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“Eivor’s right,” Risna says. “You’re going to be fine. I read your palm, remember?”

You will live a very fulfilling second life.

I can’t tell if she’s reassuring me or herself, and somehow, that makes this all so much worse.

She unties a sheath from her thigh and loops it around mine and tightens it enough to pinch. Taking Eivor’s blade from me, she tucks it safely inside and gives it a firm pat. “Use it when she least expects it, and whatever you do”—she rises to meet my gaze—“do not fucking hesitate to put that bitch down.”

Less than ten minutes later, the four of us—Mihal, Vivvy, Quill, and I—are herded into the center of the arena by Tallis and Riven.

Nerissa and Cora lift their heads as we pass by, and I struggle to hold their gazes. Each step is reminiscent of the last time I approached my death. Every bone in my body is moving on its own accord as my mind screams not again not again not again.

But this is not a stone altar. The male beside me is not my father.

Cress’s eyes shine brightly as I find her front and center of her section with her hands balled into fists in her lap. Flanked on either side of her, Alyvia and Ash watch solemnly.

I can’t help myself as I sign, “Stop looking at me like that.”

She lifts a brow as she signs back, “Like what?”

“Like I’m going to die. I’ll see you after. At the ocean?”

Her smile is grim. “At the ocean.”

The image of the crimson flowers appears before me as my words ring true. One way or another, I’ll end up at the ocean.

I glance away just as her tears make her cheeks glisten.

A single stream of sunlight slashes through a pinprick opening high above us and washes the arena in buttery light. The sun is finally at its highest peak. The divots of the seven-pointed star illuminate in gold as the air around us swirls with the sugared scent of magic.

Riven’s lips flatten. “Retrieve your daggers and make the binding cuts.”

Quill and Mihal do as instructed and slash their palms. Blood drips onto the stone.

“The Challenge will commence the moment your blood is shared,” says Tallis. Her long, auburn hair glistens like copper. “May the best male win.”

Mihal clasps their hands together and flashes his fangs. “I plan to.”

At first, nothing happens. Then, as if a sleeping beast has been awoken, the ground rumbles as a glittering cage of see-through light crackles around us.

Sealing us in and the others out.

I swallow past the lump in my throat.

Only two of us will walk out of here alive.

Vivvy lunges. I’m barely fast enough to spin away from her. As a mortal, she was quick, but now, she’s unearthly fast. Though I’ve watched her train with countless other hunters, anticipating her movements isn’t easy. She is as swift as the fabled sea dragon and just as mighty. I might not be able to overpower her, but I know how she operates. She’ll try to wear me out by applying pressure over and over again. Never a killing blow. I just need to keep her at bay long enough⁠—

A spear made of blood soars past me. Blood drips down Quill’s cheek in one ruthless slice. Several illusions of him dapple the arena, disorienting Mihal enough for him to draw more of his blood to summon a dozen spears.

Viv lunges at me again, and this time, she catches me. She drags her nails across my collarbone, tearing skin, narrowly missing my throat. I shove her away from me.

She stumbles backward, eyes igniting. “This could’ve all been avoided, Sacrifice. All you had to do was die.”

“I did!”

“Well, you should’ve stayed dead.”

She’s on me in a flash, sending me sprawling across the marble floor. Quill’s stormy eyes snap to me, concern flashing as bright as a bolt of Eivor’s lightning.