Dishonour on the family, Karalynna.
She shook the thought away. She needed to focus. Sebastian went first. Without his crimson strength, his landing on the first platform was rough – he stumbled – but made it. He turned back with a cocky grin. “See? Easy.”
Kara shook her head, exasperated, as he completed the five leaps to the pillar.
“We can’t afford to wait this long in between people,” Oryen said. His gaze was fixed on Team Three, who’d almost all made it across their floating platforms. Their Thorne delegate, Cass, went last, but she misjudged the final jump and pitched backwards, towards the arena floor below.
Sebastian’s grin vanished. “Cass!” he shouted as he lunged towards the edge. For one wild second Kara thought he was going to jump off after her.
Cass landed with a thud – but not on the ground. A Fatàn shieldweaver had cast a ruby net of magic just in time to catch her. But she’d fallen far enough that she’d landed awkwardly, her arm bent at a sharp, unnatural angle, face contorted in pain.
Fixable. It’s fixable.
“Hold on, Cass!” Sebastian called. “Someone will come and get you.”
Kara stared, caught by the intensity in his tone. Sebastian’s eyes were fixed on Cass, his hands clenched into fists. With visible effort, he forced himself to turn back to the course. There was no time to help, no way to climb down.
Oryen went next, calling for others to follow quickly. Morra jumped. Gregor followed. Jax hesitated.
“Will you be able to do this, Sienna?” he asked.
Sienna’s eyes were wide. “I–I don’t know.”
“You can,” Kara said firmly. “Just go Jax. We’ll be right behind you.”
Jax waited a second longer, torn, then launched himself forward. He cleared the gap easily.
Kara squeezed Sienna’s hand. “Ready?”
Sienna’s face filled with terror. But she nodded. Together, they jumped, and barely made it. Sienna landed with a sharp gasp, gripping the rope for dear life.
“It’s okay. You’re okay,” Kara said, crouching beside her. “Just breathe.”
“Next one,” Jax called from ahead. “We’ve got to keep going!”
Kara pulled Sienna to the edge. “We’ll stay together.” She counted them in. “Three... two... one...” – and leapt again, dragging Sienna with her.
By the second to last platform, Sienna looked like she was going to be sick. “Nearly there. You can do this,” Kara assured her.
It was on the last jump that it all went wrong.
Kara landed.
Sienna didn’t.
Her foot hit the edge of the platform rather than landing true.
“Kara–” The scream tore from her.
Sienna’s weight yanked Kara backwards – their hands locked together. Kara landed hard against the wood. Pain shot through her ribs, forcing the air from her lungs.
Ow.
She grasped desperately for one of the platform’s ropes with her free hand – the other still gripped around Sienna’s as she dangled over the edge.
“No–” Kara gasped as Sienna’s legs scrambled at thin air, her weight pulling them both forward. Cass’s fall flashed vivid in her mind. The crowd roared beneath them.
“I won’t let go,” Kara hissed, though her arm was already screaming. She gritted her teeth and tried to pull – Sienna didn’t move. The platform creaked beneath them as her grip began to loosen.
