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“Pick two individuals from your team and head into the red pillar,” Professor D’Angelo declares for all the remaining students from various classes to hear.
I’m squeezing Asher’s hand, thankful to be holding it so no one can see how my tingling hands struggle to stay still. I’ll have to look into the after-effects of ‘your arms being broken and healed,’ but for now, I’m thankful to Professor Blackbird for granting me another bonus.
I’m sure that’s the third one.
My free hand is gripping what’s left of my cloak, the tattered material barely hanging by its silky threads from the tsunami madness. It’s all I can do to hold myself together. After this rollercoaster of a first class, I know things will only get harder with every trial that follows, but the fear I feel right now surpasses anything I’ve experienced.
This can either lead to our immediate death or invite us into a trial we may not be strong enough to prevail.
The sad part of it all is that there’s no way of backing down.
We’ve come this far, after all…
This is what we’ve all endured days, weeks, months, and years of training for. What some have endured hours of torture and cycles of pain to reach this moment in time. I can’t let my fear of dying stop my entire team.
Odessa believes in me. I have to keep believing in myself.
“Sweet Cruella.”
I blink a few times, realizing Asher has not only called my name, but my five teammates are staring at me with concern.
“Yes?” I finally answer. “Did I miss something?”
“More like our whole conversation,” Kali mumbles, then quietly adds, “You’re okay, right?”
“Hanging in there.” No point lying. “Have you guys decided who’s going in?”
Blair, Kali, Hades, and Azrael share a look before the four of them point straight at me and Asher.
“Oh.” I blink and look at Asher. I don’t know why I’m only now realizing his image is back to how it has been since I met him. It makes me frown deep enough to have him arch an eyebrow my way.
“Don’t want to go?”
“That’s not the reason why I’m disappointed.”
We share a look when I hear Hades’ quiet chuckle.
“She likes the ‘real’ you,” Hades reveals, as if he knows we’re pressed on time, and Asher probably wouldn’t clue on to what the problem is.
“Looked pretty badass to me,” Azrael admits.
“You looked different earlier as well, Azrael,” Blair acknowledges.
He blushes with all our eyes on him.
“Well… I guess we all have unique sides to us, right?” he offers and smiles appreciatingly around our group. “Not sure what this final trial is about, but if we survive it, I think it would be nice to spend a night destressing from this chaos.”
“A night?” Asher huffs. “Make it a damn week.”
“A month even,” Hades mutters and looks at Kali. “What’s wrong, Kali?”
“This is when we’re getting our emblems, isn’t it?” he brings up. “What if we’re not all together?”
He has a valid point. This really is the final point that will determine official allies.
Or foes.
“We won’t know the answer to that until we face that trial,” I conclude and weakly smile. “Despite it all, thanks for surviving with me.”
