Eight of Hearts: The Vision - Book 2

Chapter 11

Even from where he stood just inside the tree line, Jonas was stunned by the powerful showdown between Chad Rayner and the blonde tree woman. The raw strength she'd displayed in taking Chad down had been incredible, but the fact that Chad had merely shrugged it off spoke volumes for his power. The sight of her twisted form, still struggling to get up despite her condition made him feel sick to his stomach.

"What do you make of him?" Adriana asked.

Her calm, yet serious tone surprised Jonas, but he guessed even she was shaken by Chad's incredible performance. "I think he's going to be a problem," Jonas answered honestly. "Do you think you can use that same trick you used on the dragon?"

Adriana shook her head. "Dragons's one thing, but you can't ride a boar the same as a pig. Unless you got a trick up yer sleeve, we'd best find a way around him, rather than through."

Jonas swallowed hard. "I think we should wait for James; he can make a portal so we can slip right past him."

Adriana chuckled and gave him a look of mock surprise. "I thought you couldn't stand lettin' him lead," she said teasingly.

It annoyed Jonas that she had seen right through him, but he didn't let that get him flustered. "What matters most is making it to the end; I'm just choosing the best path, even if it is James."

Adriana shrugged as she turned her attention back to the problem. "We can't wait for James to swoop in this time; didn't ya hear what that crimson lady said?"

Jonas shook his head, impressed that she had been able to hear anything through the deafening gloom of the forest.

"If we don't get at least one of us to the finish before the time runs out, only those who sat the round out can join the next one," Adriana said. "And if I recall, that leaves us high and dry since we got every one of us runnin' this gauntlet."

Jonas swallowed again. At least now he knew why the other teams limited themselves to two participants. If that was true, it was probably all riding on him and Adriana right now. Tobias was out, Shyla and Bryce were babysitting Isaac, Flora couldn't do anything on her own, and James was too busy helping every other team but theirs. But what could they do? He may have come up with a way to carry multiple weapons, but he still only had the single rapier. He had plenty of potential, but nothing immediately on hand to deal with Chad.

Jonas knew he was starting to panic, so he took several deep breaths to calm himself. He did have one idea that might work, but it was still very risky. He unbuckled his belt and unlooped the empty sheath that hung from it. He ran his finger over the rune of holding he had inscribed on as he tried to recall the exact runes he needed to make his plan work.

Adriana raised an eyebrow at him as he pulled out his marker and began to draw on the leather scabbard.

"When I tell you to, we're going to try to rush Chad together," Jonas told her without looking up from his work. "I'll go left and try to draw his attention while you go right, but be ready in case he targets you."

Adriana only shrugged in response, but she moved to obey anyway, turning to scan the direction of her charge while she waited for Jonas to finish.

"Why are you listening to that boy?" Bai Suzhen hissed in Adriana's mind. "You aren't strong enough to take that giant of a man on. You're only going to get yourself killed."

"You don't care if we get stuck here, so why do you care?" Adriana thought back at her. She was used to the old woman treating her like a child, but it still annoyed her to have to put up with it. "If they had beer, I wouldn't care either. But they don't, so I've gotta win this."