Page 84 of Creatures of Chaos

My stomach flips and I have to turn away. I can deal with a grumpy Talon, even a dark and mysterious one, but I’m not too proud to admit this flirty one is the one I need to stay away from.

All of a sudden red lights illuminate the building in front of us, making it glow like it’s on fire. Talon and I exchangea look and then head for the front entrance where the other competitors are waiting. Even as we make our way there, a sleek silver convertible comes barreling around the corner and then skids to a stop just feet from Talon and me.

The door swings open and Titus, the fae who gave me fighting tips during the cage fight trial, pours out of the car wearing only a pair of sleep pants and sandals. His back tattoo is on full display and his light hair is spiked in different directions. His cheeks are flushed, but a look of relief settles on his face when he sees the trial hasn’t officially started yet.

“Cutting it a bit close, aren’t we?” Talon asks.

Titus bares his teeth. “I wasn’t expecting that blasted tracker to go off in the middle of the night. I’m a deep sleeper.”

Talon’s gaze drifts to a mark on Titus’s neck that looks suspiciously like a hickey. “Deep sleeper, you say?” he asks with raised eyebrows.

Titus scowls back at Talon, but in fairness it does look like his disheveled hair could have been from someone running their fingers through it, so I have to swallow the giggle that wants to creep up my throat.

I sober as we join the other competitors. There’s no loud music or flashing lights tonight. No cheering spectators. No revelry of any kind. It’s just our small group of remaining competitors waiting outside of a creepy dilapidated structure drenched in red.

Nope, nothing ominous about this setting at all.

It’s strange to think that Becks and Ensley probably won’t even know about the trial until it’s over. Perhaps that’s for the best though. Watching me put myself in harm’s way has been undeniably hard on Becks. By the time he learns of the trial, it will most likely be done, and then I’ll be out of Chaos, exactly what he’s been hoping for since the moment I crossed that yellow start line.

As we wait for something to happen, I do a head count and realize there are only fifteen of us. Someone is missing, but I can’t figure out who. Talon’s shrewd gaze moves over the others, and I think he notices as well, but before I can ask him if he knows who isn’t here a horn blares and an explosion of smoke detonates in front of the group. When the smoke clears, the game master stands before us in his usual hooded red robes.

“Welcome to the fourth Chaos trial. Congratulations for making it this far in the competition. After making it through the cavern maze, triumphing over your fellow competitors in hand-to-hand combat, and overcoming compulsion, you might be feeling somewhat invincible right now, but be warned that these final two trials are more dangerous and challenging than the ones before.”

I don’t doubt the game master. I squeeze my aching hand, reminding myself that the dangers of Chaos are very real. My mission tonight is simple: fail out as soon as it’s safely possible to do so. I don’t like that I’m giving up on Shadow Striker, especially since Becks’ and my relationship is far from sanctioned by the council, but I’d be lying if I said part of me isn’t a little relieved to know this will be my last trial.

“Tonight’s trial will challenge your wits,” the game master says. His hood swivels as he takes each of us in even as his face is obscured to us. “You will enter the asylum as a group.”

Asylum?I didn’t think this trial could get any creepier. I was wrong.

“The rooms inside have clues you must decipher to find the safe route out of the building. There is more than one path to make it through the rooms and out of the building, but if you fail to decode a clue correctly, there will be consequences. If you fail to make it out of a room in a timely manner, there will also be consequences.”

It might be my imagination, but it sounded like the game master said that with a touch of anticipation that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

“You will have until sunrise to make it out of the building and to the gazebo in the back gardens. If you are still trapped in the asylum and haven’t reached the gazebo when the sun crests the horizon in an hour and forty-two minutes, you will be disqualified. Those who do escape, however, will move on to the fifth and final trial.”

Trapped.Escape. I don’t love how he put that. Especially since in order to fail out I’m going to have to wait out my time in the scary asylum. He needs to stop talking because everything he says just makes this night even worse.

“It will take a keen and intelligent mind to make it through the rooms of the asylum. Look around,” he commands, and our gazes start to roam. “You might think the person next to you is your friend but they’re not. They’re what’s standing in the way of your victory.”

I glance at Talon, expecting him to be glaring at me since he’s made it clear that’s how he sees me, but instead he’s sizing up everyone else. The hard look on his face as he assesses each of the other competitors is chilling, reminding me that Talon has a dark side I’ve only seen glimpses of.

“But,” the game master continues, “not every challenge awaiting you in the asylum can be completed on your own, so choose your allies, and your enemies, wisely. This trial will not be broadcast to spectators as the others have been. You are allowed to help, orhinder, your fellow competitors at your discretion.”

Well, my plan is to stay put the moment I enter the building, so I won’t need to worry about finding allies or watching my back for enemies. At least there’s a silver lining.

“Once the doors seal behind you, they won’t reopen until after sunrise. The only way out of the asylum . . . is through. Let the trial begin.”

With a flourish, the game master disappears in a plume of smoke. When it clears, the asylum’s double doors are standing open, welcoming us inside.

As a group we all shuffle into the building. When the last person crosses the threshold, the doors slam behind us.

Twenty-Nine

Swallowingto wet my suddenly dry throat, I assess the space. We’re in some sort of two-story foyer lit by red faelight sconces and a rickety chandelier hanging in the middle. The same foliage that covers the exterior has made its way inside, and even though the spores on the shade ivy have to be activated with heat, I steer clear of them.

From our position in the foyer there are four possible directions to go. There are closed doors to the right, left, and in front of us, and a curved stairway that leads to a landing on the second floor. I suppose from here we’re meant to decide which direction to go, but if this is a trial of wits, then there must be a way to determine the right path.

I wander around the foyer, looking for a safe spot to run out the clock.

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