6. Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Eli
The sun hadn’t yet risen when Eli left the mountain with a lantern in one hand and his tattered backpack thrown over his shoulder.
He packed food, water, and a handful of coins from the lab that Luka said he could have.
They were an old form of currency that held no value in Berland, but they made an excellent replica of the medallions that would be used during the first round of the Rite.
Better to practice with the old coins than the stones Nik kept finding on the side of the mud pit.
He also packed an extra set of clothes. After the first day of training in the mud, he’d learned to bring along something to change into afterward.
Nothing was more miserable than walking through town, covered in filth, and then washing the slimy mud from his body in the lake while crowds of children and their parents watched.
One time rising from the water in his underwear and walking back to the mountain while avoiding the gazes of everyone he passed had been enough.
Something shifted in the woods beside him, hiding from either the sound of his footsteps or the light of his lamp. The nocturnal creatures were still awake, but they were nothing to be afraid of. If he could put up with Trevor, or Nik for that matter, he could fight off a raccoon.
The trail opened up to a clear night sky.
The moonlight was just bright enough to make out the silhouette of the barn where the horses were kept, along with the fence that lined the expansive field.
He spotted a few stallions—the ones that didn’t get locked away by their owners before nightfall and were free to roam—but most were still tucked away in their stalls.
Eli had no doubt he was the first to visit this morning. He wanted to let Obsidian out before he had to meet Nik for training, which meant waking up before the rest of the mountain.
The wooden latch creaked open and Eli stepped inside the dark barn.
He was greeted by silence only broken by the occasional sound of shifting hay and heavy breaths.
As he made his way to Obsidian’s stall, other horses began to turn in his direction, hoping they might be the lucky recipient of one of the apples he’d brought along.
“Sorry, buddy. Not today,” he said quietly to the brown and white spotted horse who nudged the gate with its nose.
When he finally made it to the next-to-last stall, Obsidian was waiting patiently for him. He shook his head and prodded the ground with one hoof while Eli unlocked his gate.
Eli chuckled when Obsidian greeted him with a wet nuzzle. It was something he’d gotten used to over time, though the first time he’d pulled back in disgust.
The horse continued to shake his mane with delight while Eli filled his trough with water and food and tossed the snacks he’d brought with him into an empty basin.
“Don’t eat them all at once,” he said, taking a moment to brush through Obsidian’s mane. “Sorry I can’t stop by later. Work and training for this Rite has kept me pretty busy. Trust me, I’d love to spend all day with you, but right now I have other obligations.”
Obsidian huffed his displeasure. Though he couldn’t understand Eli’s words, he felt that maybe the stallion could understand his body language. Like an extra sense that connected them on an intrinsic level.
After a few minutes, Eli led Obsidian out to the open field. The sun was beginning to rise, casting shades of pink, orange, and yellow over the pillowy clouds.
Obsidian pranced excitedly, waiting for Eli to set him free. As soon as he unclasped the lead, Obsidian bolted into the grassy meadow, running a perfect circle around Eli before slowing to a casual jog. His silky mane reflected the glow of the morning sun, and Eli watched in awe.
Such a beautiful creature.
He wished he could stay longer, but it wouldn’t be long before the air turned humid and hot. The last thing he wanted to do was run in the sweltering heat.
Running solo was far more pleasant than running with Nik.
For one, it was much quieter and Eli had time to clear his head and mentally prepare for the upcoming round.
Grace had told him that mental preparation was just as important as physical and he had every intention of being in the best shape possible in both regards.
Second, he could run at his own pace. As much as Nik liked to torment Eli for his lack of muscular build, Eli was much faster than Nik, and running with him only slowed Eli down.
After their first week of training together, Eli made a point to get to their meeting spot early so he wouldn’t have to run with Nik anymore. If Nik minded, he didn’t say anything.
Eli was done with his run before the morning fog had fully lifted. Nik was waiting when he made it back to the mud pit, stretching his legs as if he might actually do something.
Eli huffed a laugh. Nik never took part in the training. He only barked at Eli and criticized everything he did. Still, Nik pushed Eli, and that was what he needed.
But Nik wasn’t the only one waiting patiently. Sam sat on the ground beside him, using a band of fabric around his foot to pull and push against.
“Hey, Eli,” Sam said as Eli approached.
