Serafina
“Fi!” Char calls after me, but I’ve already turned away.
“If you want to survive this trial,” I say over my shoulder, fire still exploding from my fingertips, “I suggest you stay the hell away from me.”
I stride toward the center of the arena, where the other contestants wait, their expressions tight and wary.
I let my flames disappear. There’s no sense in tiring my muscles this early.
Char betrayed me.
The thought feels like a dagger twisting in my chest. I want to weep. I want to sink to the ground and never get up again, but I need to be strong.Staystrong.
I need to survive.
“The third trial for Village 28 is about to commence,” a booming voice floods the arena, speaking through a horn to ensure he can be heard by all. Silence settles over the restless crowd in the stands and the murmurs among the contestants stop completely. “This trial will consist of two rounds. For round one, each contestant will receive a glass orb. Your goal is simple. Protect your orb. Do not allow it to break, and do not allow another to take it from you. Whoever’s orb is still intact and in their possession by the end of the round will advance to round two. Contestants, please report to the east side of the arena to collect your orb.”
I exhale slowly. This sounds easy enough. Protect an orb. I can handle that. No problem.
Shaking out my hands, I do as instructed. I follow the other contestants toward the east side.
“I’d say good luck, but you don’t need it.”Nyxa’s words fill my chest with a calmness that radiates through every part of me.
“Thank you, Nyxa.”
Standing in line, I wait my turn. I keep my gaze low, avoiding eye contact with anyone and everyone. I’m not worried about an attack.
Not yet.
Not with so many eyes now on us. Norin still may want to kill me, he may still want me dead, but he’ll have to wait until the trial has officially begun to make his move.
When it’s my turn at the table, I examine the orbs. They’re delicate, each one a light blue sphere veined with gold, like intricate spiderwebs spun by some celestial artist.
Picking one up, I’m surprised to feel how light it is.
I use my other hand to sign my name on a sheet of paper. An Enforcer glances at it before checking me off the list he holds. The trial won’t begin until everyone aged twenty-one is accounted for. If someone fails to show, the Enforcers will go off in search of them.
And they always find them.
Always.
It’s been years since someone has tried to evade the final trial. The last time it happened, the man was executed publicly in the street outside the arena. His body left to rot for days before his family was allowed to bury him.
No one’s attempted evasion since.
My gaze falls upon the trial coordinators who sit just behind the table. There are ten of them, all holding notepads, ready to score each and every one of us. Ready to decide who lives…and whodies.
It’s not a job I would ever want, but it’s onetheychose.
I hold up my chin and move to the center of the arena with my orb in hand, standing as far from the other contestants as I can manage, which isn’t very hard. We all seem to have the same strategy.
“For this round,anythinggoes,” the announcer says. “Good luck, and remember, you must keep your orbsafe. The first round of the third trial for Village 28 has officially begun!”
The horn blares, sharp, loud, and jarring, but no one moves.
I hold my orb to my chest with one hand and extend the other out in front of me. If anyone makes a move in my direction, I won’t hesitate to show them exactly what it is I can do.
I’m not sure how many of them know I’m an Essentari. Char, obviously, and Norin, as well as anyone else who tried to attack me the night Ryjax saved me.Plus those who just saw my flames erupt in the middle of the arena, but with the chaos, I’m not sure how many were paying attention.
