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CHAPTER TWO: BURN THE WITCH
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SAVNI WASN'T SURE WHAT kind of beast she expected to emerge from the mouth of the cave when Matthias Helvar's name was called. In her head, he had no distinct face, just an unimaginable sense of hatred and a heart of malice that left Savni feeling wary. She did not expect Matthias Helvar to look so boyish. So human. He was only a few years older than her -- maybe eighteen or nineteen at the most, and he certainly looked it. His cheekbones were sharp, cut to draw blood, but his eyes were sunken and lifeless, drained of everything that made him who he was.
When Savni glanced at Nina, she looked... floored. Like, for just a moment, she was unable to recognise this version of Matthias.
"No..." Nina whispered, barely loud enough for Savni to catch.
Matthias glared at the crowd as if he heard her. With a defiant jut of his chin, he gave the wheel a hard spin and stood back, a furtive giant of corded muscle and scarred skin, listening with the gleeful crowd as the arrow ticked from animal to animal.
It was only when the arrow came to a stop on a rough sketch of a wolf that Savni watched his previously impenetrable expression falter into something cold and sombre.
"It could be worse," said Muzzen as Nina moaned in dismay. "Could have landed on the desert lizard again."
Nina ignored him in favour of latching onto Kaz, ignoring the rough glare he sent her way as her hand wrapped around the thin material of his sleeve. "You have to stop this!"
Savni cleared her throat. "Nina."
She was silenced by Kaz turning his glare onto her, as if to scold her for even thinking for a second that he needed her help. "Let go of me, Nina," he snapped.
Fortunately, Nina complied, too desperate to notice the way his face remained haunted, even then, when no skin touched his. Savni started to frown but she was quick to hide it when he glanced at her again.
Savni didn't know much about Fjerdan culture -- if anything, she went out of her way to avoid it -- but she did know that wolves were sacred to Fjerdans. She had a feeling Kaz knew this too. His eyes gleamed maliciously, relishing in Nina's fear. "If he survives, I'll take Matthias Helvar out of this place tonight. But this part is up to him."
Nina sighed. "You don't get it."
But it was much too late to change Matthias' fate now. The guard had removed his shackles, then quickly leapt onto the ladder with the announcer to be removed to safety. Matthias didn't follow them. He kept his head low, beady gaze locked on the chains that lay in a heap on the sand. He flexed his fingers like he'd forgotten what it was like to have his own autonomy. The crowd screamed and stamped as the gate opened and the wolves came charging out of the tunnel.
