Page 79 of Spirit Trials
Chapter 40
I can’t help but notice how much smaller our group is now, compared to when we started the first trial. I train my gaze to where the Wolf King, Jaguar King, and Terron stand, but my gaze keeps drifting over to where Rysden stands several feet away from them with his arms crossed over his chest. I’m happy to see he’s in one piece after whatever mission he went on last night, and I wonder if he knows his mom came to see me. I force my gaze away from the intense prince and focus back on Terron.
“This last trial will be the most difficult and is a representation of the Wolf Kingdom. This trial will showcase the swimming strength of our friends in the Wolf Kingdom.” I eye the girls warily. Rysden told me once that wolves can swim long distances; it looks like that theory is going to be put to the test. “Just like the last trial, my gryphon will flash groups of you to our location. Please rest assured that the Guivre that attacked during our last trial has been killed and will not be a problem in this trial.” I wonder if he really knows that the Guivres won’t bother us, or if he’s just trying to make us feel better.
Kinsley turns to me nervously once the gryphon starts flashing people to the next location. “Swimming is definitely not my strong suit.”
“Harper, what about you?” She shrugs, and that’s all I get from her. None of us say anything as we wait our turn to flash. We’re the fifth group to go. Right before the gryphon flashes us, my eyes meet Rysden’s across the field. His intense gaze slams into me, but I don’t get to do anything more than stare back before he and the rest of the world disappear altogether.
When the world comes back into focus, I hear a rushing sound that doesn’t make sense until I get my equilibrium fully back. I stare at the waves pounding the sand we’re standing on. The water is rough and turbulent, nothing peaceful about it at all. “We have to swim in that?” Kinsley asks.
Before I can say anything, Terron calls us together. “Competitors, this is the last trial. This is the last chance for your spirit animal to show, and you’re going to need it to show. This trial is intended to knock out any competitor that does not have a spirit animal. Those with a spirit animal, draw from your animal’s strength and endurance and warmth; you’re going to need it.” He turns and points out at the water. “You must swim out to that island and back.”
“That’s it?” somebody calls out.
Terron turns back. “Do not be deceived. It is a very difficult task. When you hear three horns, you may start. When you hear three horns sound again, that is the end of the trial. If you are not back on this sand, you will be automatically eliminated.” His eyes scan the group, landing on me for a second longer than everybody else. Or maybe it just feels that way under his oppressive gaze. “Prepare yourselves.”
That’s the only warning we get before the horns sound. The group around us surges forward, and we get knocked around. We let the others go first and approach the water together. I reach down and yank off my boots and socks. They will only slow me down. I take off everything I’m carrying, save one knife. I lay down my bow, hating that I have to leave it behind; but it will only slow me down. I approach the water without looking at Harper or Kinsley. I stick one foot into the water and suck in a harsh breath.
Harper swears next to me. “That’s freezing!”
I take a deep breath and step a little further into the water. As the water comes up around my waist, I suck in another breath.The ice baths Rysden made me do make so much more sense now. But those baths only ever lasted a few minutes; this will be longer. So much longer. I watch as several competitors struggle against the waves. This is going to be harder than I can imagine. Thankfully, I’m a strong swimmer. We had a lake near our village, which is the reason that spot was chosen by the leaders before our time. But I have a feeling nothing can prepare me for what’s coming. Kinsley and Harper come up on either side of me, wading through the waist-high water.
“We need to try to stay together,” I tell them in a determined voice.
“This is f-freezing,” Kinsley says through trembling lips. “I don’t know how long we’ll make it in here.”
“Long enough to get there and back,” I tell her. I glance at both of them. “We’re going to make it, Ladies.”
Harper slowly turns her head to me. “You have to win; we don’t. But we’ll help you as much as we can.”
“Yeah,” Kinsley agrees. “If our animals don’t show—”
“They’ll show,” I interrupt.
Kinsley gives me a soft smile. “If they were going to show, they would have by now. It’s okay, Farrah.”
