‘Move out of the way!’ Llinos cries. ‘I’ll see if I can push him deeper.’
The jötunn is walking straight towards the waves, hands clawing at its eyes as it’s propelled forward by the force of Llinos’s powers.
One glance tells me Llinos is nearly done, that she’s scraping the barrel of her magic’s reservoir. Her muscles are trembling and her eyes are bloodshot. Just a fraction longer, that’s all she needs to keep going for. But she hasn’t got it in her. Her knees aren’t just trembling, I realise; they’re aboutto buckle. And Jonas is the same, though he’s already kneeling on the ground, his body slumping forward. They’ve both run their wells dry. If they take it any further, they could end up unable to restore their powers. They’d be as good as stripped. Like me.
I can’t let that happen.
I scan around me, searching for anything or anyone to help, but everyone who’s left standing is in the same position. Fear takes hold. Surely this isn’t what Etta wants? For most of her Rettlings to end up dead or stripped in the first fucking trial?
‘Etta!’ I cry at the top of my lungs, pain searing through my chest, only for my eyes to land on the sand timer … and the last grain that falls through it.
Relief swamps me, and a blast of magic rips through the air.
The jötunn freezes with his feet at the edge of the waves. I hold my breath as I survey the scene. The other remaining giants are all in the same state, motionless and silent.
I take a shuddering breath. It’s over. The first trial is officially over, and I’m still alive.
But where the fuck is Benny?
Chapter 29
My ears ring in the silence that now smothers us. I press my hand to one side of my head, then the other. There’s no pain. Or rather, my ears are in no greater pain than the rest of my body. My knees and elbows are grazed, and the taste of blood fills my mouth, but I’m on my feet, and that’s more than others.
Though those feet are unsteady. The reality of what I just faced – and survived – has left me listless and light-headed. Or maybe that’s the injuries.
Jonas is still on the ground, struggling to stand, while Llinos comforts Loch only feet away from Estel’s glassy-eyed body.
‘Benny!’ I call out, looking desperately around for any sign of our friend.
A voice booms out from the platform, halting my search.
‘Rettlings, you have survived your first trial.’
I lift my head, but only by reflex. I don’t want to listen to her. I want to find my friend.
But when I glance towards the platform, I see them standing beside her. Kyor, Grenda, and one of the Galreck Rettlings, Moryal. And there, at the very end … Benny. He’s propping himself up on the shoulder of one of the priestesses, but he’s there and very much alive.
Relief swamps me with such force that I drop to my knees.
‘Thank fuck,’ I mutter. My head falls forward as mychest shudders. They must have been removed from the trial the moment they dealt their fatal blow.
‘Now rest,’ Mila continues. ‘Rest and heal, for who knows when the Goddess will next call on you.’ With that, she, the other priestesses, and the sand timer all disappear.
When I finally drag myself back onto my feet, I head over to Jonas. Llinos is already there, helping him up. I move over to his other side and take his arm over my shoulder to balance his weight.
‘I’ve got you.’
‘What the hell did you think you were doing?’ he snaps. ‘Putting yourself at risk like that … I told you to run!’
My jaw drops. ‘You’re joking, right? I saved you.’
‘If I hadn’t pushed you out of the way, you’d?—’
‘You’re angry because you’re in pain,’ I say, keeping my voice measured despite my annoyance at his lack of gratitude. ‘Come on. The sooner we get you in the carriage, the sooner we get you to the healers.’ I look at Llinos. ‘What’s Loch doing?’
He’s standing knee-deep in the water. It’s an act I could understand if Sanrott were his fealty God, but his sigils say otherwise.
‘I don’t know. Come on, let’s get Jonas to the carriage. Then I’ll go back for Loch.’
