Headfirst, I wiggle out of the damn hole and fall onto cushiony dirt. Quickly, I rise and look around. The sun is not high in the sky—it must be only midmorning. Lush forest surrounds me, but I hear voices coming from all around me. I must be close to a busy neighborhood in Jaakii.
There’s a forest next to Daegel’s estate. What if he hid me there?
deeper in or out of the forest, I don’t know. I guess I’m about to find out. I stride forward and make my way through the bushes and trees. Voices are getting louder, so I must be going the right direction.
After a couple of feet, the forest abruptly ends and I walk into an empty clearing. I blink rapidly, confused. Loud cheers erupt from all sides.
The clearing is in the shape of a circle. In the middle, there is a pile of weapons. My bow sits on the very top of the pile.
A tall stone wall surrounds the forest that stretches on all sides of the round clearing. I whirl around, trying to understand where the fuck I am. A few thousand, if not more, pairs of eyes are gawking at me from the top of the tall wall. The echo from the their cheers is deafening.
Finally, it hits me.
Thisis the Trial of Strength.
I look around the forest, but nobody else is here. It’s just me for now. My feet move towards the weapon pile. I need my bow. Once it’s in my hand, and the quiver with arrows rests on my shoulder, I’m at ease. In the pile, I recognize Daegel’s two long blades.
My head still pounds, and my throat is itchy. There is no food or water anywhere I can see. From the looks of it, and the excitement of the crowd, it seems that I’m the first one to emerge from the forest. The others are still trying to figure their way out.
The first thing you want to do is find a way to put yourself in a position that allows you to use your skills to your best advantage, rather than blindly going into a fight. Kazh’s words ring in my mind.
I know exactly what I need to do.
I must be clever instead of ruthless.
At least for now.
So, I turn around and run back into the forest, leaving the cheering crowd behind.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
PHOENIX
I have no clue how many hours pass.
From the sun’s location in the sky, I can tell it’s definitely past midday. But that’s about it. No other Ezkai have emerged from the forest to pick up their weapons since I found this perfect place to hide and wait high up in a tree.
I wonder whether it’s because the others are also hiding and waiting to see how things play out. Or because they’re still stuck in their caves, unable to find a way out. If they never do, I’ll never have to face them in a fight.
But of course, that would be too easy.
I’m sitting on the branch of the tallest tree I could find, my back leaning against the thick trunk. The rich foliage conceals me from curious eyes, but I have a great view of the clearing where the weapons lie.
My stomach growls. I’m hungry, parched, and exhausted. I don’t know how long I can last up here. At least I have my bow with me. If anyone dares to approach, they’ll get an arrow between their eyes.
The people who gather to watch the last trial don’t mind the wait. I expect them to grow bored and start complaining about the lack of action. But nobody is booing. People are cheery and excited. This is what they have been waiting months for.
Maybe the tension that builds while they wait for us to slaughter each other is part of the fun for them.
The crowd cheers louder.
I look around the edges of the clearing. Finally, a figure emerges from the forest. A tall woman with curly hair and ebony skin. She swiftly makes her way to the pile of weapons. My heart races in my chest.
Before she reaches the pile, another Ezkai emerges from the forest. A man runs towards her with unnatural speed. His raven hair is full of leaves, and it flows in the wind behind him.
Both Ezkai reach the weapon pile at the same time.
The crowd roars, and that sound sends a chill down my back. A woman grabs two daggers with white pearl handles from the pile. In a swift movement, she plunges one of the blades into the man’s throat. The second blade sinks in the middle of his chest.
