I can’t help smiling. “Option three. I fight you, poison your ashes, then poison his.”

He looks unsurprised by this turn. As I start forward, he backpedals gracefully toward his ashes. His voice is tight as he throws out a command. “Stop him.”

I frown at the words and keep walking. Revel repeats his command and I’m about to point out that no one else is here to stop me when a flash of blue light cuts through the dark.

Not lightning. Not anything I’ve ever seen before. I shield my eyes as something hits me in the chest. I stumble back a few steps, baton raised, a little blinded by the flash. Darkness returns and Revel’s standing there with a grim look on his face.

“I told you,” he says. “I can make this a very long night for you.”

I press forward again and the blue light flashes in answer. This time I see the sharp outline of a face. Not a random force then, a creature. The spirit shoves me backward before vanishing. What the hell? I circle now. Revel’s eyes never leave mine. Each time I press closer, though, the blue light flashes protectively forward to stop my progress. It finally dawns on me.

“Your gods. They’re intervening for you.”

Revel smiles. “Are you surprised? We are the favored ones, Longhand.”

“And what are you without them?” I shake my head. “This protection will fade. I hope you fear that day as much as I look forward to it. I’ll see you tomorrow. One final burn.”

Eyes still fixed on him, I begin backpedaling out of the clearing. Revel hasn’t looked afraid this entire time, but now he looks surprised. He takes a step forward and gestures to Bravos. “But what about his ashes? We have to poison them.”

“And you thought I’d poison them for you?” I’ve reached the edge of the tree line. “While you went searching for my ashes? It is a wonder the gods choose to protect such fools. No, I think I’ll leave the task to you. Better hope he doesn’t wake up while you search.”

Revel finally sees the mess that he’s in. He took a blind shot at one of his people’s most famous and feared gladiators. Bravos will wake up eventually, and he’ll come for Revel when he does. I offer one final wave before slipping back into the cover of the forest. Overhead, the rain has slowed to a trickle. It’s quiet enough that I can just barely hear Revel’s next command.

“Move him. Now.”

I glance back and catch another blue flash through the canopy. Invisible hands lift Bravos up and start dragging him through the mud. It’s an unsettling sight. I forge onward, eager to get the hell away. I would not risk the attention of their gods again tonight.

The gods.