“You think they’re not coming,” I say, looking between the two of them. Neither one says anything to contradict my words. I shake my head. “This whole banishment thing is stupid. I’m going to change it.”
Kinsley smiles briefly. “Thanks for even thinking you can.”
“Yeah. You might be delusional, but at least your heart’s in a good place,” Harper mutters, sucking in a breath as a wave crests against our chests.
“We’re in this together. Let’s go.” I don’t wait for either of them to say anything. I know the only way to do this is just to commit. I dive into the water headfirst and resist the urge to burst out of the freezing water. I remind myself that this is whatall those ice baths were for, and I push myself forward. When I emerge to take a breath, I look quickly right and left to make sure Harper and Kinsley are still with me. They’re both a little behind me, but they’re there. I push every thought out of my hand except for my rhythm.Right stroke, left stroke. Breathe. Right stroke, left stroke. Breathe.Every little bit, I lift my head enough to make sure the girls are still with me. Kinsley drops further and further behind. I circle back and swim at her side, and it seems to help. She catches my rhythm and keeps up for a time. None of us waste energy on words; we just keep swimming. It isn’t long before Kinsley falls behind again. I slow my pace a little and wait for her to catch up. I can see that she’s struggling, though. Her strokes are uneven, and her breaths come in quick gasps. I look around, wondering if there’s a way to take a break. But there’s nothing but water. I can’t even see the island from here. I just know it’s out there, and we have to keep swimming until we get there. I hear a scream, and I whirl around, trying to get my bearings. I see Harper a little further ahead, but she’s still swimming. I turn around, looking for Kinsley. Her head bobs under the water, and I swim over to her. “Kinsley!” I shout over the waves, searching frantically for her. I can’t see her anywhere, and panic threatens to overwhelm me. She surfaces, and I kick over to her when I see the pain on her face.
“Something’s got my leg!” she screams above the noise of the waves. Her head jerks down, and I take a deep breath and dive under the water, knife in hand. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust underwater. It’s hard to see, but I swim towards Kinsley. When I get close, I see the black thing with tentacles wrapped around her leg. It looks like it’s sucking on her leg. I raise my knife and push the blade through the water and force it into the creature’s side. The impact knocks it from Kinsley’s leg. Its tentacles fly outward, and I jerk backwards, out of its reach. I watch it carefully to make sure it’s done, but it swimsaway. When I look back at Kinsley, I realize we have a whole new problem. Blood is flowing freely into the water. I surface and drag in oxygen. “I’ve got to wrap your leg; it’s going to draw every creature in these waters.” Kinsley’s already pale face pales even more, but I don’t have time to console her. I use my knife to cut away part of my shirt and then take a deep breath and dive under water. I tie up the wound tightly before I swim back to the surface. I try to wipe the water from my eyes. “How are you holding up?”
“What’s going on?” Harper yells above the noise of the water.
“An animal took a chunk out of her leg,” I shout back. “I tied some cloth around it.” Harper swims closer. “Are you good to keep going?” I ask Kinsley.
She nods. Her face is still pale, but there’s no other option. I turn around and try in vain to see the island. “Let’s keep moving.”
We start out again, and I get back into my rhythm. It feels slower this time, and I worry the cold is getting to me. I wonder how long it takes before hypothermia sets in, and you can no longer swim. I push those negative thoughts away and keep going. We keep swimming, but our progress gets slower and slower. Harper swims next to me at one point. “She’s not going to be able to keep going,” she shouts above the noise. I glance behind me at Kinsley, whose strokes are little more than flailing now. I start to turn around, but Harper puts a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll take her back to shore.”
My eyes shoot to hers, and I wipe the water out of my eyes. “But that will disqualify you.”
“I know.” I shake my head, but she continues. “My spirit animal’s not coming, Farrah. I can keep going, but it won’t change the outcome. I’ll still be banished at the end of this trial.”
