90

As soon as you reach the top of the stairs, you spot Neve. She’s sitting on a chair in the middle of the wide, empty arena floor, a strip of white cloth preventing her from speaking. You don’t realize it at first but, squinting, you can just about see that she’s tied to the chair by her hands and ankles as well. You wonder why they’ve just left her here… and realize that there’s only one explanation—it’s a trap.

When she spots you, she shakes her head frantically, eyes wide, doing her best to signal to you what you’ve already figured out. It’s too late, though; even as you’re mentally debating whether to just run in and grab her or try something subtler, Venatori begin to pour in from the arena’s other entrances.

You need to get out of here and that means you’re going to have to fight your way out. But what gives you the best odds of winning—taking out the Venatori first so you’ll have a clear exist after or pausing to free Neve first so she can fight alongside you?

• To fight the Venatori first, turn to page 91.
• To free Neve first, turn to page 97.