Page 20 of Ironhold, Trial Three

“To talk?” Alaric says. “Since when does hetalkto anybody much?”

“He talks to me,” I reply.

“Is thatallhe does?” Alaric asks. I can hear more jealousy in his voice.

“Are you accusing me of something, Alaric?” I ask. I can barely believe I'm asking it. “I go to speak with someone, and your first thought is… what? That I’m sleeping with him?”

“I heard you offering him an alliance,” Alaric says. He takes hold of my arm. “That means something, Lyra. Just how close are you to him? If he’s using his mind powers to make you his, I’ll kill him.”

“I'm nothis,” I say. “I don't belong to anyone.”

“I'm pretty sure your patron would disagree,” Alaric says. Again, I can hear the jealousy there in his voice.

“Alaric, nothing happens between me and Lady Elara. You of all people should know that the patron gladiator relationship isn't just about that.”

“Yes, but she’s hardly your mother, and she's happy enough to let the rumors fly around. And the emperor took you to his rooms, I hear.”

“Do you not trust me at all, Alaric?” I ask. “Do you notknowme?”

“I'm not even sure you know yourself,” Alaric says. He glances towards the chamber Vesper is meditating in. “Just… stay away from him, Lyra.”

So now he's trying to dictate who I speak to? I shake my head. I can't deal with this right now.

“I was going to come and find you,” I say.

“Were you?”

“But now I think I need to be alone. There's another challenge tomorrow, and we both need sleep. Maybe by then you'll have stopped being so jealous, Alaric.”

I don’t have time for his jealousy, and what’s worse, I can’t assuage it. I can’t give away the nature of Vesper’s powers, because that’s his secret to keep. I can’t tell him what really happens with Lady Elara, because that would expose the spectral covenant. All I can do is hope that he realizes how foolish he’s being.

But what if he doesn’t? Alaric isn’t just the person I care about the most, isn’t just someone whose jealousy makes pain tear through my heart. He’s also one of the few allies I have in the Champions Trials. I need all the allies I can get, because tomorrow is the trial of flames.

Chapter Thirteen

We process down to the colosseum, the same way we did on the first day. I'm astonished by the number of people in the streets cheering for us as we pass. Normally the processions tail off after the first day and the initial burst of excitement at seeing new gladiators.

Instead, people seem to be filling the streets with at least as much enthusiasm as yesterday. Alaric is playing up to it all as usual, seeming to enjoy being the center of attention. He has not said much to me today, as if he hopes that ignoring our argument last night will make it all go away. A young woman actually flings herself from the crowd at him, succeeding in throwing her arms around him before the guards can pull her away. He bows in her direction, and now it's my turn to feel a pang of jealousy.

Those of the others who were wounded yesterday have been healed. Rowan shows few signs of where the shadow cats clawed him beyond a fine silvery tracery on his side. As usual, he ignores the crowd, as if none of this matters.

But the more time I spend around the arena, the more I realize that thisdoesmatter. The gladiatorial games are there for the entertainment of the masses, there to persuade them that the emperor cares about them, and to distract them from their lives. As gladiators, we must win our bouts because that is a matter of life and death, but it is also about entertainment and popularity. The fighters who are seen as popular attract better patrons and get better fights.

Malira seems to be glaring at me most of the way to the colosseum. It's strange how someone I have never done anything to can seem to hate me so much, simply because of Vex allying with her. Or maybe notjustbecause of that, because I seeRavenna walking close to her, whispering in her ear briefly. Ravenna looks my way and smiles with a kind of fake innocence that doesn't really suit her.

I briefly wonder what would have happened if I’d gone along with the idea of being her ally. If I’d somehow never learned of her role in Naia’s death, or if I’d been able to move past it. What would be happening now if I decided that Ravenna only had her remove the dampener from me for my own good? Would I be walking alongside her? Would she be whispering in my ear, trying to sow suggestions there? Would she be inviting me to make connections with the highest nobles in Aetheria? No doubt I would be caught up in one of her schemes, designed to improve her position and wealth within the empire.

Perhaps I am, anyway. One of the things that makes Ravenna so dangerous is that she is able to draw people into her plans, even if they have no intention of being part of them. I reply to her innocent look with a hard one. Ravenna makes a gesture of mock fear, moving to hide behind Malira. I know she's doing it for the benefit of the crowd. Probably this whole interaction is something she set up so they will love her more and hate me a little.

Popularity shouldn't count for anything, but in the colosseum it counts for almost everything. It determines who people are prepared to bet on and who is going to get what bouts. It is a contest around the contest, and it's not one I'm sure I have the weapons to succeed in.

When we reach the Colosseum, we are led through to the waiting areas, then out to the iron gates leading to the arena floor. There I see what has been prepared this time. Even though we were all told what this challenge would be, it is still frightening to behold. A bridge stretches out from where we are standing to a circular platform a little above the floor of the arena. The platform is surrounded by a ring of flames, no doubtconjured by Lord Darius' powers. This is where we have to fight then.

The crowd roars as we stand there waiting, just the sight of us enough to drive them wild with anticipation. I'm not sure I will ever get used to people cheering at the prospect of my blood being spilled. It's enough to start a pulsing wave of fear rising up through me as I stare at the flames. The platform has no railings or edges, simply a sheer drop down into them. Anyone falling into the flames will be severely burned, if not killed.

The emperor is waiting in his box, standing there until the cheering dies down. His eyes seem to be on me again, and a faint smile plays across his lips. The others raise their weapons in salute to him, and I do the same, lifting my spear.

"Gladiators," he says, his voice carrying around the colosseum. "You are the ones who survived the maze, but that was only the first of your challenges. As promised, today you face the flames. You and another gladiator will be sent onto the platform to stay there for a turn of the glass. The two of you will not be alone up there, because creatures of fire will attack you for as long as the challenge continues. The challenge ends either when the time runs out or one of you falls. You can fall to the creatures, or to each other. You can work together against them, or you can fight one another. What will be your path to survival?"

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