Page 139 of Galaxy Games Four-Book Box Set (Galaxy Games)

139

Life and Death

W illow

Tense. The worst thing about this isn’t the grueling physicality of it, but the fear that one misstep will kill the two males I love.

Yeah. Love.

I’ve known them less than two weeks, but you get to know people’s true character in circumstances like this. That instead of hating each other and fighting and trying to outperform each other to impress me, they always speak kindly about each other? That speaks volumes.

I’m done trying to second guess myself. Besides, I may not be alive in an hour. I certainly have bigger fish to fry, like putting one foot in front of the other and keeping myself moving as I traverse this wicked wilderness.

It doesn’t help that I hear occasional screaming down below. The wyrms are still writhing under the asteroid’s crust and picking off our competitors.

I can’t bear it anymore. I have to flick my gaze to my drone’s screen to see the stats. If ten teams have already arrived at the finish line, I’m not taking another step except to hold my two males in my arms, tell them I love them, and kiss them goodbye.

Shit. Two more teams have made it to the finish line, so there are only four team openings left. Interestingly, there are still ten teams in the running. It takes a moment to figure out that the recent deaths I’ve heard down below have been remaining members of already disqualified teams.

“Ten teams for four slots,” I announce, keeping my gaze on the ground and moving forward. I know Valor would be much farther ahead if he wasn’t dawdling to keep close to me. I get a harebrained idea that simply won’t go away until I share it.

“Valor? Braveheart? I have a thought.”

“Tell us,” Braveheart says.

Valor only grunts. His eyes are focused on the ground in front of him.

“Valor, you are our secret weapon. I know you’re reaching deep inside yourself to keep going, but I think the only way we might have a chance of winning this is for you to go faster. Leave me here. If you insist, I’ll sit on my ass and wait for your return. If not, I’ll keep plodding forward.

“You hurry. I know you’re capable of it. Then come back to get me and carry me, too. I know I’m asking the impossible, but I think it’s the only way.”

Valor

I should have thought of it earlier. I’m certain it’s the only way we can get to the finish line in time. Luckily, some of the remaining teams doubled back when they fled the beasts. They ran away from the flagpole instead of toward it.

I can see a few of the teams down below are carrying a team member, giving them the same handicap we have, although, as Willow said, I’m our secret weapon. For the first time in my life, I’m happy to be a geneslave.

“It will work. I am built for this. Since the controller was removed, I’m even stronger, have even more stamina. I have reserves I haven’t even begun to tap. But only if you promise to sit on your pretty ass until I return. Don’t take a step without me.”

“Promise,” she says, a bit too quickly.

I think she’s lying, but I don’t have time to argue. I take off feeling like I have wings on my back instead of Braveheart. I was holding myself back so Willow could keep up. My calculations told me we would never make it, but I refused to voice our certain doom. Now we have a chance.

Hold on tight, my brother . As Braveheart complies, I feel his excitement and the mental nudge of his affection and determination. It’s like a turbo boost to my muscles.

I leap over crevasses instead of trudging down and up. I’m whittling our time down with every step I take.

We have a huge handicap. Now that it appears the wyrms are gone, the teams on the flat can run. As I look, though, I see most of them have at least one member who is hurt, limping, or bleeding.

At least we have a fighting chance.

Willow

I wonder if Valor read my mind and knows I have no intention of sitting on my ass. I’m not stupid. I’m not going to hurry and do something foolish. I’m taking my own sweet time, but I’m pressing forward.

I have eyes in my head. I may not have fancy animal DNA that allows me to see a fly from a thousand paces, but I can see the other teams lurching toward the flagpole. If we’re to have any chance at all, it’s going to be down to the wire. I force myself to keep moving.

It seems like an hour later when I look toward the flagpole and see a male in scarlet coveralls. Braveheart is sitting right there, close enough to reach out and touch it. His posture is like mine was yesterday when I waited for poor Valor to arrive with Braveheart in his arms.

I don’t see Valor. He must already be on his return trip to retrieve me.

I’m coming, Willow.

Don’t waste your energy talking. Just know that I’m waiting here for you. I love you. Don’t forget it.

I love you, too, he says, then goes radio silent as he puts all his energy into this Herculean feat.

When I finally allow myself to look at the screen, all the blood drains out of my face. Three openings left. Five teams vying for those openings. I’m afraid to glance at the bowl, afraid to see how close our competition is to touching the flagpole.

I’m a good person. Okay, I won’t lie. I cheated on tests in school. Oh, and Brittany, the bitch who teased me mercilessly, and I do mean mercilessly, since Kindergarten. She never let up. Even in the circumstance I’m in now, when I think of her, a little bit of hate boils in my veins. Yeah. I accidentally on purpose keyed the Mustang her daddy bought her for her sixteenth birthday. Whoops. My bad.

So, no, I’m not perfect. But I always thought that deep down in my soul, I was a good person. Right now, though, I’m not thinking good thoughts about the other five teams. Nope. Not that I’m hoping the wyrms will return, but I’m hoping someone will sprain their ankle and slow their teammates down.

Am I proud of this? No. Can I control these evil thoughts? No, I can’t do that either.

Hope expands in my chest when I see him.

Valor! Dear God, it’s so good to see your handsome face.

First, I’ll tell you it’s good to see your beautiful face. Then I’ll scold you for not sitting on that pretty little ass of yours.

Well, for a scold, that was pretty tame. And you get a bonus point for calling my ass little.

He’s at my side in a minute and hefts me onto his back without even taking a moment to kiss me. We both know there’s no time for frivolity. This is life and death.