“Yes. We’ve missed the introduction, but there’s still plenty of time to catch up to your peers.” We haven’t been briefed on the rules for tonight’s festivities, but Thorn and his little witch agreed to explain everything once we arrived.
Assuming they survive that long.
Thorn, I’m not concerned over, but the witch...
Humans are such pitiably fragile creatures.
I set Sienna on her feet once we reach the teleportation circle, a stone platform with glowing violet runes etched across its surface. Two staff members sitting at a table take our names and assign each of us with numbers—Sienna being the highest at a ten, Revyn in the middle at an eight, and myself lagging behind at a six.
This seems to bring Revyn a fair bit of delight, as he cracks a wide smile and chuckles under his breath.
“Something funny, wolf?”
Shaking his head, he rolls his shoulders back. “Just wondering how shitty your powers are if you only scored a six.”
“We don’t know what the numbers are for,” Sienna reasons, her breath fogging the air.
“My powers have had quite the effect on you,” I remind him, flashing my fangs. “I wonder what that says aboutyourabilities.”
A witch in an odious patchwork sweater ignores our bickering and waves her hand in the air, performing a basic illumination spell. Our numbers appear at our backs and hover in place, each one glowing a different color. Vibrant red for ten, bright orange for eight, and putrid green for six. Lovely.
“The numbers represent your base score for the event,” she explains, glancing between us. “A ten is the highest, with one being the lowest. Everyone in the arena has been assigned a number based upon your perceived threat level.”
I stare at the crimson number ten hovering behind Sienna’s shoulder blades. If the numbers are truly based upon perceived threat, the wilder wolf Revyn should have scored higher than Sienna.
“Who assigns the scores?” I ask.
“Your classmates. The headmaster asked everyone to rate each other at the start of the event, which you three missed.”
There we go.The number isn’t about threat to life but the threat to one’s chances of mating. Tonight’s event is about showing off your abilities to potential mates and eliminating your competition at the same time.
Ruthlessly efficient. I can appreciate the event’s honesty for why we’re all at Heartsflame:to win.
“So whoever is your biggest competition gets a higher number?” Sienna glowers. “I’m no one’s competition. I shouldn’t be a ten.”
“Complain all you want. It won’t change your number.”
Revyn runs a hand down his face. “Everyone saw us yesterday. In the library.” His gaze flicks to mine for a split second before he looks away. “You and Alistair...the entire academy knows that you and him are?—”
Sienna cuts him off. “Nothing!”
“—fated,” Revyn finishes, sighing.
“Alistair is eligible bachelor number one,” I conclude, nodding. “Your score makes sense, Wildflower. You are the biggest obstacle to many people’s preferred match.”
She grumbles. “I don’t evenwanthim?—”
“May I continue?” the staff member interrupts, not waiting for our response. “Your base number stays the same throughout the event, but your individual scores fluctuate based upon how many points you gain or lose. Earn thirty total points and maintain them by sunrise, and you pass. Drop below zero pointsat any time tonight, and you automatically fail. There is no coming back from zero.”
“How do we gain points?” Sienna asks.
The witch sighs. “I’m getting to that.” Crossing her arms, she continues with her speech at a leisurely pace, eating into our remaining challenge time without a care. “A score between a one and a twenty-nine means that you get to stay at the academy, but you’ll have a penalty for the Spring Mating Games. I suggest you earn as many points as possible by sunrise so that you aren’t ambushed and taken out by a few heavy hitters, like nines or tens. As forhowto earn points, it’s pretty simple. Knock out your classmates, and you add their base points to your total score while they lose your base points to theirs. For example—” She nods at Revyn. “He’s a base eight, which means that if she knocks him out, she’ll add eight points to her total, giving her a combined score of eighteen. But because he was knocked out by a base ten, he would then drop down to a zero, which means that he’s disqualified. Everyone’s base number will be displayed on their backs throughout the competition—and no, you cannot remove your clothes to get rid of it. Shifting, invisibility, shadows—doesn’t matter what your power is, your number stays. But if your opponent can’t see you, they can’t see your number. Make sense?”
So as soon as you reveal yourself, you reveal your number. That puts magic-users at an advantage. Anyone who possesses invisibility or false sight—like my illusions—can pick people off without ever being seen.
“Don’t get your ass kicked,” Revyn mutters, simplifying the rules to their basest form, “and beat the shit out of everyone else. Got it.”
The witch nods. “All powers are permitted, but no magical items, potions, tonics, or weapons are allowed.” She glances at Sienna’s boot. “Take out your dagger, kid.”
