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  “I’m done,” he said. “I’ve had enough.”

  “Enough of what?” Juliette asked gently, her eyes flashing back and forth across Sam’s face with concern.

  “All of it,” Sam replied. “The death, the brutality, the falseness of it all. We just watched two kids—because that’s what they are. Just children fighting to the death. And for what? An archaic competition that no longer has any meaning. I won’t have my daughter growing up in this world. I want her to be happy and safe, and most of all, I want her never to have to fight for her life.”

  “What are you saying?” Juliette asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

  “I made a deal with the High Master,” Sam said.

  “You can’t trust him,” Juliette interjected.

  Sam looked resigned. “I know. But I think in this I can.”

  “What did you do? What did you give up?”

  Sam sighed and dropped his eyes to the ground. “You’re my best friend. My oldest friend. But I think it would be safer if you don’t know.”

  Juliette tightened her jaw and took a step closer to Sam. “Safer for who?” she asked steadily.

  “For you, for Werner, for Rob and the twins. And yes, for me and Allyra too.”

  For a second, it looked like Juliette might argue her point, but her expression softened, and she sighed, leaning against the wall.

  “Okay,” she said. “So, you made a deal—what did you get out of it?”

  “I get to leave. With Allyra. And I want you and your family to come with me. We can escape. Find somewhere far away from all this.”

  “You know we can never truly escape the Council—they have eyes everywhere.”

  “I know,” Sam said quietly, brushing his hand through his short, dark hair. “We might never escape, but it might be enough for our children. Enough for them to have a normal childhood and a normal life.”

  Juliette was quiet for a long time, and Sam watched her anxiously, sorrow darkening his eyes like a shroud.

  “Okay,” Juliette said eventually.

  A smile spread over Sam’s face like dawn breaking after a long, dark night. “Really?” he asked.

  “Really,” Juliette replied. “When do we go?”

  “As soon as possible,” Sam said firmly.

  The sound of approaching footsteps and voices jolted Allyra from the memory. She allowed the threads of it to run through her fingers and slammed her body to the wall. She recognized one of the voices—Marcus.

  A brief flash of fear warred with curiosity. As always, curiosity won. With her back still pressed to the wall, she slid silently along it and peered around the corner.

  Marcus had his back to her, his voice just a slight murmur. One word indistinguishable from the next. His tall frame obscured the other person though it was clear from their close stance that they were on friendly terms. She caught a flash of blond hair that seemed all too familiar, and her stomach somersaulted.

  Jason?

  Breathing hard, she snatched her head back around the corner. They were just starting to trust each other. Just starting to build a partnership. But this was a harsh reminder that Jason was first and foremost Marcus’s protégé. His loyalty might always lie elsewhere. She had her own secrets, and it would be shortsighted or stupid to think that Jason didn’t have some of his own.

  Glancing back around the corner, Allyra saw that the conversation was wrapping up, and Marcus turned in her direction. Barely managing to whip her head back around the corner in time, Allyra started to run quickly and quietly toward her room. The last thing she needed was a late-night run-in with Marcus.

  She was a ghost. Footsteps falling to the ground silently. More wind and air than flesh and bone. As quick as she was, the sound of Marcus’s footsteps drew ever closer. Her heart hammered desperately in her chest, and she slipped into the common room and closed the door behind her. Allyra pressed her forehead against the cool stone wall. Her heart seemed to tumble over itself endlessly, and her breaths tore harshly from her throat. Fear and adrenaline ran thicker than blood through her veins. It was an irrational response—she had no proof, nothing but a feeling. Yet, all she saw now were the red eyes of the Ancient glowing through Marcus’s face. She clasped a hand to her ribs as her old scar throbbed.

  Eventually, she brought her thoughts and breathing back under control. With a quick glance up and down the corridor to ensure it was empty, Allyra made her way back to her room.

