Shared Mercy Book 5 of the Guardians Saga

CH. 21.2 Showdown with Flint

"You are to face Flint in single combat."

Alex barked a short laugh. "Really? You hardly have to kidnap Drake for me to agree. Release him. Now."

"First you must say the binding words."

"It's a trap, Guardian," Drake said, his voice strained with pain, and received a throttling in return.

"Oh stop hurting him, of course it's a trap." Alex flicked her fingers in the air to emphasize her point. "They showed their hand with the 'binding words' bit. Now release Drake and I'll say your silly words."

The biggest Agama's eyes narrowed but he nodded at his companions. "Say the words first or I'll cut his hand off."

Alex clucked her tongue. "No, no, no. You," she pointed to them in an outrageous manner. "Are the bad guys. I," she made a show of pointing to herself. "I am the good guy. I keep my word while you are liars. Release Drake first."

One of the largest Agama Alex had ever seen strolled out of the tree-line, his shoulders as broad as Argo's, and as tall as Gabe. However, he had what Alex could only call a beer belly, the first she had ever seen on an Agama. Still, he was powerful looking and muscular, though the muscle was beginning to lose its tone. His hide was mottled and Alex noted a yellow tinge to his eyes. She wondered if Agama got hepatitis from drinking or as a sexual disease like humans. She hoped both.

He eyed her and said, "Good is only a matter of perspective. You types always think you are the heroes, but that's just your way of thinking. I give these girls food and shelter and clothing. They are spared from hard manual labor and eking out a miserable existence united to some bastard who doesn't really want them and beats them whenever he's drunk. Rid yourself of your weapon."

Alex drew her sword and held it flat in two hands. "All right, honey, take a break. See you later." It dissolved in a shower of red sparks and Alex suppressed a smile at the showy display.

The big Agama nodded and his Agama threw Drake forward. Alex urgently motioned him to her side and he stumbled over.

"Who are you?" Alex challenged the big Agama.

"That is Flint," Drake said.

"Why are you showing yourself now, coward?" Alex said.

Flint held his arms wide and smiled. His smile was wide but his teeth were yellowed, too. "Because it is apparent you will not stop until you face me. Now say that you will bind yourself to face me in unarmed, one-on-one combat, without your powers."

"My powers are automatic and I can't guarantee I won't use them."

Flint's face clouded, but deepened and became feral again. He released his arms, put his hands on his hips, and waited.

Alex mirrored him to mock him, hands on her hips, but she had sneer on her face. "I'll happily agree to the unarmed one-on-one, however."

Drake whispered to her, "Guardian, please, don't."

She smiled fondly at him and patted his arm in a maternal 'I'm not listening to you' way.

"Then you may fly and use your white power," Flint countered.

"Please, Guardian, I'm begging you, don't," Drake said.

"That sounds okay. I win, not only do you leave the child prostitution business, you stop all your underlings and hunt down any ambitious Agama trying to restart the business."

"And if I win?"

Alex shrugged. "The usual: you kill me."

Flint chuckled an ugly chuckle. "No, you self-righteous 'hero'. I will cripple you like you have crippled my Agama and I will make you watch each and every customer pleasure himself on my girls."

With narrowed eyes and a fist dripping white fire, Alex said, "I channel my anger into fighting, numb-nuts. Go right on provoking me."

Drake tugged urgently at her sleeve. "It must be some kind of trap. Flint is no fighter. Walk away with me, please."

"Drake," Flint drawled. "You never were good at business: paying too much for your females and spending too much on them. No one will listen to you, much less a self-styled 'hero'."

"Oh shut up." Alex squared her shoulders and said, "I bind myself to face, you, Flint in unarmed one-on-one combat where I can fly and use my white power."

A black and red circle of power blasted outward from the center of the burned area, nearly knocking them off their feet. Black and red flames scorched the remaining trees, the ground rippled with the bulk of the power, and Alex's clothes smoldered where she stood. The air tasted of sulfur and her hair crackled and sizzled from the thick smoke rising from the smoke cast from the center of the burnt area.

"Well, shit," Alex said and Drake stared at her rare use of a real curse word. She patted down her clothing to stop the smoke.

Flint tugged her sleeve more urgently. "More shit, Alex. Look at that."

Flint morphed into a dragon for the fight, his hide becoming scales, his wings spread wide and enlarged, claws becoming long and razor like. His scales were green with black, ridged cross-hatching. His eyes glowed yellow with rage.

Instead of having the elongated muzzle of a traditional dragon, he had a pushed-in face with a bulbous skull. The stench of sulfur rose from his scaled body. The beast's wings stretched into the sky, black as pitch with veins of purulent green streaks. Then his body coiled like wire or fire, tensing for attack.

***

A/N

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kasiilynn