8. Chapter 8

Itried to focus on the illusion of the landscape we were in. It wasn't real, but I wouldn't know that if I hadn't seen it build itself around us. Whoever generated this magic had outdone themselves. My first thought was it was elite magic, but the Crimson King would never allow that, so it must be a spell or something, from a witch maybe?

I risked one small step into the taller grass to test what would happen. Perhaps it was quicksand or something similar. My foot was only met with hard unmoving ground.

The slight ruffle of movement from others getting restless echoed softly in the eerie silence. My instinct told me to wait, but my competitive nature wanted me to charge forward. I looked around at the others but could hardly see them in the faded moonlight.

I turned slowly to look behind me. The Crimson Kingdom was watching us even if they weren't visible to me. The silence reminded me of Exile. There were no animal noises or water flowing here. I wondered if this was the same spell that cast the shadow boundary around us. The air was pleasantly cool and smelled like pine trees. I shifted my boots making my daggers stab my ankles. No one said we couldn't have weapons and I had a feeling I would need them.

"Fuck this. I'm not scared!" a man close to me yelled. He had only made it one step before horrific screeching had me covering my ears. We could all hear thrashing coming from the trees behind us. Within seconds the man who yelled was plucked from the ground with ease. I couldn't make out what took him, but we all saw it fly him into the darkness.

My eyes noticed the leaderboard shift and another name appeared below mine in white letters. It was nice to see my name move up on the board, although it was the cost of the man's life. I uncovered my ears as the shrieking died down again. Sweat beaded on my face as adrenaline pumped through me. My heart raced at the sight of what just happened. Something had caught that monster"s attention. Noise? Movement? I didn't want to test my theory and be wrong. Maybe it was something else entirely. Damnit.

Nobody was moving or speaking out of fear. All my time in the forbidden woods told me to keep my eyes trained on the trees. I didn't want to miss the monster again. Minutes ticked by without anyone moving and no creatures appearing.

Leaning down very slowly, I grabbed a rock. My breath caught in my throat as I surveyed the woods again. My movement didn't seem to attract anything. I slowly tossed the rock into the middle of the arena, hoping it would attract whatever the creature was.

Nothing happened until the rock hit the glass vase. All the red stones tumbled to the ground as the sound of shattering glass ricocheted around us. The noise echoed past us into the forest and the shrieking of the creatures started again. We could hear them thrashing through the trees towards us. I laid on my stomach and watched as winged monsters flew from the trees and toward the center of the arena.

I held my breath as the creatures landed near the stones. A small gasp escaped me when one of the creatures turned towards me. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before, a batlike creature, light gray and translucent in the moonlight. Red and black spikes adorned the tops of its wings. Its face was void of anything, including eyes thankfully, except for a large split across its face where its mouth must be.

Although fae thought the forbidden woods held many monsters, I had never seen one of these in all my years of sneaking through the woods, but maybe I had just been lucky enough to never run into one.

Someone across the arena from me let out a gasp at the grotesque sight of them. Their ears bent toward the noise before letting out a piercing shriek into the dark sky. All three creatures took off in the direction of the man who screamed and chaos erupted. Men were yelling and running to escape the arena.

The young fae from this morning with red hair and freckles moved swiftly towards the stones without any noise, without paying much attention to the chaos.

It was impressive how fast and quietly he moved. Following his lead, I headed quickly towards the stones but stopped by a boulder to ensure I was still off their radar. This was just like sneaking through the shadow boundary and through the forbidden wood. It wasn"t until I was halfway through the meadow that a deafening crash sounded next to me. A rock rolled past me, hitting the large boulder I was hiding behind. The impact was loud even with men yelling.

When I glanced behind me, the burly man gave me an evil smile. I turned back right as one of the creatures grabbed me. Its long claws dug into my shoulder with a piercing cry. A deep, painful sob tore through me before silencing myself. One of them was manageable, but all of them would kill me.

The creature"s ankle was as cold as ice when I grabbed it to steady myself and take the pressure of its claws off my shoulder as we started ascending. I reached for the dagger in my boot, praying to the gods above that I didn't drop it. When the dagger balanced in my hand, I pulled it back as far as I could for power. The blade seemed heavy as I angled it at the monster's ankle. I sliced as far through the ankle as I could, nearly severing it from the monster's leg.

Thankfully we hadn't made it too far above the ground before it dropped me, but the wind was still knocked from my lungs as I landed on the ground. The air whooshed from me, leaving me gasping for air as pain shot through my shoulder and back. Warm blood soaked through my shirt, but my eyes caught the faint blue of a Wisp by the tree line. Even though it had no eyes that I could see, I could sense that it was watching me as it flickered out and appeared next to me in the field. I couldn't explain the feeling of urgency that filled me when the Wisp came closer.

I needed to hurry up before the stones were gone or that creature came looking for me again.

Men were still shouting, some using magic to fight off the creatures even though it wasn't allowed. Thoughts of Sybil, the twins, and the mother with her young son who died for no reason plagued me. They were counting on me to stand up and finish this task. The pain that shot through my shoulder took away my breath as I stood up.

