143

When you finally exit the maze of corridors, you emerge high up in the stands, looking down across the expanse of the arena. People in Venatori colors are arrayed around the edges, but the arena floor itself is almost empty—except for Neve, in the middle, bound and gagged on a sturdy-looking wooden chair.

“Look, Viper,” Tarquin says cheerfully. “You get to do your favorite thing.”

“His favorite thing?” you ask.

“Descend on the assembled Venatori from above,” Mae grins.

Ashur rolls his eyes, but that’s exactly what he does, cape flying out dramatically behind him. Mae casts spells from above while you and Tarquin follow Ashur’s leap into the fray, Tarquin dodging right to take off a cultist’s spellcasting arm with his sword while you go left to untie Neve so that she can join in the fight. It’s all going so well…

… until your enemies start to look oddly familiar—and that’s when you realize that some of these Venatori are necromancers and you’re taking down the same opponents over and over again.

“Run!” Tarquin urges as soon as he realizes.

“Wait—” Neve gasps, dodging a ball of lightning. “I have an idea.”

• If you follow Tarquin’s advice and run, turn to page 144.
• If you decide to try Neve’s mysterious idea, turn to page 146.