Page 44 of Ironhold, Trial One

“I don't know if you're going to go straight to Vex with whatever I say,” I point out. “You're just going to have to trust me.”

Finn lets out a short laugh. “Do you know how I ended up here?”

“I know you're not a free gladiator,” I say. “I assumed that they grabbed you the way they did the rest of us.”

Finn shakes his head. “I was a thief in the city. I got caught, and because I used illusions trying to escape they gave me a choice. I could be executed, or I could go to the arena. I learned quickly as a thief that you can't trust anyone except yourself if you want to survive.”

It seems I'm not getting through to him and there is no more time because we are at the colosseum. We head inside, and we aren't even together in the preparation areas. I must warm up and make sure that my armor is in place alone. For all I know, Finn has gone straight to Vex with everything I said.

I can feel the tension building within me. The sounds of the arena carry into the space beneath it. The sounds of combat have begun, in their usual deadly rhythm. I see Alaric walking past, flanked by soldiers, on his way to the arena floor.

“Good luck out there, Lyra,” he calls to me.

“Shouldn’t I be saying that to you?” I call back.

He shakes his head. “Some of us don’tneedluck.”

He still seems to be convinced of his own invincibility. He bows in my direction.

“And remember, when the moment comes, don't hold back. I suspect you'll be able to spring a few surprises on Vex yet. And if not… well, it has been fun knowing you.”

The guards urge him on, and just like that, he's gone, out onto the sands for his bout. I know he has more bouts than me, so I suspect he's due to fight early in the day and then later. Today is scheduled to be the last day of the games. It isn’t just a question of whether he can win now, but whether he can come through it uninjured to fight again.

I find myself thinking of Rowan again, but there is no time to seek him out, even if it wouldn’t distract him from his own preparations. Instead, I must wait, and hope, and try to ignore the fear building up inside me about what will happen in my bout.

Eventually, the trainer comes for me, flanked by guards.

“It's time,” he says.

I head with him to the gates of the arena. Finn is there waiting for me, blades held ready. The gates open and we step out together, into the bright sunlight. Vex and Lazlo are waiting for us. Vex already has one of his knives floating, ready to use. Lazlo is bare-chested, carrying a sword that seems almost as large as I am, a huge weapon that I suspect would slow down anyone else.

The announcer speaks. “Citizens of Aetheria! I'll give you your next bout. Here we have fan favorites Vex and Lazlo!”

The crowd roars its approval.

“And against them, the young gladiator Finn, and the young woman who has surprised us all in these games, Lyra!”

I'm surprised by how loud the cheer is. It's as if they want us to win, but wanting isn't enough. We are the ones who must fight, and only our own skills will determine the outcome. I look across to Finn, still not knowing if he will betray me or not.

“Are you ready to do this?” I ask.

He nods.

I can see the emperor up in his box, looking down at us. After all Lady Elara said, I think I can understand now why his eyes are on me.

His voice carries around the arena.

“Begin!”

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

Almost instantly, one of Vex's knives comes flying at me. I knock it to the side with my trident, but Vex just calls it back to him. Already, he is drawing more weapons.

I move to close in quickly, but there is only so close I dare get, especially when Lazlo swings that giant sword of his as if it is a toy, bringing it around in a great arc that I barely avoid. Finn makes a show of dancing aside from it, but he is nowhere near the action.

Worse, the sword blow from Lazlo means that I am distracted for a moment. Distracted enough that one of Vex’s blades slices into my shoulder, in a thin cut. I manage to swipe another out of the air with my net, but I must dodge again as Lazlo strikes once more. I reach for the birds around the arena, using their eyes as I did in my last bout, since at least that allows me to see Vex’s blades coming. It means I am able to dodge attacks and trap his knives in my net, but there always seem to be more.

Finn is… essentially, he is doing nothing. He moves around the edge of the fight as though he is looking for an opening. He throws little bursts of illusion. He tumbles out of the way of attacks that were never going to hit him. The others barely target him, except in a half-hearted way.

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