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The blood smog breaks as I get within a few feet of Finn, and the world seems to slow. Our eyes catch as he unleashes his phoenix, the beautiful creature encasing us in a whirlwind of fire that steals the air from my lungs in the blink of an eye.
Finn’s amber gaze softens on me and a weary smile grows across his lips. I reach my hands up to his shoulders and he catches me. Our noses press together and I take a deep breath as death parades around us.
“You’re attacking us,” I mutter because I’m not sure what else to say.
“I see that.” Finn chuckles softly. “I didn’t know it was you.”
His phoenix keeps us safe in its vortex. If I stare at him long enough, I’m certain I could stay trapped here in his embrace forever. Finn’s dark hair lashes with the wind but his sharp jaw remains steadfast, orange flickering flames illuminating every smooth and hollow part of his lovely face.
He fists the back of my cloak against my skin and pulls me in tightly as he murmurs, “I was so worried about you, Terra. There’s no world I can live in without you.” He pulls back and presses his forehead to mine, staring into my eyes as the flames dance around us. He leans in and kisses me, a short brush of our lips imbued with so much affection. “Let’s get Corvus and Kai and figure out what we’re going to do.”
I snap out of my momentary trance of Finn and his dancing fire.
“Yeah, where’s Raine? He’s in your group, isn’t he?”
Finn nods and as he does, his Shadow takes to the sky, leaving us behind. The cold air around us is unwelcome now. The fighting has slowed as so many of our comrades are dead—for literally nothing. Guilt throbs through me but I don’t have time to be sad.
Raine kicks a man on my team square in the chest, not even trying to follow through with a killing strike. He glances my way and his eyes light up. I run to him and he opens his arms wide to hug me. Finn follows slowly behind and frowns at our connection.
“We didn’t know it was your?—”
Finn cuts him off. “Yeah, we already established that. Let’s stop the fighting.”
Raine releases me and frowns, nodding toward Frederick, whose massive snake Shadow is flattening trees and people alike to create a wide-open space.
“Good luck stopping him. He wants Kai’s crown,” Raine says grudgingly. His jaw flexes and an irritated pinch pulls his brows.
Of course, Frederick is after Kai. Such a malevolent man pursuing frivolous greed.
“Finn!” Kai spots us through the clearing smog and runs to us with Corvus at his side. Their eyes are wide and alert, and I’m relieved only to see a few scuffs and cuts on them.
Raine looks at the four of us and his eyes darken. “Let’s just go before Frederick sees us. We can pass this stupid exam just by keeping our kings safe for twenty-four hours.”
That’s the method I prefer as well.
However, I wonder if this entire exam was based on that idea. Like an experiment. Dr. Cein looms in my mind, that faceless man. If each team refused to kill another crowned individual, there would be no death. There’s nothing in the rules about refraining completely, only keeping your own king or queen safe. All this bloodshed was spurred on by fear.
“I agree,” I say sternly. Finn looks at me as if considering his options, but nods.
“All right, let’s get the fuck out of here then,” Kai says easily and darts toward the cover of the forest. We follow in silence, only speaking freely once we’re out of earshot of Frederick.
The cries and sobs grow distant. We make a temporary campsite once the sun begins to set. My legs tremble—we opted for traveling by foot to keep our cover; Shadows aren’t exactly a quiet way to make it through the forest. Their sheer size doesn’t help either. Raine’s dragon is too noticeable, same with Finn’s phoenix.
Raine finds a hollowed-out tree base that forms a sort of cave. It’s the largest tree I’ve ever seen, the trunk at least eight full arm-lengths around. The red-hued wood has an earthy, ancient scent.
We sit comfortably inside. It’s an enormous space, uninhabited by animals, and we’re lucky for it. Corvus takes up watch at the mouth of the trunk while we circle up and try to figure out our next move.
“I think we should stay here until the clock runs out,” Kai mutters brazenly.
Finn’s lips flatten and he shakes his head. “We’d be sitting ducks. We have to wait until daylight to do anything because our crowns will light up the entire forest at night, but we honestly might not even make it that long.”
Corvus glances back at us and adds: “I know there are a few really good tracking Shadows in some of the other factions. They'll find us in hours if we’re anywhere near them.”
“I don’t want to kill anyone. They're just students like us,” I say hollowly, thinking of Elias’s murderous ways and how empty he is. I don’t want to become like him. But a worse thought crosses my mind as I remember what Kallos said last night.
This would be the perfect opportunity to pass on the blight. I squeeze my knees as I wrestle with my intrusive thoughts.
Finn leans closer to me and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me close until our heads are resting against one another. “I don’t either. We can get by with knocking people out if it comes down to it,” he says with less certainty than I needed to hear.
