Kerrigan finally reached the very tip-top of the arena. She leaned forward, gasping for breath. A stitch had formed in her side. She really wasn’t that out of shape, but she was still recovering from the vision.
Finally, when she could straighten again, she stepped into the box for the master of ceremonies. Kerrigan immediately exhaled in relief. By some magic, the box was as cold as a spring night right after the ice melted off the mountains. It cooled the sweat on her neck and sent a soft shiver down her spine. The box itself was lavish beyond measure. Platters of fruit, bread, and cheese were set up on a table along with chilled wine, and attendants were available for any needs. Cushioned chairs sat in rows before the open arena window with the entirety of the arena and the rest of Kinkadia shown before her. This was as good as any view of the city Kerrigan had seen inside the mountain. The entire thing was a far cry from the dusty, drab competitors’ box she’d just walked out of. The luxury of the rich at its finest.
She recognized most of the faces, most notably Master Lorian with his family at the front of the box, but that was to be expected. His wealth in Venatrix was only rivaled by his choke hold on the council. To her surprise, her eyes snagged on Darby, seated demurely next to her new mistress. She wore a navy Bryonican dress in the finest silk, embroidered with lace and seed pearls. She looked truly stunning. How Kerrigan had always seen her.
With a wistful sigh, Kerrigan strode up to the attendant beside the master of ceremonies. The attendant nodded gratefully and handed the slip of paper to his master.
Kerrigan backed out of the room as the master of ceremonies wove an elaborate speech about where the teams and contestants had finished on the first day of the tournament. She wanted to escape before the crowds. But just as she exited the cool beauty of the top box, another person darted out of it.
“Kerrigan!”
She turned back and found Darby waiting there on the top step. “Darby, what are you doing?”
But her eyes were wide with concern. “I couldn’t find you after you left to speak with Helly. I didn’t know what had happened to you.”
“I’m fine, Darbs,” she said as her friend flung herself into her arms. “I’m right here. I’m working with the tournament.”
Darby pulled back and swallowed. “Good. I’m glad you’re safe. Have you seen Lyam? Was he with you?”
“Lyam? No, why would he be? Wasn’t he packing to go with Kenris?”
“That’s what I thought,” Darby said, “but he never showed up. Hadrian hasn’t seen him either. Kenris came looking for him, but no one knew where he was. I thought that he must have been with you. But now, you’re saying he wasn’t with you.”
“No, he wasn’t.”
“He wouldn’t miss this,” Darby said resolutely. “This isn’t like him. I think he’s missing.”
“Missing? Where would he have gone?”
“I don’t know.” She sounded frantic and a little terrified. “But as wily and adventurous as Lyam is, he has never had us worry about him. We always know where he’s going, and he always comes back… mostly on time. Kenris is in the box next door, and Lyam’s not there. He’s been gone for hours.”
“Okay. Okay,” Kerrigan said softly. “I have to return to the tournament for directions. Why don’t we meet back in our rooms and we can figure out what’s going on? There must be a reasonable explanation.”
“All right,” Darby said. “I’ll meet you. And I’ll tell Hadrian too. But I don’t like this. Lyam loves the tournament. There’s no way he’d miss it.”
Darby was right. There was no way. Even when they had all made fun of the tournament, the excitement and parties made all the hours and days and weeks cooped up with tutors worthwhile. Lyam wouldn’t miss this. Which begged the question… where was he?
Kerrigan squeezed Darby’s hand. “I’ll meet you.”
Then, she hastened back down the stairs just as the dam broke, and the flood of the crowd burst from the stadium seating. Kerrigan was carried down through the stream of people like a herd of cattle. She couldn’t even veer to the left to head back down to the competitors’ box. There was no escape from the masses, only onward. She couldn’t even stop moving until she was outside of the arena—on the opposite side of where she needed to be.
She sighed heavily. This day was not going at all how she’d thought it would.
“There you are!” a voice called from the crowd.
Kerrigan turned to find a tall figure pushing her direction. Clover materialized then, out of Dozan’s red vest and in an all-black tunic and pants. Her bob was as severe as ever.
“I’ve been looking all over for you,” Clover said. “You left way before I woke up this morning. I went to find you in the mountain before the tournament started, but even I couldn’t sneak by the guards. They’re on high alert.”
Clover fell into step with Kerrigan as they picked their way back toward the mountain entrance.
“It’s been an interesting morning.”
“Tell me about it. Dozan is in a rage in the Wastes. I got out as soon as I could.”
“A rage about what?”
She shrugged. “Didn’t stick around to find out.”
“Sounds like Dozan.”
“What about you? Did you make your deal with Helly?”
Kerrigan nodded. “Sort of. She offered me a place in the mountain.”
Clover wrinkled her nose.
“I know. I asked for a month… until the end of the tournament to find a tribe that will accept me.”
“You could just stay with me,” Clover said with a wink.
“You know I don’t want to be beholden to Dozan.”
Clover sighed. “I know. I don’t particularly enjoy it either. So, you think you can do it? Find a tribe in a month?”
Kerrigan shrugged noncommittally. “Going to have to try.” She brushed a lock of
