The wall of soldiers is a blur of swishing weapons and violence. I can’t decide where to focus, until a third one of Kaidren’s soldiers drops to the ground in a spray of blood and frost, either dead or injured enough they can no longer fight. Both teams now have six soldiers fighting in the middle of the arena.
“Go,” says Luc urgently. He has two team members hanging back. Their job is to try and skirt past the wall and get to Kaidren. Hopefully, the battle in the center is enough of a distraction they can get through to the other side, put Kaidren in a death position, and finish this.
They’re halfway to the center of the arena when the snow beneath them melts. The soldier on the right slips and falls.
My eyes snap to Kaidren’s team. Someone used magic to heat the ground beneath them. One of Kaidren’s soldiers breaks away, running toward the fallen decurio. He pushes to his knees, trying to rise, but before he can, Kaidren’s soldier swings a sword at his legs.
He screeches as his left leg is sliced. He can’t fight back before he’s cut again, this time on his torso.
Blood streaks the snow as he collapses. He isn’t dead, but he won’t walk for the rest of the trial. Maybe ever.
Kaidren’s soldier doesn’t take so much as a second to pausebefore turning to Luc’s second flier, Aleta, and stabbing her in the stomach.
Aleta doesn’t make a sound. The soldier twists the sword in her gut, and she collapses like a stone.
To my horror, the blade is still in her. As she falls, it keeps slicing.
I cover my mouth to muffle a shriek. My knotted stomach drops to my feet as Kaidren’s soldier draws back his sword. Aleta is dead.
One of Luc’s team members pounces on Kaidren’s soldier, and they begin a dance of darting limbs and clanging weapons. All the while, Dhavik and I keep tight to Luc’s side. Part of me feels guilty we don’t move to help, even as I know there’s nothing I could do to stop this.
There are casualties on both sides now. The sounds of battle heighten. The screeching of the crowd grows louder. Each team fights harder now that they’ve lost someone. More bodies drop as both sides attempt to force the other back, closer to the opposing team’s candidate. Neither is gaining ground.
My hopes of this being over quickly are slashed when I see Pol—Luc’s most vicious warrior—plummet in a shower of red blood and white snow.
By this point, Kaidren has five soldiers left. We have seven.
Except two of Luc’s soldiers—me and Dhavik—aren’t actually fighting. We stay back with Luc to protect him.
My heart pounds, and I’m burning up under this armor.
All five of Kaidren’s remaining warriors are at the battle in the center of the arena, fighting against five of Luc’s. Kaidren is alone on the other side of the wall of war. The three soldiers initially designated to guard him have been drawn into the bloodbath. He no longer has a direct guard—he’s practically an open target.
We need one person to get across the field and fight him into a death position.
Just one.
The blood pulsing in my ears quiets as I force myself to think. Now is the perfect opportunity to send one of us to attack Kaidren, but someone has to stay behind and defend Luc.
Which is more important: defeating Kaidren or protecting the Praeceptor?
The answer is obvious. Defending Luc is the most important thing. Crossing the arena will mean nothing if, in the process, someone gets to Luc and we lose before we have a chance to win.
I can’t risk leaving Luc with the only soldier on this field with no training—me. Therealdecurio must stay and defend him, while the fraud should go after Kaidren.
My only weapon is the knife tucked into the pocket at my thigh. All I have to do is press the blade against Kaidren’s throat, and this is over. Luc wins.Wewin.
I turn to my brother. “I’m ending this.”
His head jerks to me. “What are you talking about?” His eyes widen as he glances across the arena to Kaidren, answering his own question. “No. Absolutely not. Have you lost your mind? You’ll have to run through the battlefield.”
“It’s our best option.”
I’ve never seen him look more panicked. “There are at least three people already dead. Do you understand me? You could die.”
“Or we couldwin.”
Luc stares at me like he’s never seen me before. He shakes his head emphatically. “Mira,no. I forbid—”