By some stroke of luck, the creature had dropped me closer to the stones than where I had been. There were still quite a few which meant I might still place in the top ten. I grabbed a stone and turned towards the edge of the tree line. My eyes took in the horrific scene unfolding. Creatures had ripped men apart, eating parts of them before leaving to kill another.

Blood splatter covered the tall grass of the meadow. It was an absolute massacre. There was no way only ten would've died here. A quick glance at the scoreboard showed my name in second place, but having a rock didn't secure my safety. Refusing to look behind me at the sounds of terrified men and creatures, I forced myself to push forward. I had seen enough of the massacre in front of me. Task one was almost behind me. I just needed to walk through the boundary, and I was nearly there when the Wisp cut me off. No one else seemed to notice the blue orb floating in front of me. I opened my mouth to ask what it was doing, but it shifted to the side making my eyes follow.

The burly fae had trapped the young fae man.

"Give it now!" the giant fae whispered harshly. He was restraining the young red haired fae by his upper arms. The fae shook his head, refusing to give the stone, his red curls bouncy with the movement. The burly man didn't hesitate to punch the kid in the face. The sound of crunching bones had me turning away.

I continued towards the edge of the arena, reminding myself that that was not my battle to fight. I didn't need to involve myself.

The Wisp thought differently as it stopped me again, clearly wanting me to reconsider. The crunch of the fae's bones made me flinch. I mulled my options over. If the burly man got that stone from the kid, he would definitely make the top ten for this task. I needed the best of the best to actually win so I could win the wish. That kid should be in the top spot with how well he did getting the task done. His stealth was unmatched and that was valuable.

As I turned to face them again the burly man grabbed the stone from the boy.

Fuck. I guess I was involving myself.

Grabbing the dagger from my boot, I flicked it quickly at the man. He swallowed down his painful cry as my blade buried itself in his wrist, falling to his knees in pain. My dagger was long, so it stuck straight through his wrist on both sides. The stone fell from his hand and so did the young fae. His body was a heap of blood and broken bones. He didn't move or make a noise and worried he might be dead already.

I hurried over to him. I wasn't letting him lose his top ten spot because of that asshole. He was bloodied and his hand twisted in the wrong direction. Gods be damned. Grabbing his stone, I slipped it into his pocket.

"Come on," I whispered as I lifted him. He sobbed softly. Thank the stars that he was smaller than the typical male fae.

"Shhh." My eyes darted around but the creatures were too busy with other contestants to notice his small noise.

"Just leave me. I'm too wounded to do well in the next task," he muttered.

"I'll heal you when this task is completed," I promised because the Wisp made it a point that I needed to step in. It was stupid to involve myself.

He leaned into me as a couple of others ran ahead of us and through the boundary. Damn it. My focus was on getting us through the edge of the trees. We only needed to be in the top ten to receive the most points. When we were almost there, I heard the burly man making his way towards us. He had a stone in his hand, but I was sure he wanted to kill me or both of us.

"This is going to hurt," I warned the young fae.

"Wh–" his sentence was cut short when I shoved him through the barrier. His name shifted up on the leaderboard.

The burly man tackled me through the boundary. The brightness on this side was nearly paralyzing. Pain seeped into every part of my body. I let out a painful cry as my shoulder landed on the unforgiving ground.

"You fucking bitch!" The burly man yelled now that the creatures weren't a threat. His fist connected with my face, and I cried out before I bucked him off me. I stood and kicked him as hard as I could in the face. The crunch of his nose gave me great satisfaction. His reaction was quick as I tumbled to the ground again when he swiped my feet out from under me. I didn't care where I was hitting. My only goal was to inflict as much pain as possible as I swung my fists.

I grabbed his wrist where my dagger embedded into it and squeezed. The horrifying scream he made called to the darkness in my chest. The darkness that didn't let me feel bad for killing others who got in my way. My fire magic simmered in my chest, but I pushed it down. Losing control couldn't happen. His other fist caught me off guard when it connected to my eye. Again, my fire magic surged forward, but I held it in the cage of my chest. The burly man lay under me as we both swung our fists mercilessly before we were torn apart.

Cassius pulled us away from each other. His eyes were black as night as he stared down the burly man then shifted his glare to me. The man and I were both bleeding from our faces. Blood soaked my shirt from the shoulder wound. Others had gathered around to watch the fight. I stared him down as he huffed angry breaths.

"I'll fucking kill you!" the burly fae promised. I glanced at the leaderboard and noticed I was above him in spot number four.

"Looks like I placed before you. Does that mean I won the bet?" I said smugly just to piss him off more.

It worked, and he lunged for me again, but shadows circled us, blocking him from getting close. Cassius and I stood in the shadows where no one could see us. My eyes focused on the black misty shadows that had formed a wall around us. His black eyes focused on me for a long moment before looking over my wounds. I'm sure I looked like hell because my body ached with every small movement.

"You shouldn't have involved yourself," he seethed. "You would have made first place."

"The boy deserved a place in the top ten. He was the best at the task. I want the best of the best in the top ten with me. It's the only way to earn the wish."

