That may bring information to the resistance, but that isn’t the only reason I wait here.Cesca and I might have spent our share of time as enemies in the arena, but that doesn’t mean I want to watch her die out there on the sands.
So I wait in careful silence while the healers work on Cesca.She comes out with her flesh pristine and pale once again, but I can see the haunted look in her eyes, the memory of pain from the storm leopard’s claws.I start to follow her through the preparation areas of the colosseum, looking for a quiet spot, without any guards.
Cesca turns sharply.“Who’s there?I knowsomeone’sfollowing me.Come to finish the job the storm leopard couldn’t do?”
I step out, tension building inside me.This is the moment where Cesca might call for the guards.If she does, I’ll have to fight my way out of the colosseum, hoping Alaric and the rest of the resistance will be able to find me a route to safety.
Cesca's eyes widen as she sees me, and for a moment, I think shemightcall out for help.I don’t dare close the distance and clamp a hand over her mouth, because that close she’ll be able to use her lightning to stun me.If she does that, she can drag me to the guards before I can recover.
“Lyra?”she says instead, with a frown.“What are you… wait, was it you who made the leopard pause?”
I nod.“I didn’t want you to die.I would have pulled it away from you, given another second.”
“You’re saying I didn’t need to kill it?”Cesca says.“I didn’t know what was happening.Is that what this is?You’re down here to upbraid me for killing the leopard?”
I shake my head.I can hear the fear in her voice, feel it running through her.I frighten Cesca.But I can also feel there’s more to this.
“You don’t need to be afraid of me,” I say.
“It’s notyouI’m afraid of,” Cesca says with a snort, but I can feel that’s at least partly bravado.Still, there’s something else that makes threads of fear flow through her.
“What, then?”I ask.
“You know I could just call for the guards, right?”Cesca says.
I cock my head to one side.“Then why don’t you?”
“Maybe I’m just grateful for you saving my life,” Cesca replies.
I smile tightly.“Gratitude was never your strong suit.What’s going on here, Cesca?”
She hesitates, and for a moment, I think shemightcall the guards.Then she sighs.
“I’m sick of this.Sick of being caught up in other people’s manipulations, again and again.First, it was Ravenna, then Vex, now…”
“Now Selene?”I guess.
Cesca nods, but doesn’t say her name, as if too afraid to do even that.
“I did what she wanted in our bout,” Cesca says.
“Because of her psychomancy,” I point out.
Cesca blinks.She clearly has no memory of her mind being controlled.“I guess… that would explain a lot.Selene… she got everything she wanted from me, Idideverything she wanted.I thought it would keep me safe.”
“You think she’s behind the storm leopard?”I ask.Does Selene have enough control to manipulate the course of the games?I laugh bitterly.Of course she does.
Cesca nods.“The first time I dared to say no to her, she did this.She said it was fine for me to back out, but I’m suddenly thrown in against a beast I can’t defeat?She was trying to kill me without it being obvious.”
One part of Cesca’s words catch my interest.“Back out of what?”
Cesca hesitates.“It would be dangerous to tell you.”
I gesture to the colosseum.“It looks as though it’s dangerous for you anyway, Cesca.I don’t even know why you came to fight in the colosseum today.You must have guessed Selene would make it dangerous for you.”
“You think I have a choice?”Cesca shoots back, and her voice rises enough that I’m worried about someone hearing us and coming to see what’s happening.
"You aren't a slave gladiator anymore, Cesca," I say."You could walk away at any point.Honestly, I thought you might when you lost your last bout to those twins."
