There’s just us.
Decision.
Understanding.
“Okay,” she says.
No hesitation.
No argument.
Just that one word.
And somehow that hits harder than anything else.
“Okay?” I repeat.
“We help them,” she says firmly. “We get as many people out as we can.”
Gods, I love this woman.
The beast roars again, closer now.
A massive shadow sweeps across the ground as it turns toward another group of contestants.
“Move!” I shout.
We break into a sprint.
Not toward the finish line.
Toward the chaos.
A piece of debris crashes down in front of us.
I grab Tilda and yank her sideways just before it slams into the ground.
“You good?” I bark.
“I’m fine!”
“Stay behind me.”
“Not a chance.”
We reach a group of contestants frozen near a collapsed barrier.
“Hey!” I shout. “Stop standing there!”
One of them blinks at me.
“It’s part of the event, right?”
“No!” I snap. “That thing is not scripted!”
Another roar echoes across the arena.
The ground trembles again.
