Page 71 of The Gilded Survivor

I didn’t want to make things worse, not just yet.

A few more paces and we reached the small, crystal clear stream. The soft light strained through the trees and danced on the surface of the water, making it sparkle like the eyes of a fish. I crouched down, slid my pack off, and unzipped the top pocket. My canteen was the first thing visible, alongside a strange spray which was supposed to disinfect the water. Unscrewing the cap, I picked up the purifier with my other hand and sprayed once into the bottle. Then I arranged a couple of rocks and laid my canteen on top of the bed of stones.

Drinking water would help.

Metallic pings were added to the babble of the river, and I returned to my pack once again. I pulled out some of my other supplies, checking them yet again.

“¿Qué haces?” Antonio asked, irritation dripping from his voice.

I turned and looked at him, confused. I was crouched in front of a stream. It was clear as the daylight what I was doing.

“What do you mean ‘what are you doing’?,” I replied, feeling myself get annoyed. My patience wore out quickly. “I’m filling my water bottle before we get higher.”

“No, no, no. Why are you taking everything out of your pack?” he said sharply, his fists tightening.

“To check that I have everything,” I replied, rather ungraciously, while holding his gaze.

“You didn’t do that before we left?” he said, like an impatient teacher.

I glared up at him. “Of course I did.”

His scowl deepened. “Then why are you doing it again? Is this a child’s game to you?”

I stood up, my pack falling to the side with my sudden movement.

He took a step toward me, eyes intense. “You are next to a water source, one of the most valuable locations during the tournaments, and you are playing with your things like a child plays with toys. Consider what would happen if you were higher up the mountain and someone found you like this. You think they wouldn’t attack you? Why didn’t you get water at the bottom of the mountain, where the stream was stronger and you were safer?”

I gritted my teeth, and he scoffed. Antonio had this way of teaching that was layered with personal insult.

“Never mind. A child has more sense than to play with his toys when his enemies are around,” he snarled at me.

It was one insult too far. “I’m not a child, Antonio. I’m a woman,” I snapped. “I’ve survived on my own my entire life while you were given everything. You had to win this one sick tournament to justify the continuation of your class, but how have you fought to survive since then? Hell, I am fighting to survive right now!” I hated how my voice shook and my face was flushed with anger.

He was the same height as me, though he was a great deal stronger and wider. He looked imposing with his hands on his hips. “We’ve only been here an hour, and I can see clearly where your weaknesses lie. You barely know how to walk without leaving tracks for anyone to find you, let alone survive.”

I felt a wave of fury rush over me like a flash of fire. “I’m trying.”

“That’s the point. I have the experience to teach you, but you are too prideful to accept help. Like a child.”

“To teach me?” I replied, my voice rising. Red was flooding my vision, and the shaking in my hands intensified.

“To teach you, not to coddle you,” he replied coldly.

That was it. I closed the distance between us, my hand already raised to strike him once more. He was faster. My palm had barely been raised a moments when Antonio grabbed my wrist and twisted me around and off balance. I fell backwards. My shoulder thumped hard against the ground and chilled pine needles stab roughly into my back. That impact echoed through my aching body.

Laying here and dying felt preferable to this infernal hike.

Antonio looked murderous. “The first time you slapped me, I warned you not to touch me again,” Antonio said. “My lifeandyour life both depend on you becoming the next champion. Stop playing games.”

I poured every inch of hatred into my glare when he angled his head toward the stream and said, “Your canteen is floating away.”

He turned around and continued up the mountain.

Chapter27

Don’t Eat Snow

Later, after I had clumsily helped to build our night shelter, I unrolled my sleeping bag and put it on the cold, hard ground. With no fire or light, we could see nothing beyond the reach of our hands. We were eating dried foods and sipping on water because, apparently, lighting a fire and cooking something would be a dead giveaway to our location. He wasn’t wrong, but his attitude inspired my contrarian nature.

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