Page 98 of These Fractured Bonds

His arms tightened around her. “Don’t worry about that. I’m here for you.”

She squeezed him in return, confessing, “I’m nervous.”

“Anyone in your place would be,” he replies. “You’re doing a great service to the Keepers. Remember that.”

She stiffened, feeling a little put out at his choice of words to comfort her. “Right.”

His heat lost its comforting touch, becoming smothering, but she clamped her mouth shut and bore it. He was here, and that was all that mattered, but his words settled in her stomach like a solid lump that she failed to digest.

Erick’s voice pierced their bubble. “Hey, a man is trying to sleep over here.”

“Shut up, or I’ll kick you out,” Yareli snapped.

But the moment had been ruined, and Leo stepped away from her. “You’ve got your mind shield on?”

Yareli nodded. “Yeah, it’s in place.”

“Still drawing magic easily?”

Yareli lifted her hand, summoning magic to her palm where it churned under her skin. Leo beamed. He’d been as excited as she was when they found out magic was responsive to her will.

“You’re amazing.” In a softer voice, he added, “You’re going to do great. I’ll see you soon.”

She gave him a tight smile as he departed. Leo had to leave early to sneak into their tent. It was a futile attempt to hide him from the public, but nevertheless, they tried. The tension in her shoulders didn’t ease after he left; instead, her thoughts turned to their missing group member.

“Where’s Augrys?”

Erick had covered his face with a pillow, and his words came out garbled.

“What?”

He lifted the pillow enough to reveal his mouth. “He’s with Allyah, but don’t worry, he’ll be at the challenge.”

Yareli scrunched her nose, surprised at the bitterness souring the taste in her mouth, but it wasn’t any of her business. She had, after all, chosen to ignore her old feelings for him, crushing them under her feet any time they made an appearance. Besides, he was still unhappy with her decision to participate in the Fire Festival, and she didn’t feel like dealing with his mood. A quiet voice in her argued that maybe he was the reasonable one, and she was unreasonable, but if that was the cost of power, then she’d gladly pay her sanity for it.

She sank back onto the floor by her fireplace, clutching her knees, and stared into the flames.Fire. It was everywhere in her life, from her natal chart, dreams, and real life. Was she destined to always toe the line with fire, then? Sighing, she ran her finger on the floor in idle circles. She needed to stop overthinking, but it was easier said than done. There were so many loose ends, somany things that needed to be done, but it was as if there was never enough time.

And despite her previous exhilaration from winning the first challenge, her voice was wracked with resignation when she said, “Five more minutes, Erick. Then it’s go-time.”

Yarelistoodonanisland of her own; the other contestants had left a noticeable distance between them and her, marking her as an outsider. Despite their ostracization, she held her chin high, her back straight. She refused to cower; she had a feeling if they sensed a hint of cowardice from her, they would pounce and pick her bones clean. She knew her friends were somewhere in the crowd as spectators, but it brought her little comfort, and the knots in her stomach grew tighter.

Allyah stepped forward, her skin-tight military uniform flashing from beneath the fur cape she wore. Silence swept across the audience, and Yareli fought the twinge of admiration for Allyah’s commandeering of the crowd.

“A society cannot exist without strength, and there is no greater creature emblematic of strength than the egheur.” Allyah paused, the silence pregnant with the crowd’s anticipation.

Yareli didn’t know what an egheur was, but its name rang familiar. Leo must have covered it months ago during one of his overviews on the courts. Rumbling resounded across the clearing, sending a shudder down her spine. Allyah’s final words echoed over them, her voice as clear as the night sky above them, and as cold as the stars shining in it.

“Only by dominating an egheur will you stand a chance to complete the challenge.”

The starting gong sounded.

The contestants spun, surging toward the arena behind them—a prairie with tall grass and shrubbery. Only then did Yareli dare to slide her gaze to the benches, hoping to catch a friendly face before she willingly ran into the den of the unknown, but she couldn’t make them out in the sea of strangers. A foolhardy hope; they were likely in the tent, away from prying eyes.

The yellow-brown grass rustled, a reminder of her task. She licked her dry lips and was reminded of a novel she had read years ago about a woman who walked into tall grass. She didn’t come back alive. The grass swayed in a soft breeze, and before more worries could take hold, she walked forward.

Thecrowd’scheersfellsilent as Yareli walked across the arena’s threshold, their hollering replaced by the hushed murmur of the undulating stalks. She took a breath, hearing the chirr of insects hidden from sight. A bird squawked somewhere in the distance.

Sound was good, she thought. It meant it was unlikely there was a predator nearby.