A Sweeter Song Tomorrow

i. challenges, challenges

"Trust me, my dear, you'll all cooperate soon enough."

The magister's gaze sweeps down her, as if the lightning crackling around her fingertips is no more important than her cleavage.

Adder Hawke wants to wipe the sneering little smirk off his mouth. Actually, she wants to electrocute his face until his teeth chatter and his lips turn colors. But she'll settle for wiping that smirk away.

Mana buzzes through her veins. Lightning crackles and races along her other hand.

The light-eyed woman standing behind the magister gasps. Her grip on a leather lead shifts and Hawke looks away from the apparent slave's eyes, tries to make eye contact with the magister.

But the magister only raises his chin and laughs.

"Is that a challenge, little bird?" The sneer-smirk curves wickedly. "You'd make the other half of the nicest matched hunting pair..."

Her lightning crackles like breaking glass. She extends her hand in the challenge she's seen a few other magisters give.

Danarius's gaze slides to encompass Carver and Aveline. "Or perhaps even a pair of your Fereldan mabari. Two different hunting pairs - what could make a man happier?"

She hears Aveline draw in a sharp breath behind her. The former knight cracks her knuckles. And Carver's grip on his hammer makes the handle creak.

"Let me, Hawke."

"Can't cast spells if your head's pulp."

But Hawke only takes a step forward. "I have challenged you, Magister Danarius, by right of magic and kinship to the Imperium."

Fury flits across his face, quickly erased to impassivity. "Fenris. I want her heart."

The leash falls to the floor.

She doesn't have time to think. One instant, she's trying to figure out what Danarius is playing at. The next she's damn near tripping over herself to get out of the way of a fast-moving blue blur.

The heat in his eyes, the vivid green, keeps her standing still. All she sees is those green eyes and a gauntleted hand, glowing blue.

She drops the lightning and clenches her fists, throwing stone forward without bothering to aim.

She hears ribs crack. The slave reels backward, his back striking the wall. He's perfectly still a moment before surging smoothly to his feet.

Before he can charge her again, Hawke steps toward Danarius. She raises one hand over her head, lets mana and lightning flow. The other hand, she uses to reach out to Danarius.

"I am Addelaide Hawke, born to Leandra Amell, and I have challenged you, Danarius."

None of his little friends had even looked up from their divans. But the name Amell draws attention.

"I hear and witness," one of them says.

Danarius glares at her. He's silent for a long moment, until the group behind him begins to murmur. When he speaks, his words come slowly, as if he has to force each one.

"I hear your challenge and accept it."