Caspian lunges through the opening, trying to rip Kaidren’s crossbow from his hands—but before he can, the circle shifts, closing in around Kaidren again.
Luc takes another shot. This time, he aims for the twenty-point target. Again, he misses.
The audience groans. It wasn’t even close.
I wince. We practiced these shots over and over. I didn’t expect him to be an expert, but he’s missing basic shots in averypublic setting.
I tell myself it doesn’t matter. As soon as he draws the modified bolt, I can steer it to victory. We just have to keep Kaidren from winning long enough to make it happen.
The mostly unarmed soldiers surrounding Kaidren do their best to defend him, but Luc’s team all have swords. It isn’t even close to a fair fight.
Another one of Kaidren’s team crumbles in the next few minutes. I can’t tell if they’re dead, but they don’t get back up, and the circle around Kaidren is forced to split apart.
Two unarmed soldiers fan out, drawing Luc’s soldiers away from Kaidren, while the woman with the sword latches to his side.
Kaidren and Luc take aim at the same time.
Kaidren fires at the ten-point target; Luc shoots for the twenty.
Luc’s veers wildly off track, but Kaidren’s soars toward his intended target.
Medin blocks it easily.
Kaidren’s expression darkens. He’s rushed by a decurio, but his armed guard quickly fends off the attack. It gives Kaidren the window he needs to fire another bolt. This time, he doesn’t shoot a target—he fires at Medin.
Medin isn’t expecting it. The bolt grazes his thigh, and he doubles over.
As Medin slumps, Kaidren reloads swiftly and shoots again.
I raise my own sword in a vain attempt to block it, but I’m slow, and the blade is heavy in my inexperienced hands.
Kaidren’s bolt sails true, and he hits the ten-point target.
The audience roars. The first score of the game.
“Sorry.” Medin sounds strained, and his leg is bleeding, but he rights himself. “I won’t let him score again.”
Kaidren’s guard is battling two of Luc’s soldiers. She’s quick. Even outnumbered, she outpaces them.
I loop my arm through Luc’s. “I’m going to get you closer to the targets. From now on, only aim for fifty points.”
He frowns. “I haven’t made a single shot yet.”
No one is immediately near us, but I drop my voice anyway. “I know. But one of the bolts in your quiver is modified. I’ll make sure it hits, but you have to make it look believable. Don’t worry about clean shots. Fire as quickly as possible.”
Luc calls out to Caspian. Together, we flank Luc’s sides, swords raised, as we lead him to the center of the field.
Kaidren did well selecting his lone armed soldier. She’s disposed of one of Luc’s soldiers and is still holding off two more, leaving Kaidren a wide berth.
Medin is charged by one of Kaidren’s team.
Clearly, a sacrifice. They’re unarmed, and Medin easily cuts him in the leg, sending him crashing to the ground. But the distraction gives Kaidren a window to take another shot.
He hits the twenty-point target.
My stomach drops. Kaidren has thirty points. Luc still has none.
Luc fires at the ten-point target. It grazes the side, but misses again.