  The room was dark, but as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she saw Jason tucked in bed, his breathing steady and even. No sign that he’d been engaged in a late-night meeting.

  No sign that he was anything but loyal to her.

  Chapter 23 – Allyra

  Allyra coiled a length of rope, hung it off her belt, and then slipped her usual twin swords into the leather baldric strapped across her back. As had become his habit, Jason checked the tightness of the leather fastenings. His dark indigo eyes flicked to the length of rope before meeting hers in a questioning glance. She shrugged and slipped some throwing knives into holders strapped across her ankle and left arm. As always, when entering the Tunnels for a challenge, they were both armed to the teeth, but Jason’s confusion was warranted; the rope was not part of her normal arsenal.

  There were two things different about this challenge. One, it was the first time they had issued the challenge rather than be on the receiving end of it. And two, Allyra had a plan.

  They stepped through the root doorway into the darkness of the Tunnels, and Allyra immediately broke into a run. There was no time to lose. Her plan was dependent on speed.

  “So, you want to tell me what’s going on?” Jason asked from beside her, his long strides keeping up with her effortlessly.

  Allyra explained as she ran, telling Jason everything. Again.

  “Have you told me this before?” Jason asked, once she’d finished.

  She nodded.

  “But you haven’t told me any of this outside of these Tunnels, outside of this magic which makes everyone but you forget,” Jason said softly. “That tells me one thing—you still don’t trust me.”

  Allyra stopped abruptly and pulled Jason round to face her. She could barely see his face through the inky darkness, but as always, he came alive in the shadows, and his eyes met hers steadily without a trace of hurt.

  “I do trust you,” Allyra said fiercely. “But some secrets are not mine to tell. I made promises to others. But I will make one to you now. I will never lie to you though I cannot promise to give up all my secrets.”

  Jason was silent for a long time, but eventually, he nodded. “Fair enough.”

  They continued their run through the Tunnels, their furious pace leaving little time or breath for conversation.

  “I take it you have a plan,” Jason said, after they’d fought past yet another Sentinel, his breaths coming out fast and harsh.

  Without breaking her stride, Allyra nodded. “Of course, we’re going to head to the exit, lie in wait for Roan and Luella. Ambush them, tie them up,” she replied, pointing at the length of rope hanging from her belt. “Then, I’m going to open the door.”

  Roan and Luella were the Thirds from the Inferno College. After a lengthy discussion, they were the pair that Jason and Allyra had determined to be the weakest of the eight remaining pairs in The Five Finals. Weak was a relative term—no pair who had survived the first two Finals could be truly considered weak. Challenging them was a calculated risk, but any advantage this late into The Five Finals was worth another trip into the Tunnels.

  “And if they don’t get to the exit quickly? We could run out of time?”

  “If it comes down to it, we’ll just have to split up.”

  “You don’t know what’s behind that door—it could be dangerous. If you’re going to open it, I should be by your side.”

  “The last time we were in here, you told me that you thought the door and its message was for me. I think you were right. I need to know what’s
behind that door. It’s pressing on me, weighing on my mind.”

  “Allyra—”

  “Please, I need you to trust me in this, as I trust you. I know you can handle Roan and Luella—please trust that I can handle whatever is behind that door.”

  He considered her words, watching her carefully. Quite a feat given that they were racing through the dark Tunnels. “Fine,” he said eventually. “Though, I want to state for the record that I really don’t like this.”

  She flashed him a quick grin. “Don’t worry,” she said lightly. “Everything will be fine.”

  “Famous last words,” he muttered darkly.

  They reached the exit easily; after all, she was an old hand at this Tunnel business by now. Through the light streaming in from the exit, they could see the Council waiting for them. Jason looked at it longingly. “Are you sure about this?” he asked. “We could go through now—win this challenge and guarantee ourselves an advantage going into the Third Final.”

  But Allyra couldn’t be swayed. She shook her head emphatically. She had to make her way past the mysterious door. She couldn’t explain why, but she couldn’t help feeling the time for it was slipping by, like grains of sand through her fingers. No, it had to be now.

