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The drumming engine slowed, then came to a standstill. It clicked as it was turned off, only to be accompanied by the squeak and slam of a door being opened and closed. Footsteps began crunching through the snow. I peeked from behind the tree and saw their forms in the darkness.
I cursed myself for being so careless. If I had seen Antonio before I had left, he would have given me a better coat than this. Hell, he may have taken me back to his room, and given me proper gear.
He would’ve touched me before I told him goodbye, seconds away from holding me close and swearing to protect me.
I shivered at the thought of being locked in his arms. He sure as hell would have made me stash a weapon somewhere. My gaze darted around and the bark of the tree dug into my back. I was searching frantically for a place to hide. The trees were too sparse to provide adequate cover, and while the trunks and branches were thick enough to climb into, I knew they would find me easily.
A wolf’s howl broke through the night. It was much closer than any I had heard in these woods. Footsteps crunched, signaling the nearness of the Guardias.
There would be no running, no darting up trees to hide. The frenzied beasts were ugly, but I would have rather faced off wolves than run from the Guardias.
“Malditos lobos,” a woman muttered.
The other grunted in return. I peaked out to see them no less than fifty paces away. Neither one of them appeared extremely nervous, so I didn’t want to be either.
“No la viste?" the same one as before said.
The other snorted. "I think I would see a red dress darting through the snow."
“Well, I saw something moving a few meters back," one of the voices said.
My ears rang in the silence.
None of the Guardias said anything while they searched through the trees. They were nearly silent, and the wolves seemed to have gone searching for each other somewhere else. My teeth were on the verge of chattering, and I kept my tongue between them just to help the sound. When I accidentally bit too hard, I cursed silently. The rich scent of warm blood invaded my nostrils. It coated my tongue and the back of my throat with its acidic tang. I could feel the magic boiling in my veins.
I couldn't bleed here. One of them was right near my tree. I could hear them.
“Pao, ven aquí,” the male Guardia said.
“What did you see?” she called over, the closeness of her voice sending ripples of terror through my body and causing goosebumps to run up and down my arms and legs.
My mouth was squeezed closed, trying to staunch my body's reaction. If I turned gold, it could be a disaster. The gold came with this horrendous glow that would reveal my poor hiding place in seconds.
“I’m not sure,” he said.
It was then that I heard the footsteps grow fainter while the Guardia retreated. They still hadn’t climbed into their car, so I wasn’t safe, but I would be okay for a few more minutes.
Luck had been on my side today. The minor injury, combined with a lack of food for the last two days, had apparently taken its toll. The wound wasn’t enough to spark the vibrant power. There wasn’t much blood, anyway. Grateful that Blood Magic required a consistent level of physical well-being, I closed my eyes.
For the first time, the concept of having a Key Bearer while competing made sense. Of course, Joaquín and Antonio had explained that magic lessened when one was starving and tired, but now, while I was pinned to a tree, Guardias all around trying to capture me, I saw true value in having someone anchor themselves to me in order to survive the brutal wilderness—even if it meant coating a volcanic stone with my blood.
My body could only handle so much danger. I had been in a constant state of it, and now I was turning numb to the sensation.
“I’m freezing my ass off. Somehow, she disappeared into thin air. She’s probably halfway to Les Bois Vastes by now, and we are scouring through this frozen wasteland while everyone else is partying.”
The man cursed under his breath. “No one even knows she’s gone.”
My eyes went wide.
No one knew? A part of me could imagine whatever nonsense the Canciller would spout in order to make it seem like all was well. While I didn’t doubt that he would kill me one day, likely in the tournament, I could rest easy that death would not come tonight.
Relief was sweet. Sweeter than expected. A musky scent hung in the air; the conifer mixed with the moist soil and my unwashed body. The tree bark was rough, just the right amount of rough to keep me grounded in the real world.
I sagged.
A branch snapped behind me, and I heard the husky breath of a wild creature.
I looked around, searching the darkness. A pair of luminescent eyes stared at me. Then another pair emerged from the snow-covered bushes. And another.
