “Your screams were awful. I hate that healing hurts so much. Were your arms and legs really broken?”

“Really broken,” he said absently. He was thinking about the assassination attempt. It had been perfectly planned, and the only reason they were still alive was because of those ledges. It was doubtful that the orcs or the dragons had looked down into that abyss.

Once they were dressed, they were back to working out the labyrinth, only this time, they started running. Hungry, thirsty, and exhausted, the sooner they left the Underdwell the better. Besides, the time was running out and they still had to find the Colonnade Court and then make the climb.

After that, Ames and Lilian had to win a fight to complete Redemption Midnight. That would take some time.

But Gray soon found that this part of the maze was similar to the maze they’d figured out to make it to the statues at the center. That had to be the center. They passed other little altars, shrines to forgotten gods, maybe, or to important demon lords. Again, time had wiped out most of the details.

With his marks, and with his memory of the other maze, they soon found the exit of the maze, through a grand archway, of various demonic creatures. The entrance only had spiders and snakes, but this thing, had the sloth dogs and envy squids and wrath rats, and even a huge pride serpent at the very top.

A huge hallway led to the Colonnade Court.

Then it was a dash through the vaulted room where two torches continued to burn by the gash in the wall.

Racing up the steps, Lilian didn’t complain once.

Gray knew why. She was just happy that they beat the maze and were still alive.

At the top of the steps, their legs trembling from the effort and drenched in sweat, they found the doorway into the crypts open.

Rushing into the hallway of tombs, they found a single fieldkeeper there, the short, fat one. He chuckled. “Less than forty-five minutes until midnight. Cutting it a bit close, are we?”

“It’s not midnight yet,” Gray said.

The fieldkeeper closed the crypt door and was ambling toward the steps to the surface.

Gray wasn’t going to wait for him.

They forced themselves to run up and out—they were greeted with a light snow but no wind.

They scooped some snow into their hands to not only drink but to wash their faces. Both he and Lilian were covered in dried demon blood.

When they got to the stadium, other fieldkeepers led them through secret halls and out onto the sidelines with only thirty minutes left. Once the crowd saw them, the entire coliseum thundered with applause.

There was a fight going on in the middle of the field, but the audience didn’t care about that. They wanted to see drama from Squad 23, and they certainly got it.

Settie charged over to them, sweeping off her mask. Snow had piled up on her hat. “Where in the fuck have you been?”

Gray laughed. “Good to see you too. Catch us up.”

Settie looked like she was near tears. “No, you tell what happened. You didn’t get lost. And you have demon blood in your hair.”

Gray laughed. “Correction. I have demon blood everywhere. I broke a few bones but healed them. Oh, that was after Blonko and the Magnifica sisters tried to kill us. Let me get their names right. Veronnna is the older one and Deedaena is the young one. They seem nice…when they don’t have murder in their eyes.”

“Kabe was there,” Ames said. “They helped push us off the ledge.”

“Fuckers,” Settie hissed. “The Fire Flyers were the first one back. Blonko already fought…and won. He beat Karatha Thann, the she-orc from the Lucky Bastards. She in turn beat the new dwarven woman. Her and Froggy’s new orc, Grist Gulnash, are fighting currently.”

There was an explosion of OHHH from the crowd.

Gray glanced over to see the dwarven woman breathing hard. And the orc had a bad gash on his hand, and it was dripping blood.

Crewel was floating above the action. “Kenna Flintfling wins!”

Grist got to his feet and squeezed his hand, which cause more blood to drool down onto the snow. His milky eye glowed with mana, and he laughed. “Good!” he roared. “I’m not done fighting! Viktor! Come and heal me.”

The bear man came trotting out and laid his hands on Grist’s hand.

Crewel pointed. “Squad 23 has joined us and none too soon. The next fight is at 11:45. They had better make it a quick one because this tournament ends at midnight. Are you all ready to watch Squad 23’s Amaranthis Tal’Vessra face off against Grist Gulnash?”

“Yes!” the crowd roared.

Ames itnored them all and came over and held Gray. She whispered into his ear. “I’ll make it quick. Ntohing is going to stop me from rejoining the team. Nothing. We are unstoppablew because we are inseperaable. She kissed him.

Gray kissed her back but made it quick. He wasn’t worried about her; he was worried about Lilian. She seemed seconds away from dropping.

“Settie, we need food and water. Not ironbites, something else, anything else.”

“What do I look like? A vendor? I don’t simply have food with me.”

Gray scanned the seats and then he saw his squad—everyone except for Pamalee Thornpinch. Where was she?

Midj, Tomi, and Rynn waved, all smiles.

Until they saw how serious he looked. He went and jumped up to the railing and scurried over it. Several fans went to touch him but he ducked their hands.

He was soon enjoying Rynn’s embrace, but then he turned to Midj. “Tell me you have food.”

The goblin girl grinned. “I have some pocket sausages if you must know. And I think I have a little bit of butterbang left.”

“And coya?” he asked.

She shook her cup. “Only a little bit.”

Gray kissed her cheek. “Please and thank you.”

Midj giggled. “My cheek will never be the same, Grayson Fade, but don’t go make that a habit.”

“I won’t. Just grateful.” He then popped the sausage into the bag of butterbang and secreted it away in his uniform. He did the same to the paper cup, which he had to crumple a little. Before he left, he kissed Rynn’s cheek.

Tomi frowned. “Oh, I see how it is. The short stuff gets a kiss, as does the wife, but none for me? Don’t you want to kiss the kitty?”

Gray smiled at her. “You know I’ll not say no.”

She laughed. “I can say no for the two of us. This is me saying it. No. Now go!”

Gray then made his way back down, waving at the fans, even if he wanted to punch them all in the face.

Back on the field, Ames was already trotting out to face Grist.

Gray went to Lilian. Getting close to her, he gave her the coya to drink first.

Crewel was in the middle of accouncing the fight. Ames had to make it quick, but even if he did, Crewel could take too long to set up the next fight. Well, at least getting Ames back onto the squad would be better than nothing.

Lilian gulped down the sweet drink. She smacked her lips. “That…that is the most delicious things I’ve ever had in my life. It’s so…so bubbly. It’s truly wonderful!”

“Soda pebbles. They use magic for all kinds of things down there.” He gave her sausage and butterbang. “Eat them, but don’t let anyone see you. You’ll need the energy!”

Gray turned just in time to see Ames standing there, looking exhausted, with her sword over her heart, repeating the magistrate’s favorite salute. “By instincts strong and mana bright, first blood drawn will win the fight!’”

“Fight!”

Ames dropped her sword and leapt on Grist, who was soon screaming from her pain touch. Then she then bit him, taking a big chunk out of his jaw.

She stepped back and spit out the orc’s flesh.

Turning, she walked back to where Gray and Lilian stood.

“You’re next.” Ames wiped the blood from her face.

The crowd was stunned into silence, and for several long moments, there wasn’t a peep from anyone.

Even Grist stood in the center of the filed, holding his buzzing sword and staring at the blood on his fingers.

Even Viktor wasn’t running out to heal him. The bear man, like everyone else, stood there blinking.

In the quiet, someone started laughing.

Gray couldn’t believe it.

He’d heard Settie laugh before, but this time, it wasn’t maniacal or mean.

It was joyful…and rather eerie in the quiet.

And then the crowd lost their fucking minds and thundered louder than ever.