7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Eli
Eli’s heart hammered. It felt as if waves were crashing against the walls of his organs, and they may collapse at any moment.
He stumbled a few steps to the right and grabbed a tree to prop himself up. Bending in half, he coughed and prayed he wouldn’t lose his breakfast.
It was his last day to train before the first round was held tomorrow morning, and he wanted to make the most of it. In order to do that, he needed to keep his only meal down and maintain his energy.
Breathing in through his nose and slowly out through his mouth, he managed to calm his stomach enough to stand straight again.
Footsteps sounded, and Nik appeared at his shoulder. “You all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Eli shook out his arms and cracked his neck, determined to finish his run.
“You look a little pale.”
“It’s very sweet of you to be concerned about me, but I’m okay.”
Nik rolled his eyes before stepping back on the trail. He started off at a jog and called back to Eli, “If you’re feeling okay, better get your ass back in gear. Don’t want another man to steal your victory, do you?”
Eli groaned. Why had he ever agreed to let Nik train with him? He watched as Nik’s figure shrank in the distance and then disappeared completely behind a hill. If he didn’t get moving, Nik would beat him back to the pit and then he’d have to listen to his boasting for the rest of the day.
Absolutely not.
Eli forced his heavy feet to move forward and, after a few clumsy steps, picked up his pace to catch up with Nik.
By the time they reached the pit, several other suitors had gathered.
In the past week, more and more had joined to practice before the first round, which was both helpful and a nuisance.
It made it more difficult for Eli to get his practice in, but on the other hand, he could see what he was up against.
Only a few men stuck out to him as decent competition—Trevor and two others who had athletic builds.
One sported shaggy blond hair and another had a buzz cut and even more tattoos than Eli.
He wondered where the man had gotten them and if he could have the ones on his back retouched to hide the scars.
A few other men seemed average, not in excellent shape but could probably hold their own. They shouldn’t be too difficult to take down if Eli found himself in a one-on-one fight for a medallion with any of them.
The other four contenders probably wouldn’t make it past the first round. They should’ve been practicing for the past few weeks beside Eli, but thankfully they hadn’t. It would improve Eli’s odds.
“I think you’re ready,” Nik said, interrupting his thoughts. “You should take today to rest. Last thing you want is to be too tired or sore to give it your all tomorrow.”
Eli nodded. He had a few things to take care of with Luka back in the lab anyway. He had been understanding of all the time Eli needed to prepare for the Rite, but Eli still felt guilty for missing so much work.
They gathered their things and headed for the trail that led through town and back to the mountain. Passing the shop that sold Eli’s favorite afternoon beverage and the tailor where he’d replaced his wardrobe, a sense of peace washed over him.
The main street was alive and bustling with residents weaving in and out of the small buildings with baskets in their hands. Some of the shops had hung colorful banners at the start of the summer and they waved in the gentle breeze.
The town center didn’t look nearly as intimidating as it had the first day he’d walked this dirt path. He didn’t feel the same sense of dread and apprehension that he had that day as he waited to wake up and find it was only a dream.
Berland wasn’t perfect, but it was his. In a world that had been torn apart and left him for dead, he’d managed to find his place. And in a few months, Grace would be his too.
He just had to make it through the Rite first.
A petite blonde woman caught his eye, and he watched Ali weave through the crowded main street. Her lips widened into a smile when she spotted them.
Nik greeted her with a quick kiss and a tight squeeze around the shoulders. Eli waited his turn before giving her a friendly hug.
“I was just coming to find you,” she said excitedly, beaming at Nik—a look that would’ve killed Eli just a few months ago, but now he could stand to be in the shadow of their affection without feeling the darkness of abandonment.
“What’s up?” Nik asked, wrapping a loving arm around her waist.
Ali quickly glanced at Eli before returning her attention to Nik. She clearly didn’t want to say with him present.
He could take a hint. Although he was curious what Ali could possibly have to say that he couldn’t hear, he didn’t want to impose.
“Good to see you, Ali. I’ll leave you two to it.”
As he walked away, he looked over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of Ali’s ecstatic smile—one he hadn’t seen in so long. He’d forgotten it could be so enchanting. She said a few words to Nik and then he too broke out in a beaming grin, picking her up and holding her tight.
Eli turned and looked forward again, watching his step as he made his way through the busy crowd. Bright and cheery faces greeted him as if he were an old friend, wishing him luck for tomorrow’s event. This was something he could get used to.
Belonging.
Eli’s time in the lab was cut short when Luka came back from his lunch break and demanded that Eli take the rest of the day off.
“You need to rest and get your mind right,” he said, hand on Eli’s back as he shoved him out the door.
Eli didn’t even have a chance to tell him he needed to pick up his notes for a project that was due in a week. Luka didn’t let him get a single word in before he found himself in a dimly lit hallway leading back to the mountain’s entry chamber.
There were still many hours left in the day, and he had no idea how he should fill them. The longer he walked, the more doubt crept into his mind.
What if he didn’t get one of the coveted medallions?
What if his fight for Grace ended tomorrow?
What if he had to watch her marry someone else?
An image slipped into his mind of his hands wrapped around Trevor’s neck before shoving him off a rocky cliff. He’d be exiled from Berland, maybe even sentenced to death himself, but it might be worth it.
Losing was not an option.
Eli made a left turn, and movement at the end of the hall drew his attention. A familiar face that he hadn’t seen in over a month—hadn’t heard his voice since he’d been trapped in a closet with Grace—looked up at him and almost turned around on the spot.
Eli called to him, “Noah!”
Noah forced a grin before waving to Eli. “Hello, Eli. How have you been?”
Eli jogged toward him. “I’ve been doing great. Can’t say the same for you, though.”
Noah tilted his head to the side, then glanced around, looking for potential eavesdroppers. “Not sure what you mean by that.”
“I’m sure you’ve heard about Gabriel. He’s been accused of treason for the fire that almost killed Ellen.”
“Right.” Noah shook his head. “Can’t believe he’d do such a thing.”
“I know what you mean. In fact, I don’t believe he did such a thing.”
Noah’s eyes narrowed to slits. “What are you getting at?”
Eli took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure how much he wanted to divulge. He certainly wouldn’t admit that he’d been in Noah’s office snooping around when he’d overheard Trevor threatening Noah. He needed to proceed carefully.
“If someone knew certain details…something that could clear Gabriel’s name of this crime…the right thing to do would be to come forward and confess.”
He studied Noah’s eyes, hoping to see softening in them. A sign that Noah might be open to telling Ellen the truth and laying the blame where it truly belonged—with Trevor and the other rebels. But Noah’s eyes turned black as night, and he looked Eli over like a predator about to attack its prey.
“Yes, if one did have any information, they should let it be known. If only someone had evidence to the contrary, Gabriel could be redeemed. Such a shame.”
Eli’s shoulders sagged. “A shame indeed.”