Page 91 of Creatures of Chaos

“Then I guess you’re okay letting Shadow Striker go to Titus or whoever else wins Chaos, because you’re not making it to that finish line without me.”

Talon’s eyes flare before drooping again. “Can’t . . . lose.”

“Well that’s what’s about to happen. The sun is going to be up any minute now.”

Anxiety claws at my chest when Talon groans and tips his head back against the wall and then lets his eyes slide shut again.

Part of me wants to drop it, to wait these final moments out and let Talon deal with the consequences, but I know if he were in his right mind he’d be fighting tooth and nail to get to that gazebo. Talon and I are friends, or maybe not friends exactly, but this whole ordeal has bonded us in some way. I can’t just let this be the end for him.

Or you, a small voice inside whispers.

“Talon,” I say, trying to shake him fully awake, but that doesn’t work because it’s super hard to shake someone you’re also trying to hold up, so I slap his cheek. His face scrunches like he’s trying to figure out what just happened, then his eyes open and focus on me.

“I need you to pull yourself together.”

“Okay, okay. I’m awake. No more slappy-slappy.”

“Release me from the bond,” I order.

A lazy smile kicks up the corners of his mouth. “You’re even cuter when you’re feisty.”

You’ve got to be kidding me. Now he’s hitting on me?

“I love your freckles, Freckles. I wanna kiss each one of them.”

I ignore the way my face heats. “Yes, I know I’m just adorable, but you need to do as I say. Now!”

When his eyes start drifting shut again, I give him another slap and they pop back open.

“Ouch.”

“Talon,” I warn.

“Okay, okay, bossy. I release you.”

I don’t feel any different, but I don’t waste any time pulling a half-conscious Talon toward the door. I hold my breath as I step forward, but this time I pass over the threshold with ease.

Yes! It worked!

But we’re not out of the woods yet. We still need to get to that gazebo before the sun crests the horizon.

“Come on,” I say to Talon, who isn’t really paying attention to me.

His body weight on me is heavy as I practically drag him through the overgrown garden as the sky lightens overhead.

“A little help would be appreciated,” I grumble after we almost go down when I snag my foot on a root.

When the gazebo comes into view, I keep my eyes fixed on the peeling white paint as we get closer and closer. Titus is standing there already, and he stiffens when he sees us struggling to reach the steps. It looks like there are three other competitors with him, but I don’t waste time worrying about who they are as I channel all my focus and strength to hauling Talon to that finish line.

I look up when we are about twenty feet away and notice the clock hanging in the middle of the gazebo. There are only eight seconds left.

“Drop him and run,” Titus shouts.

For a split second, I consider it. With Talon out of the picture I’d have a much better chance of winning Shadow Striker, but I can’t do it. It’s not who I am. So digging deep for whateverwellspring of strength I still have, I force Talon and myself into a stumble-jog as the final seconds drain away.

Thirty-One

I don’t even bother tryingto scale the last two steps that lead to the gazebo platform. Instead I pitch us forward and we land in a heap on the rotting boards. Our bodies have only just connected with the floor when the buzzer goes off, signaling the end of the fourth trial.

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