  But before she could launch yet another compelling argument, Jason grabbed her arm, a finger held to his lips. She stilled and listened carefully. Yes, there it was—careful footsteps making their way closer. Roan and Luella, their progress slow and hesitant, still hidden within the impenetrable darkness of the Tunnels.

  Keeping his gaze fixed down the Tunnel, Jason grabbed her hand and slowly ran three fingers along the back of it. The points of his fingers were spread out where they first touched her hand, near her knuckles. But as he moved, he drew his three fingers together, to a single point, almost as if he were tracing out a three-pointed V.

  The only problem was—Allyra had no idea what it was supposed to mean.

  She stabbed her finger into his ribs, forcing him to look at her and then gave a small lift of her shoulders, accompanied by a wide-eyed glare.

  He shook his head slowly and pointed a finger at her. “Uneducated,” he mouthed silently.

  She continued to glare at him. He picked up her hand once more and traced the same sign onto it. “Wait,” he said softly.

  A small part of her wanted to tell him off, to tell him that it would’ve been easier just to say it, rather than trace cryptic symbols onto the back of her hand. But now wasn’t the time for it, so she simply nodded her understanding. Together, they waited quietly for Roan and Luella to draw close enough to spring their trap. But the Thirds from the Inferno College were proving their experience by moving carefully and deliberately, not hurrying even when they saw the light of the exit. But no amount of care could save them from an ambush, and when it happened, it was over almost before it had started. Before they even had time to scream, Roan and Luella found themselves subdued and bound tightly to each other. Once they realized who their captors were, Roan and Luella both started to struggle fruitlessly against the restraints.

  Jason watched them with one eyebrow lifted dramatically. “Struggling really isn’t going to do you any good. Just accept that you’ve lost the challenge, wait quietly like the good little Finals Competitors that you are, and soon enough, all this will be over.”

  “Why are you doing this?” Luella spat at Jason. “You won’t get away with this—we will get you back.”

  Jason gave her his signature smirk. “No, I don’t think you will. After all, you’re not going to remember any of this.”

  Luella’s struggling became even more frenzied, a spark of madness rising from the depths of her dark eyes. She was so angry she was almost spitting like an angry cat with its claws out. Jason’s smile only grew wider.

  Allyra placed her hand on Jason’s arm. “Enough. Stop upsetting the prisoners. We need to go.”

  Jason looked at Roan and Luella doubtfully. “I’m not sure we should leave them here alone. They might break the restraints.”

  “Fine. Stay with them, while I go to the door.”

  “No,” he replied stubbornly. “You don’t know what’s behind that door. I’m coming with you.”

  “You don’t want to leave them, but you want to come with me. You can’t have it both ways—so what exactly is your suggestion?”

  Jason grinned slowly and then drew a sword from his baldric, the sword coming free with a sharp, metallic clink that seemed to echo in the darkness. Roan’s and Luella’s struggles against their restraints became even more frantic.

  Allyra stepped deliberately between Jason and the Inferno College Thirds. “I don’t think killing them is the correct approach,” she said sarcastically.

  “Who said anything about killing?” Jason asked, pushing her aside. He twisted the sword around, and with the handle, he delivered two quick blows to the heads of both Roan and Luella, instantly knocking them out.

  Allyra gaped at him, words temporarily escaping her.

  “What?” he asked with a quick shrug of his shoulders. “Now I don’t have to worry about them getting loose, and I can come with you. Win-win.”

  “That was completely unnecessary.”

  “How are you still so naïve? The Final Finals is violent, it is brutal. The sooner you accept that, the better it’s going to be.”

  She shook her head. “The Five Finals is about survival. Violence is secondary,” she replied, walking away, back up the Tunnel toward the wooden door.

