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“I know what happened ten years ago. I can give you the details.”
“That’s it?” Lucius pushed off from the back of Red’s chair and walked around to glare at him. “Some shitty intel from ten years ago?”
I held up my hand. “Let him talk.” Any shred of information was helpful at this point.
“Okay, okay.” Red pushed himself from the floor.
“No. Stay there and tell me.” I pointed to the rug beneath him. This brief negotiation had done nothing to wipe away the insults and threats he’d made to Stella. He would pay for each of them in time.
Red slid back down to his knees and glared up at me. “That year, there was this hellacious obstacle course. Crawling through glass, swimming in a leech pit, climbing barbed wire.”
“Jesus Christ.” Lucius sat next to me.
“The winner was the only Acquisition who made it through.”
“I suspected something like what you’ve described.” I would deal with all of the horrors later, when Stella and I were alone. The thought of her suffering through any of it made acid boil in my stomach. “But why does this trial focus on family? I didn’t hear any family angle whatsoever.”
Red rubbed his eyes, grinding his palms into them as if trying to erase an image. “Because the last-borns were part of the trial. The two losing families had to send their youngest through the same obstacle course as punishment.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
STELLA
“HOW WILL WE KEEP it from Teddy?” I punched Dmitri’s palm and ducked as he swung.
“I’ve called him home from school. He’ll stay here with Lucius.” Sin walked around us in a wide circle as we sparred.
A courier had arrived earlier in the week carrying a missive with the familiar Oakman seal. The trial was set, and my time was up.
“He hasn’t been summoned with us tomorrow?” I dodged Dmitri’s hand and smacked him on the back of the head as I dashed past. “For the triathlon?” I added for Dmitri’s sake.
“No.” Sin stopped as my opponent and I circled each other.
“Isn’t that odd?” I lunged at Dmitri. He caught me around the waist. I threw my hip out and tried to pull him over and flip him, but he kept his balance and shoved me to the wet ground. “Fuck!”
“Patience, Krasivaya. Must wait for right opportunity.” Dmitri helped me to my feet. “Surprise, remember?”
“I know.” I shook it off and backed away to start again. The clouds overhead threatened another downpour. I wanted to keep practicing. I had to get better.
“It’s not odd per se. It means there’s still a chance we could spare him from it. We’ll leave him here with Lucius who’ll get word to me if and when Teddy is sent for. Then Lucius can explain to Teddy as best he can, so he’s not walking into it blind.”
“Won’t that be too much for him?” I tried to grapple Dmitri into an arm bar, but he pushed me away and I sank to my knees. The grass gave way to mud the more we practiced, and large drops of rain began to fall.
“Let’s go in. This was supposed to be a light day, anyway.” Sin offered his hand. “It’s getting dark.”
I took it and pulled myself to my feet, my muscles protesting. “No, just a little longer.”
“Stella.” Sin smoothed some stray hairs from my face as the rain intensified, the oak leaves whispering above us. “You’ve done all you can. You’re as prepared as you’re going to get. You need to rest for tomorrow.”
He was right. I knew it, but I couldn’t stop. I darted past him and launched myself onto Dmitri’s back. Taking him down was the one thing I’d never been able to do. And maybe if I could get him on the ground, I could make it through whatever the next Acquisition trial threw at me.
He whirled, and I dug my heels into his sides and constricted my arms around his neck. Reaching back, he gripped my upper arm and yanked. I held on, cutting off his airway even as he pulled at me. A primal grunt ripped through me as I fought to stay on his back.
“Stella! That’s enough.” Sin’s sharp voice cut through the rain, but I held onto Dmitri, refusing to let him go, refusing to fail this time.
I closed my eyes. All I saw was Brianne’s frightened face and Gavin’s kind smile. I’d let them down, failed them when they needed me most. Squeezing tighter, I put all my strength into my arms. Not again. I wouldn’t let Teddy down. I would do whatever I had to do to keep him safe. Something clicked under my forearm, my enemy’s throat on the verge of giving way as I maintained my hold.
He pawed at my arms, his movements slowing. Strong hands gripped my waist and pulled until I was forced to let go, my arms finally giving up. Sin and I fell back into the muddy grass. My heart hammered in my chest, fear and anger washing through me as Dmitri bent over and wheezed breath into his lungs.
