Kael could not keep playing Akrab's game. As long as the creature remained underground, it decided where they fought, when it attacked, and how little warning he received. He could keep dodging for a while, but the scorpion only needed to catch him once. Sooner or later, he would land badly or move in the wrong direction, and all that effort would end with a stinger through his chest.
The ground trembled beneath his boots again. His legs tightened, ready to carry him away, but this time he resisted the urge. Akrab was treating the arena floor like water, moving through dirt and stone with almost no resistance. Kael had been trying to catch it during the few moments it surfaced when the real advantage lay beneath his feet.