  Jason grabbed her arm and spun her around. His eyes searched her face urgently for something elusive. She looked back calmly, meeting his eyes frankly. He seemed to reach some kind of realization and he dropped her arm. “You think you will leave this life behind soon,” he said softly.

  “Yes,” she replied simply, thinking of what her father had said in the last memory she’d seen. He’d wished for her to live a life free of violence, and he had given up so much to give that to her. She would do what she could to live the life he had hoped she would. “I lived a life without violence, and one day, when all this is done, I’ll return to that life.”

  “When will you realize that you’re not that person anymore?”

  “Maybe not,” she acknowledged. “But I’m also not the person who believes violence to be the answer to everything. There’s a middle ground, and I’m confident I’ll find it.”

  Jason nodded with a wistful smile pulling at the corners of his lips. “I hope you will. It’s too late for most of us, but maybe not for you.”

  “It’s never too late. You might not remember, but I told you once that we always have a choice—I still believe it.”

  “I remember,” he said quietly. “I’m not sure it’s true, not for me at least.”

  There was something unbelievably sad in his tone, and she looked up sharply at him, but he turned away, and with a quick flourish of his arm, he said, “your door awaits.”

  Their conversation had brought them to the wooden door.

  Allyra ran her fingers across the iron bar that ran across the wooden door. The metal was cool beneath her fingers, and she found the ringed shapes indented into the iron—five pairs of intertwined animals. Tigers. Dragons. Phoenixes. Wolves. Scorpions. Animals representing each of the Living Weapons as once carried by the Five themselves.

  Her hand stopped over the tigers and traced their circular shape. Head to tail, round and round until it was impossible to discern where one started and the other ended. She didn’t need to look at her own wrist to know that the exact shape was tattooed into her flesh.

  The Living Weapons were powerful, able to take the form of any weapon she needed. Allyra could only hope that she could force them to take on the form of the shape engraved into the iron. She closed her eyes, focusing her mind and called on the Tigers.

  Though she had expected it, the wave of weakness that swept through her body nearly brought her to her knees. With trembling fingers, she grabbed at the door to steady herself, refusing to all
ow her focus to fracture, bending her will to forcing the tigers from her wrist into her hand.

  Slowly and painfully, inch by torturous inch, the tigers came to life on her wrist, gradually appearing as a bright, sliver ring in her hand. Allyra’s hands shook uncontrollably as she held it, as if a shroud of ice had descended over her. The silver ring was the perfect inverse of the shape sunk into the iron bar before her. There was no question that it would be a perfect fit, but she hesitated nonetheless. Her mind drifted to Jason’s warning. There was no knowing what was behind the door. No knowing what it might be holding back or what she might be releasing if she opened it.

  The logical thing would be to turn away and never look back. But something deeper and more profound told her that this door was meant for her.

  She inserted the ring.

  It clicked into place, and the entire iron bar shifted from a horizontal position to a vertical one. The door opened silently and without apparent effort. It opened into a bright, well-lit corridor.

  “You’re wearing a Living Weapon,” Jason said in disbelief.

  Allyra started. In the effort it took to open the door, she’d almost forgotten he was there.

  “How?” he demanded.

  “In the Between,” she said reluctantly.

  “That doesn’t answer my question,” he shot back sharply.

  She shook her head, not knowing how to answer.

  “Another one of your secrets?” Jason said sarcastically, hurt now evident in his voice. “Very well, keep them, so we can get this over and done with.” He stepped deliberately into the corridor.

  The walls were a silvery white, coming together in an elegant arch overhead. Allyra stepped into the light and immediately felt her Gift surge within, filling her with an overwhelming sense of power and confidence. There was more clarity, everything falling into sharper focus.

  “Do you feel it?” she whispered.

  “What?” Jason asked. “Wait, where are we?”

  Allyra turned to Jason, tense at the sudden confusion in his voice. He was standing still, looking around him with bafflement. And then she realized the truth—why it felt different in this room.