Page 106 of The Amber Sunburst

“Makes sense.”

The bottom half of the screen is then replaced by Zeno’s riddle, which some of the audience members read out loud for those in the back.

“You shine with several million lights,

a volcano at its start,

and no one underestimates

the power of your darts.

BUT

You burn so bright you might go out,

leave people in the dark,

and there really isn’t much you do

when things just fall apart.”

The two of them get to work like a well-oiled machine and a timer in the upper left-hand corner shows that only a minute has gone by when Zeno says, “I have an idea, but it seems too easy.”

“No harm in trying,” Eudoxia replies.

“I am… love?” Zeno yells into his box, the water now up to his calves.

Eudoxia jolts to a stop in the air, her whole body spasming from the force, and the lights in Zeno’s box go green with a happy ping sound. Those who bet on him solving it in under a minute clap and cheer. More and more people wander over at the noise.

“Dude, good for us!” Zeno cheers, splashing water everywhere in his excitement, which makes the viewers laugh again.

“Yes, very good, now get your head in the game, stupid,” Eudoxia says with a fond smile. And Ophelia cannot, absolutely cannot, believe they haven’t admitted their feelings for each other. It was funny at first, but now it’s just painful. Especially after what Eudoxia says happened in the training room a few weeks ago. Like, come on!

“Right, right. Let’s do yours.”

When it pops up, Ophelia inhales sharply. This is her poem. The one that she was working on with Arete just a couple nights ago.

It’s sort of intimidating to see her half-assed work on the screen. She feels invisible eyes on her like everyone around her is aware that she knows the answer.

She blinks harshly to clear her head because she’s being ridiculous. This is just like any other riddle. In fact, it’s not even that hard.

In darkest hours you permeate

through hearts and souls and minds.

You make a man forget his tongue

and leave his life behind.

There is no honor once you’re there⁠—

no valor, humor, blades.

Just the instinct to survive,

damn those who cry and cave.

“Yours is a lot sadder than mine,” Zeno says, shaking his body out as the water reaches his thighs.