Chapter 29
Mara
She knew that Vaelor was worried about her. She hadn’t said much on the way to their next campsite. Esto and Vor had been disqualified but at least they were still alive. The Slurchan and Rasilian had made it across the canyon, but they suffered severe injuries.
Blaine was acting like he hadn’t tried to kill her so that he could get across the canyon—used her like he tried to claim Vaelor was doing. She was so filled with hurt and anger, she didn’t know what to do or say.
“Are you hungry?” Vaelor asked with concern.
“I don’t think I can eat right now.”
“Do you want to sit by the fire and get warm?”
“No. I want to go to bed.”
“Then I’ll get the tent set up for us.”
The fire snapped sharply.
Then it flared upward in a sudden burst of blue light.
Mara jerked back as a hologram spiraled out of the flames, expanding into a massive screen suspended above the firepit.
The GSG emblem spun dramatically, accompanied by the roar of a holographic audience that materialized behind it—cheering, waving glowing banners, and acting like they were watching a championship game instead of a survival contest.
Mara muttered under her breath, “They really love their theatrics.”
Vaelor’s lips twitched. “It is their way.”
A booming announcer voice filled the canyon.
“Welcome to the mid-games recap! Let’s take a look at our surviving competitors—and those who have fallen!”
Mara’s stomach tightened.
The word The Fallen sparked over the fire.
Two names flashed across the hologram in icy blue letters:
Beast and Quadro - Departed
The hologram audience clapped in reverence. Mara’s chest tightened. She hated how casually the GSG treated death.
Next came the Eliminated:
Gora & Felon – Disqualified
Esto and Vor – Disqualified
Famia and Arisa – Eliminated
Footage showed Felon arriving alone, then Gora limping with Mara and Vaelor supporting her. The audience booed Raton loudly. One hologram held up a sign reading COWARD OF THE SEASON.
Mara shook her head. “At least they got that part right.”
The recap shifted to the remaining pairs and their current rankings:
Blaine and Dugan – First Place
Mara and Vaelor – Second Place
Klosh and Rattan – Third Place
The announcer’s voice grew excited.
“And now—our Showmance of the season!”
Mara’s heart dropped. “Oh no. No, no, no—”
The hologram zoomed in on her and Vaelor—moving through the Veil, Vaelor catching her when she slipped—And then the kiss.
Projected twenty feet tall over the fire for all to see.
The hologram audience exploded with excitement.
Someone waved a glowing heart with VAELOR + MARA = VARA pulsing across it.
Mara covered her face with both hands. “I’m going to crawl into the snow and never come out.”
Vaelor looked entirely too calm for someone whose private moment had just been broadcast to half the galaxy. “They seem… enthusiastic.”
“Vaelor, they made a promo out of us!”
“It was accurate,” he said simply.
She elbowed him, cheeks burning.
The hologram shifted again. “But every romance needs a rival!”
Blaine appeared on screen, at the beginning of the games with his confidence, showcasing his muscles for the crowd, moments of him flirting with Mara—followed immediately by the clip of Vaelor punching him unconscious.
The hologram audience went wild.
“DOWN HE GOES!”
“BEST MOMENT OF THE SEASON!”
“REPLAY! REPLAY!”
And they replayed it.
Three times.
Blaine’s face turned redder with each loop. Dugan seemed intrigued and watched each replay.
Mara whispered, “You really hit him hard.”
Vaelor’s voice was low. “He endangered you.”
Her heart made a strange, warm flip.
The hologram shifted one last time.
A reporter stood in a familiar hospital hallway, holding a mic toward a man in a bed—Mara’s father.
Mara’s breath caught. “Daddy.”
He looked tired, pale, but determined. His eyes were bright with pride.
“Mr. Sinclair,” the reporter asked, “how do you feel about your daughter competing in the Galactic Survivor Games?”
Her father smiled—soft, fierce, unshakable.
“My daughter is stronger than anyone realizes. I’m proud of her. And she’s going to win.”
The report indulged him with a warm smile. “The whole galaxy is watching to see if she does.”
Mara’s throat tightened. She blinked hard, but the sting behind her eyes remained.
The hologram faded, the fire returning to its normal orange glow.
Silence settled over the camp.
Vaelor’s hand brushed hers—gentle, grounding.
“He believes in you,” he said quietly.
Mara swallowed. “Yeah. He always has.”
Vaelor held her gaze, steady and sure.
“As do I.”
Vaelor set up their tent as far from the others as possible. She had told him he could go out by the fire if he wanted. But he chose to stay in the tent with her. When he laid on the bedding and opened his arms, she went without hesitation.
“I hate that they talked to my dad. He looked really tired.”
“He’ll be better soon. Once you win, he’ll get the treatment he needs.”
“How hard will the last two challenges be?” she wondered out loud.
“Hard,” he said honestly. “But we can manage it, together.”
“I would like to introduce you to my dad when this is all over.”
“I look forward to that day,” he said.
He wrapped his arms around her, letting his heat warm her all over.
And for the first time since the Games began, Mara felt something stronger than fear.
Hope.