Screams of terror puncture the air. I chance a look out the window to see pillars falling into the arena. Gladiators we fought and lived among scatter across the sands. Skeletons cloaked in green flame attack from all sides, swarming the fighting ring and the stands. “We can’t leave them.”
“I won’t risk you.”
I touch his arm. “We’re gladiators, Day. There’s a fight on your sacred sands. We can’t lose.”
Dayton looks at me, his face etched with determination. Despite the chaos, there’s a sense of calm in his eyes, a quiet strength that gives me hope despite everything else. He nods.
I don’t wait another moment. With a cry, I reach down through the ancient stone. The cracks in the foundation made by the shadows help my briars find purchase. They shoot up, wrapping around me and Dayton, then propel us to the sands.
We move as one; Dayton swings his trident and I bring forth a torrent of dagger-sharp thorns. The maple leaf token glimmers on his neck. Within a minute of landing in the arena, we’ve brought down ten of the flaming skeletons.
But like the Green Flame goblins, these ones keep standing up.
“Nice of you to join the party,” Tilla grunts, fighting over to us.
“We can’t kill these things,” Dayton says, blocking a skeleton’s strike with his trident. “We’ve got to get the rebels out of here.”
“How?” Tilla cries. “Even if we get past these skellies, those shadow freaks are blocking all the exits.”
Breath comes ragged from my throat as I raise up a cluster of thorns to block the assault of three skeletons. I could use my briars to transport a few people out, but not everyone. At least, not quickly enough.
A death cry rings out as another gladiator falls, his body shriveling amid the flames. We have to do somethingfast.
My thoughts are cut off by the crackling scream of a giant skeleton as it lunges toward Dayton, jagged sword drawn over its head. Thorns coil around my arms like serpents ready to strike. With a roar of defiance, I launch myself into the giant skeleton’s path, my briars lashing out with deadly precision.
My thorns instantly shrivel up as the skeleton’s body flares with green flame. It turns its attention to me, and with a bone-rattling roar, strikes.
I’m yanked backward, just out of the blade’s reach. Looking down, I see dark purple vines wrapped around my waist.
My breath catches in my throat as I look behind me.
Standing there, arms outstretched, a tumble of briars before him, is Caspian.
He gulps in air, eyes wild and dark. He looks … unsettled.
“Cas,” I breathe. It’s as if my limbs are not my own. I stumble toward him, the rest of the arena fading away.
“Can’t keep yourself out of trouble, can you, Princess?” He smirks, a little of the normal Caspian coming back to him.
“You’re one to talk.” A fire radiates in my chest as someone steps out from behind Cas.
Tears spring to my eyes. “Farron!”
I rush to him, forgetting about the skeletons, the shadows, all of it. I throw my arms around his neck.
“Rosalina,” he breathes, pulling me close. “You’re all right.”
“Not really,” Caspian snarls, throwing up a huge wall of briars to block a surge of skeletons. “We’re all kind of fucked right now.”
I pull away from Farron to look up at him. Strands of messy auburn hair cast his eyes in dark shadows. “Are you okay?” I whisper. “What happened down there?”
Farron smiles at me, a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’ve never been better, Rosie.”
“Fare.” Dayton’s voice carries over the screams, clash of metal, and rattle of bones.
He walks with frenzied purpose, gaze unblinking, his trident blocking and slicing skeletons without him even having to look at them.
Dayton’s trident disappears into his necklace. He snatches Farron in his arms and kisses him. Kisses him like a man possessed. My own bond leaps in my heart, and I join my briars with Caspian’s to form a shield between us and the rest of the world, just to give them this moment together.