“Good morning.” He nodded his chin toward Sam’s contraption. “What have you got there?”
“Zoe gave it to me. Apparently, they use it to help rehabilitate animal injuries. She thought it might help me as well.”
“I thought your leg was all healed,” Eli said. Ali had mentioned Sam’s injury when she’d caught him up on their time apart, but he hadn’t noticed Sam limping or showing any signs that his leg still troubled him.
“It is, mostly. I can do everyday tasks fairly easy. But I used to be a guard too, if you remember.”
It was hard to forget. Although Sam had always been a more pleasant warden than Nik.
Sam flexed his foot and pressed against the band again. “I miss being able to train. I can’t recall the last time I ran or did any strenuous activity. The last time I tried, my leg was sore for days after.
“Anyway, I mentioned it to Zoe one day, and she pulled this thing out of what looked like a box of trash. She showed me a few moves, and I thought I’d give it a try.
Can’t hurt, can it?” He smiled as the tension in the band eased and he rolled his ankle in circles, loosening the tendons. “So, what’s on the agenda today?”
Eli gestured to the mud pit with a forced look of delight. “A swim in the clearest, most luxurious pool you could find, obviously.”
Sam chuckled.
Nik shot them both a look. “You’ve only got a week until the first round. So if you’re done chatting, we should get started.”
We. As if he were an active participant in the daily training Eli had been enduring.
Eli dug in his bag for the spare coins he’d brought, handing them to Nik before removing his shirt and stripping down to an old pair of shorts.
The first hour proceeded much like all the days before. Eli closed his eyes and Nik tossed the coin into the pit. Once the coin fell beneath the surface, Eli began his search.
By now, he was familiar with the layout of the pool—the shallow areas that would be easiest to search and the deep areas he’d prefer to avoid.
He even knew where a boulder three times the size of his head was located, after stubbing his toe on it in one unfortunate search.
Finding the hidden coins became quicker with every try.
And moving through the mud? He no longer gave it a second thought. After their relentless training, it felt as natural as walking on the ground. He hardly noticed the way his thighs strained to wade through the thick muck.
After finding the hidden coins a dozen times, Eli climbed out of the pit to grab a drink of water. Removing the lid, he drained half his canteen in a few large gulps. As he replaced it in his backpack, he couldn’t help but notice Sam staring at him out of the corner of his eye.
“What?”
Sam shrugged.
Eli sighed. Playing guessing games was the last thing he wanted to do. He placed one hand on his hip and waved the other, gesturing for Sam to hit him with the truth. “What is it? You’ve clearly got something to say.”
“Well, it’s just that…the pit isn’t going to be empty when you’re competing in the first round, correct?”
“Right…”
He squinted at the pit. “It’s going to be a lot harder.”
Nik inched closer to eavesdrop on their conversation. “Is your break almost over?”
Eli resisted the urge to shove him in the mud.
If Sam wasn’t going to share his thoughts, it was time to get back to work.
Eli took a moment to stretch out his arms and, just as he was ready to hop back in, Sam spoke up.
“Nik should get in, too.”
“What?” Eli and Nik said almost in unison.
Sam pointed at Eli. “He needs resistance. Someone to fight off. During the first round, he’ll have men coming at him from every direction, fighting to find those medallions. He should be practicing that, too.”
He did have a point.
“Why don’t you jump in, then?” Eli asked.
Sam wiggled his ankle. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Nik grumbled, and Eli ground his teeth. Neither of them was inclined to heed Sam’s suggestion. Perhaps there was someone else Eli could ask. Theo, maybe? Some of the other men trained later in the afternoon. Could he wait for them?
“Forget I said anything,” Sam conceded. “It was just a thought.”
Fuck.
“You’re right. I do need someone in there to challenge me.” Eli turned to Nik. “Your entire philosophy for training was centered on functionality. Well…this is the next step.”
Nik’s head fell back, clearly searching the sky for someone, anyone, to step in. An angel or some other figure to fall from heaven and save him the trouble of getting in the pit with Eli. No one did.
He sighed. “Fine. I’ll do it.”
With his signature disgruntled frown, Nik removed his clothes until he was left in nothing but navy briefs.
When Eli raised a brow, Nik shrugged. “What? No one told me I’d be jumping in a pile of filth today.”
Eli kept his mouth shut.