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“Looks like they’ve got spheres,” she told Vysh. “But I don’t think the others have worked it out yet. We’re still in with a chance.”

“Where are the nearest ones to us?”

Kara pointed.

“Half a click that way. There’s two of them just a few meters apart.”

That was good news at least. The closer they were to their quarry, the less time they’d waste. They gathered their stuff and set out.

They finished the last of the water in lieu of breakfast. It hadn’t rained since yesterday and Vysh only had a bit left. Kara’s bottle was annoyingly still in the rucksack Layahn had taken. But it was fine, Kara told herself. They’d be back at base in a couple of hours.

The first sphere was easy to catch, mainly because Vysh did all the hard work. She insisted on being the one to grab it, refusing to let Kara go through the vomit-inducing frenzy. And to be fair, at her height it was way easier for her to get hold of the thing.

Not so easy for Kara to keep up though, as the sphere veered madly through the forest with Vysh hanging on to it for dear life.

By the time the auto-cutoff activated, they were a kilometer away from the second sphere.

“Damn it.” Kara looked at the map while Vysh sat with her head between her legs, trying to keep from throwing up. “Hespia’s heading for the finish line. That’s four through to the next round.”

“It’s not fair. You figured it out first.”

“No use crying over spilt milk.”

“What in the name of Zandarr doesthatmean?”

“It means there’s no point complaining about things you can’t change.”

“It’s still not fair. I really want to smash Layahn’s teeth in.”

“Me too, but then we’d both get kicked out. Leave it for the combat round. Hopefully one of us will get to face her.”

“Hopefully.” Vysh stood up, grimacing as her stomach churned. “Okay, I feel a bit better now.”

“You still look a little grey. Or is that your camouflage?”

“Definitely not the camouflage. But I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? You don’t seem so good.”

“It’s just motion sickness. I’ve suffered from it since I was a hatchling. Even the ride over in the pod made me queasy.” She gave a wan smile. “Seriously, I’m okay. Let’s go.”

It took them an hour to reach the second sphere, mostly because just as they were approaching it Vysh doubled over to heave into a bush. The sphere zipped off to hide somewhere else and didn’t stop until it was another kilometer away.

When they finally cornered it, Vysh was in no state to grab it. She was dehydrated and exhausted.

“Just give me five minutes,” she said gamely.

“Forget it, Pink. This one’s mine.”

Kara eyed the xantha sphere. It was hovering motionless over a gulley and even with her anti-grav boots, she wasn’t sure she could reach it.

Come on, Singh. Think.

She was uncomfortably aware time was ticking by. Every second that passed meant a greater chance of being overtaken by the other Potentials.

Her fears were confirmed when Vysh gave a little groan.

“Drek.Vecca’s on her way out.”