Magnus’s face dropped. “I think you have no choice.”
* * *
Three days. That’s all the time Ambrose had left.
Three days to learn how to stay alive in the Grand Arena that thousands had died in already. Fallen warriors lay buried outside the Grand Arena, as promised by the empire; their names written on the wall, forever stamped in honor of their sacrifice. Every Trial Champion who ever entered the Champion’s Tournament thought they were going to be the first one whose name wouldn’t go up on the Wall of the Fallen.
Every single one of them had been wrong.
She’d be facing unknown monsters and men, mages with skills that far surpassed hers. There was no way of knowing what would be waiting for her on the other side when it all started, the gods preferred to keep it different each time so no one ever knew what to expect.
She’d been replaying her conversation with Magnus over in her mind ever since their conversation the night before. With no idea how to survive the tournament, she’d have to spend the next three days training every second she could.
Every moment was precious and could be one of her last.
Akadian followed her much more closely since the morning they returned, never being more than an arm’s reach from her. His expression carried the worry of his thoughts each day the tournament grew closer. The two of them wandered silently down the hall, their footsteps echoing against the cavernous corridor walls. It was hard to admire the beauty of the palace when death loomed so closely. Even their conversations had become less frequent as each of them considered what could be waitingfor her in just a few days. The paintings on the wall appeared taunting as the frozen faces watched them pass. Neither one of them wanted to speak out of fear that it would all become too real.
“Ambrose!” A familiar voice carried down the hall. A voice that made her heart squeeze with longing.
Ernaline ran down the corridor, her usual bun pinned on top of her head, servants’ gown flowing behind her, eyes shining with tears as she rushed towards them.
“Ernaline?” Ambrose couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “What are you doing?”
“I finally found you!” she gasped out as she reached them and threw her arms around Ambrose in a crushing hug.
Ambrose squeezed her friend tightly, terrified she was dreaming and she’d be ripped from her arms. “You can’t be seen speaking to me. Casimir will know, you have to go.” But she wanted to keep Ernaline there forever. She had so much she wanted to tell her.
Ernaline pulled back and shook her head. “Casimir lifted the ban.”
She held a small pile of clothes in her hand that were clutched against her body. Ambrose’s breath caught in her chest as she leaned in close and whispered, “Are those my leathers?”
The onesAdymhad given her. The ones she’d been forced to leave behind.
Ernaline shoved them into her hands and pulled her shaking ones back as she pulled Ambrose into another hug. She smelled of food from the kitchens and lilacs. She didn’t know how much she’d missed that smell. Now that she was here in her arms she’d never let her go.
“Yes, I grabbed them as soon as I heard word the ban was lifted and came to find you immediately.”
“What do you mean he lifted the ban?” she asked into Ernaline’s shoulder.
“I don’t know. He lifted it this morning saying it didn’t matter much with the tournament so close and to say our final goodbyes if we had them.” Ernaline bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. “You’re not really going to compete are you?”
Ambrose looked at her oldest friend and the worry lines etched into herforehead that hadn’t been there before. Even with the faint lines forming, she was as beautiful as she ever was, her deep bronze skin glistening with sweat, likely from running all the way from the servants’ dorms. Her bun housed daisies that grew in one of the courtyards as her golden-brown eyes bore into Ambrose with fear she’d probably been wearing for months.
“Yeah.” Ambrose nodded somberly as fear gripped her throat. “I think—I think I am.”
Ernaline clutched her chest as though she were in pain. “Then you’re going to need those.” She nodded at the leathers in Ambrose’s hand. “I hid them for you. I’ve been keeping them safe ever since you left.”
Ambrose eyed the leathers as she turned them over in her hand, the material worn from use and molded perfectly to her frame. “How did you even know…?”
Ernaline snorted. “Come on, you’re my best friend. Did you really think I didn’t know you were sneaking out every night?”
Guilt tore at Ambrose. Of course she knew. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
Ernaline waved her words away. “I know you had your reasons for not telling me. You would’ve told me if I needed to know. Why do you think I covered for you every morning and came to get you so you’d always know to be back before I arrived?”
Ambrose’s mouth fell open as she took in her best friend. She knew Ernaline was brilliant, that was no secret. But she truly wasbrilliant.
“You’re incredible, you know that?” Ambrose didn’t stop the grin that spread across her face.
