Page 36 of This Shattered Star

“He won’t be the last one to try and kill me. Others will fight for the chance.”

“Then I will deal with them also.”

“Why?”

“Because we are allies.”

Allies.A part of me glowed at that—at the way it sounded like he would protect me because weweretruly allies, as he said. Because he cared. But the larger, rational part of me contorted into an ugly, roaring thing that sounded every warning bell it could find.

He’s going to kill you. And he’s going to enjoy every second of it.

“If you’re expecting athank you, you’re not going to get one.”

“On the contrary, little viper. I’ve come to learn how little manners you possess,” he drawled in return.

“If you two are quite finished,” Theia called from further across the platform. “We still have a trial to complete.”

CHAPTER TEN

Our platform broke off into two paths. One lead to the wall of stone, and the platform of blades waited on the other.

From this close, I could see the wall of stone was not entirely bare. A dark, glistening substance dripped down its ragged surface. It would be all too easy to slip and fall. And there was no telling if the substance was poisonous to the touch.

Except the woman that had kept the vines at bay earlier seemed to have other ideas. She stood at the foot of it with her allies, fingers writhing yet again. Coaxing the vines from the last obstacle to grow at her will. Their leaves sprouted up the platform and then up the wall itself, careful not to lay directly upon its surface.

“Is she allowed to do that?” Brannon asked once the vines stopped growing. She’d fashioned a way to climb the wall using the vines as a replacement for rope. A rope that allowed them to avoid getting the substance directly onto their skin.

She gestured for her three allies to climb, keeping her focus on the vines lest they decided to lash out or break from her control.

“If Maverick hasn’t said anything, then it would seem that she can.” Frustration clawed at me. She made it all seem sosimple.That wall was the only thing between them and the star-like orb signaling the end of Strength. The gap would be nothing more than an afterthought seeing as she could use the vines like a bridge. “How are your affinities for earth magic?”

“Non-existent,” Kodhan stated plainly.

“Surely one of you can keep the vines in place. They have already grown to the necessary length. Just keep them still for a few minutes, that’s all we need.”

His stony façade broke. A deep scowl marred his features as he said, “What part of non-existent do you not understand?”

“Just because your ego cannot handle being slightly worse than others where another element is concerned doesn’t mean you have to be an ass about it,” I sniped.

Kodhan opened his mouth to reply, but Theia beat him to it. “Earth bests us three to none even on our best days, I’m afraid. Trust me when I say I would rather swing around on those vines than bleed on that other platform. But we can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” I said tentatively, searching between them for any indication of—ofwhat? None of it mattered. I had no right to press on the subject. I was far worse off than any of them. At least they had magic to begin with.

It wasn’t like others who had lesser affinities for earth wouldn’t have the same issue. We would all have to suffer through what lay to the right.

Andsufferwas a loose term.

A garden of sharp, jagged metal stood between us and the end of Strength. Mist, thicker than the vapor that had partially veiled Kodhan earlier, writhed and undulated across the platform, obscuring any safe way to get across without getting sliced from one misstep.

Movement caught my attention from afar, partially hidden behind layers of the mist. When I strained to see what caused it, it stopped.

I palmed Kodhan’s dagger on instinct, knuckles white with the force of which I gripped its hilt.

My very marrow warned me thatsomething was coming.No,something waslurking.

My heart may have been absent of magic, but in its stead sat years of mistrust and endless hours of Gideon’s relentless instruction. Since that first night where he’d practically dragged me into the weapon-lined training room by the collar of my shirt, he’d taught me how to always remain one step ahead of my opponent.

Be faster,he’d said, over and over.Be stronger. Smarter.