"Well, now he's useless because of his wounds," Cassius hissed as he squared himself like I might punch him. My hands curled into fists. "You wasted your spot to help someone who likely will fail the next challenge. Just worry about your damn self out there."

Why was he so pissed off at me?

"I didn't ask for your opinion on the matter," I argued right back. I had taken a step closer to him, so he knew I wasn't intimidated by him and his shadow magic. I'm sure my fire magic would be a challenge for him. "I know what I'm doing. I'm not stupid."

He stepped closer to me, too, but I couldn't move away because of his shadows. They had closed in around us, not allowing any extra space. His hot breath fanned my face as he exhaled sharply through his nose.

"Look at you!" he breathed. "Look at how much you gave up. You're beat to hell, Thea. How are you supposed to do well in the next trial?"

"Let me out of your shadows," I demanded as I pushed at his chest. I knew what I was doing and what consequences my actions would have. He was just like Kaz, Kai, and Sybil. They all thought I was too impulsive and reckless.

His shadows disappeared immediately, and we stormed away from each other. The contestants were all gathered in a small area watching Cassius and I fight. I walked over to where other survivors had congregated and joined them.

The king stood on his small balcony. "The trial has concluded. You all demonstrated great bravery and skill today." He turned to the leaderboard. "It appears we lost more than ten participants today, so thirty-six of you remain. I want to remind you that killing each other is prohibited between trials. However, you are allowed to use magic now that the first task is completed. I will see you all when the next trial is to take place." His eyes pierced into me as he spoke.

He disappeared and I turned to find the red haired fae. He was sitting on the ground in front of the Crimson Castle, nursing his broken hand. I hurried over to him. His dark eyes found mine as his body shivered with pain. I leaned down and helped him rise to his feet.

"Come on, let's heal you up." I huffed as we both struggled to move inside the castle. We passed the men's sleeping quarters and headed towards my room so we would have privacy.

I wasn't quite sure how to use the healing magic Sybil gave me, but I hoped I could figure it out. The walk to my room felt more expansive than it truly was. The fae next to me grunted in pain with each step forward. The others had walked by us without offering any help. I thought of tripping the burly fae as he walked by but controlled my impulses.

We paused in the hallway, leaning against the black stone walls to catch our breath.

"Most would have just left me," he breathed out in painful breaths. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you'd done the same."

"I saw the way you moved so quietly and quickly. You would have gotten first place if it wasn't for that prick. I want the best in the top ten with me." It was odd being vulnerable towards this stranger. "Besides, that man is a fucking troll. Any excuse to stab him is enticing."

The fae laughed but stopped abruptly, pain contorting his face. I moved to help him to my room quickly.

"His name is Leer, by the way," the boy grunted.

I didn't care what the burly fae's name was. I would still refer to him as a troll until he was eliminated from the tournament.

When we finally reached my wooden door, I turned to look down the hall when I sensed eyes watching me. Cassius stood staring at the two of us disappearing into my room. His face gave nothing away about what he was thinking, but his shadows furled around him in an angry cloud still.

Ignoring him I walked through the door and helped the boy sit on my bed. The sound of the door locking had me releasing a long breath of relief.

"What's your name?" I asked as I moved towards where he was sitting on my bed.

"My friends call me Nev."

"Alright, Nev. I'm not sure how well I'm going to be able to do this," I said honestly. "So, let's get to it."

I could tell he wanted to ask what I meant but I didn't give him the chance. I inspected his wounds. His hand and ribs were definitely broken. Sybil's magic hummed in the amulet around my neck, eager to be utilized.

Was I just supposed to touch where he was hurt? Nothing happened when I did that. Hmm. I had never seen a healer heal. I hadn't seen anyone use magic besides myself and Cassius. I focused hard on his wounds and willed the magic to fix them, but that didn't work either.

This was ridiculous.

"Is something wrong?" Nev asked.

"No, it's just being a little shy." I sighed grabbing the amulet around my neck, willing the damned thing to show me how to use it. The orange and red from it seeped out and across my hand. The colors traveled through my veins and pulsed a power I had never experienced before. Nev's eyes widened in shock as the magic ran through me. When I touched Nev's hand the magic made its way to every part of my body.

The magic seeped through me and into him. His hand slowly pieced itself back together. His bloodied face healed before my eyes. Nev stared at me in awe. I could feel my own wounds hurting less and knew it was likely healing both of us at once. The magic glowed in my veins illuminating small swirls of red, black, and orange on my skin just like they had in my dream. The marks were so faint I doubted that he would spot them.

Nev flexed his once-broken hand and smiled brightly at me. As I let go of the amulet, Sybil's magic lingered in my chest with my own. He stood up fully healed and tried quick jerky movements to test it out.

"Like new," he chuckled. "Thank you." He smiled brightly at me.

"It was no problem."

"You healed up nicely, too." He pointed at my shoulder. I did feel better, but I was exhausted. My eyes were heavy as I sat on the bed.

"Are you alright?" His brows creased.

"I just need to lay down and rest." My words had barely left my mouth before my world went dark.