Page 46

The guard gripped my bicep tightly as he escorted me farther into the Miniature Terrulia.

Dusty red sand kicked up with each of my steps, dirtying my sneakers and the ankle cuffs of my green jumpsuit.

It was like being walked to my death because ultimately that’s what the Overseer and the rest of them wanted.

Celeste’s punishment had been clear. All of us directly involved in the break-in of the vault had thereby forfeited our chance at the crown. We could not win this final competition.

Dick and I had been found first, and I’d thought that maybe, just maybe, the others would get the weapon without being caught. It had been a fool’s hope. I’d watched on the screens in the control room as the Overseer cornered them with her guards and laid down her law.

The crown was the price we had to pay for our treason because getting caught trying to access the vault and steal whatever weapon lay within was just that, treason.

But instead of demanding our deaths, Celeste declared we would still compete in the tournament.

I supposed she figured most of us would die anyway.

But even if we survived, we’d never be allowed to truly win.

I’d never wanted to rule Terrulia. The sole purpose for me entering these trials had been to find out what happened to the twins and the rest of the people who were being stolen from my city.

Yet, Fallon, Kayden, Ace, Kendra, and Dick…

they wanted the crown. Now, whatever scraps of hope they had been holding onto had been torn from their grasp.

The guard released my arm and, with a grunt, headed back the way we came, leaving me in a small clearing.

Giant rocks and cacti circled the area as a bright light hovered overhead, illuminating the rich reds of the environment.

But this was just a recreation of the real thing.

I would have liked to visit the Crimson Steppes one day and see the magnificent land with my own eyes.

How a place could be so harsh and unyielding yet be home to a population of people was one of the mysteries I’d wanted to research.

Yes, those from the Steppes were not the wealthiest, but they were survivors.

Case in point, Kayden and Kendra.

I was going to take inspiration from them tonight. I still had too much to do with my life. The Overseer may have wanted me to lose, but I would not give her the satisfaction. I didn’t need the crown after this, but I needed to live, and I would fucking do so.

With my hands clenched at my sides, I felt my rage grow in me like a pine tree. Strong and formidable. The Verdant Plateau had endured too much. The fire and loss of its people was just the beginning. I couldn’t let the damage continue. I wouldn’t allow it.

A shadow stepped towards me, the petite figure becoming recognisable once the light reached her features. Hazel eyes and a single long brown plait hung over one shoulder.

“You were with us during the trial. You tried to warn everyone not to drink the water in the cloakroom,” I said as I met her at the centre of the giant rock circle, my eyes widening at the colour of her jumpsuit. “I didn’t know you were from Verdant Plateau, too.”

“Why would you?” She smiled sadly. “We’ve never spoken before then and it’s not like there was any time for a get-to-know-you.”

I chuckled despite the situation we’d found ourselves in. Being here at the House of Ascension had really fucked me up. I’d lost my conversationalist abilities, it seemed. “True.”

“Look,” she began, stepping closer. “I know you think you deserve to win because your family rules back home, but I need this. I won’t give you the crown just because of the family you were born into.

The trials were created to level the playing field.

Anyone can become the ruler; all they have to do is win.

I won’t give away my chance at being queen.

” She rolled her shoulder which, if my memory served correctly, she’d hurt during the trial.

I hated that I took note of the movement not as a healer, but as a competitor and that I catalogued the desperation in her eyes and the twitch of her fingers.

We were from the same city and yet here we were, about to fight to the death.

The thought made me want to throw up. I had come here to protect those from home, not kill them.

“I wouldn’t want you to,” I replied, swallowing hard.

It shouldn’t have been like this. I’d never pictured my life this way and yet here I was, about to fight to the death against someone I had vowed to protect.

“You have your reasons for being here, the same as me. You have my respect regardless of the outcome.”

She seemed taken aback. “Your family has always been good to the people at home. I know you’re here for the right reasons.

For that, you have my respect, too.” She blew out a breath, though it did nothing to ease her visible tension.

