My heartbeat thuds as I consider him. From the moment hearrived at Widow’s Hall, I’ve been searching for Kaidren Vale’s weakness. I realize now that it’s been staring me in the face—me.
One of our team strikes down another of Kaidren’s.
We canwinthis. We have every advantage. I just need to keep Kaidren preoccupied.
I make as if to lunge for Kaidren and shriek.
I’m only half faking as pain lances up my leg. My body wobbles before I crash to the ground.
If Kaidren wanted to, he could stab me from above, killing me. He’d have every right to in this game.
He doesn’t. Instead, he takes a step toward me. Then stops himself. Conflict wages war on his face. “Are you all right?” he asks again, voice low.
I wince and cradle my leg to my chest. I release a hiss, trying to make myself look as pathetic as possible.
Kaidren crunches another step closer, brow softened in concern. The sword lowers to his side. “Mira?”
“I’m fine.” I force the words out through my teeth. He’s close enough now. “And I’m sorry.” Before he can react, I leap to my feet.
It hurts like hell, my leg screams in protest, but it doesn’t matter, because I wrench the crossbow from Kaidren, and before he knows what I’m doing, I throw it to the ground and stomp on it with my uninjured foot, cracking it in two.
The crowd is going wild.
Kaidren gawks at me. I’ve broken his crossbow. He has no way to hit the target, no way to win.
I start to limp away, but Kaidren tackles me to the ground.
I screech as I skid on my back, Kaidren on top of me.
We’re both out of breath. He glares at me through the mesh of my mask. Fury and betrayal are twin storms in his harsh gaze. He speaks through gritted teeth. “That was cruel.”
Guilt gnaws away at me. He let his guard down and I took advantage. If he hated me like he’s supposed to—if he were able to treat me as an opponent, like he’s supposed to—he would have won. I swallow, refusing to let my guilt reveal itself. Instead, I glare right back. “I thought that’s what you liked best about me?”
He eyes his discarded sword as though contemplating running me through with it. I know he won’t.
My heartbeat is a whir.
“Congrats on losing.” My words would carry more bite if I wasn’t bleeding from my arm and leg, and if he wasn’t on top of me, keeping me from moving.
He chuckles darkly. “I haven’t lost. Your brother hasn’t hit a target all trial.”
Kaidren’s unfortunately right. Luc is a terrible shot. Even with all the time we spent practicing, in the final moment, when it actually counts, he can’t do it.
Luc reloads again, and I feel for it with my mind. This one is different from the others. The modified bolt.
The only problem is Kaidren has me pinned and my hands are trapped.
Luc is about to fire. When he does, I need my hands free.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” I say. Then I slam my head up, crashing against Kaidren’s.
He jerks back with a groan.
I scramble out from under him. My leg is on fire, each step is agony, but I don’t have time to focus on that.
Luc releases the final crossbow bolt, and I keep my hands low, palms directed at the bolt.
I feel for the tshira with my mind. It sails off course, but I nudge it over, right for the smallest target.
