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Lyrith toyed with her spoon.

“But it won’t be one of us, will it? It will be you.”

Kara stiffened.

“Only if I get through the combat round. And I’m guessing no-one’s going to go easy on me.”

Lyrith looked her in the eye.

“I have nothing against you, Kara. I thought I’d hate you because of the war and actually, I don’t. But if I’m drawn against you tonight, I want you to know I’ll do everything I can to beat you.”

Kara inclined her head.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. And that goes for all of you. I swore I’d win this thing fairly or not at all. So do your worst, ladies.” She raised her glass of fruit juice. “To winning fair and square.”

They drank a toast. And that was the last they spoke to each other until the challenge.

Kara spent the rest of the day practicing moves she’d perfected with Vahn on Minerva-6. They’d had a lot of time to kill, and combat training was one of the ways they’d passed the time.

She was under no illusion. She was quick and strong for a human. She knew where the major nerve clusters were on a Vraxian body and she knew the best way to dislocate a limb in the least amount of time.

But she wasn’t as powerfully built as them. She didn’t have their height or their reach. Her anti-grav boots were useful but they could only help her so far.

She knew the remaining Potentials were all skilled in combat. Over the past few years, because there was a chance that civilians might be called up to join the military, all Vraxians were expected to have a certain level of ability.

The irony wasn’t lost on Kara. The very war she was trying to end was the reason her opponents were so dangerous.

Whoever she faced, she would have to take them out fast. Put them on their backs and disable them. The longer it went on, the more time there was for mistakes – mistakes she couldn’t afford.

Especially if it was Layahn.

She vaguely recalled mentioning Layahn to Vahn last night. She hadn’t seen him this morning, he’d gone by the time she woke up.

She had still been fully clothed but her boots were lined up neatly next to the bed. For a big, brutish-looking alien he sure had a tidy streak.

She wondered if he’d do as she asked and pit them against each other. Maybe it was illogical because he was right – Layahn was the most dangerous contestant left.

But the truth was she didn’t want to face any of the others because she liked them. Fighting them would be hard emotionally as well as physically. With Layahn she wouldn’t have to hold back.

And in any case, she wouldn’t feel as if she’d properly won unless it was Layahn she beat in the final. She knew it didn’t make sense, but that’s the way it was.

She took her meals in her room, wanting to be alone so she could mentally prepare. The only person she really wanted to see was Vahn, but he stayed away. She wasn’t surprised. She knew he wouldn’t want to distract her.

She donned her jumpsuit for the last time, then braided her hair and wound it into a knot. She didn’t want to give her opponent anything to grab. Pulling on her boots, she double-checked that the anti-grav and toe claws were functioning.

The rules stated that lethal blows, or blows that permanently maimed their opponents, were prohibited. But Kara had no doubt the others would be using their talons.

When she was as ready as she could be, she stood in front of the mirror and took a deep breath.

“You can do this,” she told herself. “You are your mother’s daughter. And you don’t give in.”

There was a knock at the door.

“Kara.” Ela’s voice floated to her. “It’s time.”

Forty Three

The final challenge was set in the same arena as before, but this time a red circle of eight meters in diameter had been drawn in the sand. This was their combat zone.