Page 21 of Pyne

The oven timer dings and we pull out the trays. The cookies actually don’t look half bad once they’re prettied up with icing and sprinkles. Still a little lopsided, but the sparkles hide a multitude of sins.

We present our creations to the judges with hopeful smiles. Arisha takes a dainty bite, her face scrunching up in thought.

“Mmm,” she hums. “The ‘Rustic Charm’ of the shapes really adds to the homemade character. And the icing has a certain… kid appeal. Well done, you two!”

M’berra preens under the praise. I just nod stiffly, my mind already racing ahead to the next challenge, which is spending another night with my feline roommate without killing her.

As we exit the cooking arena, I catch a glimpse of Becca across the crowded hallway. Our gazes meet and it’s as though everything else fades away. She looks tired, strained, but there’s a fierce determination in the set of her jaw that makes my heart swell with pride.

That’s my girl. Strong as steel and twice as resilient. She’s going to make it through this.

We both are.

I just need to keep playing Arisha’s game. Keep jumping through her twisted hoops until we complete the final round. Then, whether Becca wins or loses, I’ll find a way to buy her freedom.

“Becca!” I call across the crowded hallway.

When she hears me over the din, I bend forward and thump my fist on my chest—a gladiator’s salute to someone they respect. She hasn’t been off her home planet for long, and she isn’t a gladiator, but somehow she knows what an honor this is, because her eyes get misty and her lips quiver.

She mimics my actions, giving me her own salute. My heart bursts with affection for her, then my chest clenches when Klst puts his arm around her waist and tosses me a predatory look of possession as he drags her down the hallway.

How am I going to make it to the end of the competition without killing that male?

Chapter Seventeen

Pyne

M’barra is strangely subdued at dinner tonight, which is a welcome change from her usual flirty demeanor. Granted, I’m not in the mood for conversation either. My mind is consumed with worry for Becca, the deadly immunity challenge we faced today, and concern about just how hard Klst will push things in their bedroom tonight.

I move the food around on my plate, barely tasting it as I replay the most horrifying moments. The worst one stands out—Becca, teetering on the edge of that poisonous pit, her eyes wide with terror. The way my heart stopped when I thought she was going to fall. The helplessness I felt, being so far away, unable to protect her.

How is she going to survive another challenge without me by her side? The thought makes my stomach churn, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of my neck.

I spot Arisha entering the dining room, her gauzy silver gown shimmering under the lights. She stands straight, not a hair out of place, cool and confident. Looking at her, you’d never know she watched all the contestants in the room fight for their lives only hours ago. Before I can second-guess myself, I’m on my feet, striding toward her with determined steps.

“Arisha, we need to talk.”

She arches a perfectly manicured eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. “Pyne. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

I take a deep breath, my fists clenching at my sides. “I want to be teamed with Becca again.”

“In case you failed to notice, I made the rules perfectly clear. The teams have changed until I say otherwise.”

Having been a slave most of my life, I know how to bury my self-esteem and throw my dignity aside. After the last year as I traveled with the gladiators, I thought those days were behind me, but for Becca, begging will come easily.

“I’ll do anything. Please.”

Arisha’s eyes glint with amusement as she taps a finger against her chin, drawing out the moment. “Anything? That’s a bold offer, gladiator.”

I grit my teeth, my patience wearing thin, then humble myself further after remembering the stakes. “Just name your price.”

She heaves a dramatic sigh. “Well, as it happens, the Iridian team has approached me with the same request. Apparently, they’re not happy with their current partners either. Something ridiculous about fated mates.”

My heart leaps, a flicker of hope igniting in my chest. “So you’ll do it? You’ll let us switch back?”

Arisha’s smile turns sly, a dangerous glint in her eye. “I’ll consider it… on one condition.”

I brace myself. By the smug look on her face, I already know I won’t like her offer.

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