Page 109 of Dragon Me Through Space

And just like that, I was relaxed and smiling like a fool.

Or maybe it was the painkillers …

“The second round will begin in twenty minutes!” yelled the announcer.

Two dozen people ran out and began disassembling the obstacle course. Once all of the pieces were gone, a lone male stood in the center, squatted down, and pushed something.

Loud metal grinding sounds began and I watched in awe as the oval obstacle course path lowered into the ground and water surged upwards. With just a single button press, they’d changed it from an obstacle course to a platform surrounded by a moat of water.

There didn’t seem to be anything moving in the water, though, which seemed odd since they’d told me the water would have predators inside of it.

Across the platform, a large metal frame emerged. The bar we would hold onto and hope we outlasted the others.

Luckily, my arms hadn’t been used much in the previous round, so I felt pretty confident heading into this.

Someone began passing out additional bottles of water and a single bread roll to the contestants. I ate mine, surprised at how hungry I was, and drank all of my water.

“Bathroom break lasts five minutes,” crowed the announcer, and to my right a path opened up, leading to a doorway where several contestants had already jogged through.

I followed, figuring it was best to try to go so I wasn’t holding it while dangling above the water later.

Keeping my head on a swivel as I went into and out of the bathroom, I ensured no one could sneak up on me or try to hurt me.

As soon as I arrived back in the contestants’ area, they marched us out onto the platform, side by side, and lowered the metal bar so we could reach it with just a small jump. Well, a medium jump for me and a literal hand raise for the guy beside me.

“You’re the princess, right?” he asked as he gripped the bar. “The heirs’ mate?”

I nodded and opened my mouth, but was interrupted.

“She’s not their mate yet and never will be,” the woman who’d attacked me snapped.

He rolled his eyes. “Vicky has had a crush on the princes since she was little. She’s just jealous.”

“Fuck you, Jolan,” she growled.

He smiled and said, “No, thank you. You’re not my type.” Turning to me, he winked, which made me smile.

There was a loud growl from the stands behind us and I sighed softly. Definitely Zeke.

“Oh, they’re super possessive, huh? Interesting.”

“Please don’t goad them. Zeke’s likely to murder someone before the day is out.”

He just laughed.

Whatever, it wasn’t my death warrant being signed.

The bar started to raise at the same time that the ground beneath us lowered.

I watched as the ground disappeared and more water surged in to cover it until it flowed just five feet below our dangling legs.

The announcer’s voice came on, silencing the crowd and us. “This year we have a special predator all the way from the former planet Caltyrelan!”

A metal creaking started and on the far side of the stadium, I watched as a grate opened and something large and dark swam into the water. No, not just one … four somethings large and dark.

Fear consumed me at the sight of the creatures. A creature that was part of many Caltyrelan folklore stories, nightmares, and dark warnings. A monster that made me refuse to ever step foot into the oceans on Caltyrelan as a child.

The lusca. The lusca was a creature that was a combination of a shark and octopus with teeth and a jaw capable of severing a person in half with one bite and tentacles that could pop your head off with a single squeeze. Those who lived by the sea said that the lusca could even walk out on dry land using their tentacles as pseudo-legs to chase after prey that ran onto the beach.