“As much as we both don’t want to do this, there’s no point delaying the inevitable. ”

Before she could move, I decided to tell her the truth about my situation. “You should know that the Overseer has ordered me to compete, but I can never win the crown. The Overseer has labelled me a traitor. So, you’re going to defeat me.”

She scrunched her brows, tilting her head to one side. “What? So, you’re just going to let me kill you?”

“No.” I shook my head, conscious of the cameras zooming around that were no doubt recording the audio of our conversation. “What’s right and what is asked of us are not always aligned. The Verdant Plateau needs to be protected. All of Terrulia does. So, you will defeat me.”

She stared at me, silently questioning, and I glanced at the nearest camera pointedly.

Because I have things I need to fix, and people I need to find and bring home. I can’t die, not yet. I tried to convey all of this as I looked at her, but none of it left my lips.

After a long pause, she nodded.

I smiled, deciding that a proper introduction was long overdue. “I’m Noah. What’s your name?”

“Amelia.”

“Nice to properly meet you, Amelia.”

“You, too Noah.” She returned the smile, stepping away from me until she was standing at the edge of the circle. “Good luck.”

“To both of us,” I replied. “For love of land and neighbour.”

Our House motto hung in the air between us. Whatever happened now, I just hoped I’d done enough.

Amelia’s hands spread wide and rumbled the dirt beneath our shoes. Dust and sand suddenly went flying into the air. I planted my feet and held my ground as roots tore from the dark sand, diving towards me. I dodged the attack, weaving through the cacti roots as I charged towards Amelia.

My magic and adaptation were defensive, yet I had been trained since my early teens to fight those with offensive powers. Amelia’s magic fed nature, growing the cacti to enormous heights and controlling them. It was a common power back home, and one I knew how to fight.

I started to undress, only to halt my fingers on the zip.

If I used my invisibility, then the cameras wouldn’t capture my downfall.

Cacti roots dove towards me and I swatted the larger ones away, throwing them back against the other roots aimed at me.

They tore through the smaller clusters, ripping them to pieces as they were once again manipulated to come at me.

Amelia was in range, yet I couldn’t help but feel she was going easy on me. That needed to change.

Swiftly, I darted to the side and gripped a large root, using it to propel myself forward through the air.

I landed right in front of Amelia and immediately tackled her to the sand.

She cried out as I held her down, pressing her hard into the ground.

Thankfully, she didn’t give up that easily.

I didn’t want to hurt her. I just wanted her to fight harder and use everything she had against me. Which she did beautifully.

The branches of the cacti joined the fray with their roots.

Spiky limbs swiped at me and scratched down my arms, tearing my jumpsuit.

I hissed as blood spilled from tiny needle holes in my flesh.

I didn’t want to think how many there were, only that I felt very much like a human pin cushion.

Still, my grip on her arms only tightened and Amelia let out a deafening scream in my face.

The roots wrapped around me, tearing me away from her, and threw me through the cool night sky.

I landed on the ground with a heavy thud, surrounded by a spray of sand lifting into the air around me.

My hip and shoulder took the worst of the impact and I groaned, rolling onto my back as pain shot through my side.

It was times like this when I wished my powers would heal me as well as others.

The cacti limbs came at me with a vengeance, refusing to give me any respite.

Spikes embedded into my skin, trapping me in their grip.

My chest heaved, pain and panic rising in me with equal measure.

Fuck, she was actually going to kill me.

I screamed, letting out my rage at the trials, the kidnappings, and the fire—at every fucked-up thing that had happened—allowing it all to fuel me.

I tore the cactus away from me, sending blood spilling from my flesh where it had latched on.

The plant resisted, struggling to embed itself into me yet again.

But I gritted my teeth and fought until an opening to move appeared and I took it.

I saw Amelia on the other side of the clearing and ran for her, determined to put up the fight that the Overseer and Masters wanted. The show they expected.

But a root wrapped itself around my leg, tugging me to the ground just before I could reach Amelia. I cried out as more roots coiled around my arms and held me in place.