Chapter 19 #3
“Did you have enough seaweed for your wounds?” He doesn’t look at me.
“I did.” I watch the line of his jaw instead of the flames.
“Good. And yes, I think I might. The fire is nice.”
“Is the plan for only me to make it to the end, then?”
“You’re the thief.” He says it with a half-smile.
“Smuggler.” I lean closer. “So then what is your plan?”
His hands flex in his lap. “I’m not sure, Axira. I’m hoping to find a way out of here, I guess. I’m hoping my father changes his mind.”
“That’s a terrible plan.”
“Yeah. It is.” He rises and leaves me there. And I’m not much more hopeful than him.
Dorian passes by, and I wave him over. Mae is lying on a blanket, staring up at the stars alone. “Go talk to Mae,” I say.
“Mae?” Dorian asks.
“Yes. She’s a good choice.”
He bristles. “I’ll make my own choice.”
“Dorian, don’t be dense. You’re a romantic—”
“I’m not a—”
“Shut up. And so is Mae. I bet you’d make the perfect match.”
His eyes narrow. “Why are you helping me?”
I don’t know, maybe I need to feel like I’m good at something today. After almost drowning and then failing at the one connection I tried to make. But I keep all my doom and gloom to myself, and say, “Who says I’m helping you? Maybe I’m helping her.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets in thought before he walks over to Mae.
She pats the spot beside her, and he lies down with her, keeping a bit of space between them, watching the stars.
I envy how simple it seems for them. They fit.
They just do. It’s clear. And even if I’m only pretending with someone, I’m realizing there needs to be something there for that to even work.
This is hard. Why is this so hard?
The fire has almost burned out when people begin to slink off to bed.
Caelus has come by twice to encourage me to get as much sleep as I can.
But I can’t. I’m too disturbed by the day and what could be coming next.
If that was the first trial, I can’t imagine how horrible the others will be, and if Rhythe is right, what advantage will I have in Grainfolk?
I should talk to Mae, but now she’s enraptured in conversation with Dorian.
Caelus has long gone to bed when Rhythe locks eyes with me across the pit glowing with embers.
Ivy is still beside him, and it occurs to me that she is comfortable next to him, like they know each other.
Or like she wants to know him. He stands, and Ivy tucks her knees tighter to her chin, watching him walk around the pit to me.
“Strategy meeting in that tent.” He points. “Ten minutes.” He turns to go.
He acts more Skyborn than the prince. But I know very little about the Grainfolk district. His help might be my only advantage in the next trial. After debating whether getting more entrenched with someone I can’t get a good read on is wise, I finally get up to find his tent.
When I arrive, Lira is there with a couple of other Saltbloods I don’t know and Talia, a Stonebound. Shouldn’t Dorian be here? And Ivy?
“I thought it was only Saltblood,” I say.
Talia sneers.
“Talia is fine,” Lira says. “I trust her more than you.”
“What is this?” I say. “Because it isn’t what Rhythe made it sound like.” I look at him, waiting for a response.
“Not all of them are convinced they need us yet,” he says. “Sit.”
I stay standing. The others do as he asked.
“I told you including her was a mistake,” Lira says.
“You don’t even know me,” I snap.
“Everyone in Saltblood knows of you,” she says.
“You don’t know me, like I said.”
“Enough,” Rhythe says. “Axira is more Saltblood than your entire family, Lira.”
She scowls.
“Axira stays,” he goes on, and I wonder why he is so pressed to have me in his alliance. “First trial is done. It was the easiest. Next will be in Grainfolk. Been digging for information about the district. Do you have anything?”
I blink, realizing he’s talking to me. “No.” I haven’t exploited my friend’s trust to help people who I don’t even know.
“Do it soon. Who has made a match?”
“I like Jace,” Talia says. “I think I’m going to try him out.”
Rhythe nods. “It’s smart to try a few people to see who you have the best connection with. Leave him out to dry tomorrow, see how bad he wants you. Make him desperate.”
Talia agrees.
“And you?” he asks Lira.
“I’m hoping I can pry Finn out of his rut,” she says. “He wants to win, badly. It would be smart to partner with him. I can ditch him at the last minute.”
“What are we doing here?” I ask, not understanding. I assumed we’d be planning to have each other’s backs until we can’t anymore, but it’s obvious there is something deeper going on here.
“We’re making it to the Ascension Ceremony,” Rhythe says. “Whatever it takes.”
“And then what?”
“Then we rob the Benevolent blind.”
He wants me for my smuggling skills…that’s why he’s after me. My hands ball into fists as I slowly release a breath, keeping my mask in place.
“That Dorian guy is a threat,” Rhythe continues. “He’s already made a strong match, I suspect. He is best positioned to win this tournament so far. During the second trial, we are going to get rid of him.”