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I try to conserve my energy, knowing that I’m not done with their tasks yet. I have no idea what awaits me next, but given what I’ve already endured, I can only imagine. I’ve already been at this for hours.
At least Tristan’s a little more helpful when we arrive. He directs me through the gate and onto the practice field, where I find Ares standing there waiting for me beside a big rolling whiteboard, his thick forearms folded across his chest.
I slow to a stop in front of him, lifting my shirt to mop the sweat from my brow as I look from the blank whiteboard to the empty field surrounding us, holding my breath in anticipation for something to jump out at me. It’s suspiciously quiet, no sign of boxes or wolves or snakes anywhere.
“Well?” I finally ask, looking to Ares in question.
A grin spreads across his face and he takes a step backwards, reaching out to grasp onto the whiteboard and swivel it to the opposite side. The hinges creak as it swings and turns over, and as soon as I see what’s written upon it, my posture deflates.
60 Push-ups.
60 Sit-ups.
20 Burpees.
5-minute plank.
I turn my gaze back to Ares, completely stumped. “Fear of working out?” I ask, wrinkling my nose.
“Fear of failure,” he clarifies.
I blow out a slow breath, shaking my head. “Damn.”
“What?”
“Nothing, I just respect the hell outta you for admitting that.”
He stands up a little straighter, lifting his chin and rolling his shoulders back. “Yeah, well you might be whistling a different tune when you’re trying to keep up.”
“Come again?”
His face splits into another wide grin. “You’ve gotta keep up with me, babe. Miss one rep and we start over.”
I scowl, kicking at the ground with the toe of my shoe. “Dick.”
Ares chuckles a little too gleefully, rubbing his palms together. “Ready to get started?”
I drop down to the ground with a groan. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Tristan wanders off to watch from afar while Ares steps beside me and sinks down into a push-up position, waiting for me to do the same. I roll onto my belly and plant my palms in the grass, pushing up with my arms, then glance over at him with a nod.
We begin.
The push-ups are brutal. The sit-ups are worse. By the time we get to the burpees, I’m on the verge of calling it quits, but somehow, I grit my teeth and push through, focusing on getting to the finish line. The plank at the end nearly kills me, though.
When we’re finally done, I flop onto my back in the grass, my chest heaving and muscles burning with exertion.
I feel like I could pass out right here.
Tristan brings over a bottle of water for each of us, and I guzzle half of it down, then dump the rest over my sweaty face.
Ares reaches for my wrist and slips a fifth key onto it.
“How many more?” I croak, my head falling sideways to stare at him lying in the grass beside me.
I’ve been keeping a tally in my head, trying to figure out who’s left. I haven’t encountered Iver’s challenge yet. What’s he afraid of?
“You’re almost done,” Ares reassures, curling up to sit and giving me a nudge with his fist. “C’mon, let’s get going. It’s time for the grand finale.”
