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He crashed to the ground, gazing up at me with disbelief and fury. "You'll pay for that," he spat, clutching himself.
"I think you've done enough damage for one night," I said coldly. "Now get out of my sight before I remember we're not supposed to kill each other."
He scrambled to his feet and stomped out of the tent, spitting curses. I sagged back against the tent pole, heart pounding as the last traces of adrenaline faded from my veins. That had been too close. I couldn't let my guard down around him, not even for a second. Not if I wanted to survive this tournament with my life and freedom intact.
The feast was ruined, my appetite gone. All I wanted was to crawl into my bedroll and forget this day had happened. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, I just wanted the solace of sleep.
My hands still shook with rage as I undressed from my thickest layers and crawled into my bedroll.
For a long time, I just laid there. I left the bed and let the chilly air ground me to reality.
He thought he could control me. He thought I belonged to him, just another prize to add to his collection. But he was wrong. I didn't belong to anyone, and I would never bend to his will. I would win. Then I could help Magda and get out of the marriage contract.
A presence crunched in the snow. Santiago.
I kept my eyes forward, tracing constellations with my gaze. The ache in my chest sharpened at the thought of Magda, as fresh as the day I thought I'd never see her again.
"Do you need a new climbing partner?" he asked.
Tears flooded my eyes, and I wiped them away before they could freeze in my eyes. "Did Magda tell you to take care of me?"
He stiffened. "Of course she did. You know her."
I let out a watery laugh.
"I do know her." I couldn't help but smile at the thought of my fierce and loyal friend. "Thank you. I appreciate it."
"Remember, I am here," Santiago said matter-of-factly. "I think Isabela would like to help, too. We made a good team earlier."
I turned to face him, the simmering rage replaced with a deep weariness. "Look, I appreciate this, but I don't want to talk."
He nodded. "Si, claro."
We lapsed into silence, both lost in our thoughts. The stars above us twinkled brightly, the only constants in a world that seemed to shift and change beyond our control.
I turned away from Santiago and ducked into my tent. I curled into my bedroll, wrapping myself in the warmth of the blankets. All I wanted was to forget this nightmare.
But I couldn't shake off the fear that had taken root in my heart. It lingered like a dark fog, clouding my thoughts and making it impossible to rest.
My fingers clenched around the fabric of my bedroll as I tried to push away the memories of today's events. I heard Santiago's footsteps as he left, and I thanked Magda for always looking out for me.
After many hours, exhaustion finally won out, and sleep took me under.
Chapter26
The First Climb
Iwoke with a start, finding myself alone. I was refreshed and ready to face whatever was coming—with no trace of fear lingering in my heart.
I was angry.
An eerie silence pervaded the air, the usual sounds of wolves baying at the moon conspicuously absent.
My stomach rumbled, a hollow ache forming inside. We had a long day ahead, climbing the treacherous La Doncella to reach La Dama. Failure was not an option. Everyone likely felt just as bad, or worse, than me.
I needed to find Isaac and start. Santiago had offered to take me, but he would have added too many people to our party. Traveling in twos was faster. We were almost halfway through. I could do this.
I popped out of my tent, looking for Isaac. He was sitting by a fire, likely the last one we would see for a while. It took me only a few moments to note it was once again warmer than usual.
