Once Bastian was gone, Fordham came to her side. “Any information for me?” he asked hopefully.
She shook her head. She hadn’t had a single vision. Nothing to tell her what was coming. He was going in as blind as she was.
“That’s all right. I can win this anyway,” he said confidently, his hand going to his raven medallion.
“Have they told you what’s going to happen?”
“Last night, before the fight,” he confided. “It’s a battle of wits. We will be transported around Alandria and have to try to get to this cave network. We can only bring our medallions with us. There’s no set amount of time either. We could be out there for days and have to find our own food and water. There will be tasks along the way. If we make it through, then we get to choose a dragon.”
Kerrigan nodded. She had been a part of the last dragon tournament in the final task. Though she had sworn to never discuss it. They had even put a spell over the binding to keep her from saying anything. But she knew precisely what would happen once he found that cave network. She just hoped he made it.
“Good luck,” was all she said.
He reached out and slipped his pinkie around hers. Just the barest gesture, a slight squeeze, and her entire insides melted into goo. She looked up into his bright gray eyes, and her heart fluttered. He quirked a half-smile before straightening and joining the rest of the competitors.
Kerrigan moved to the front of the box as music blared, and the final eight competitors were paraded around the arena one last time. After today, eight would narrow down to five, and those five would all be bound to dragons, become dragon riders, and join the Society. The ultimate honor.
A pang of envy flashed through her. She had told Helly that she wanted to make something of herself. That she didn’t want to just be left behind… again. But it was more. She wanted that. Fame and glory and to be a part of the lawmaking. From the inside, she could actually enact change—or at least, try, which was more than was happening now.
But it would never, ever be. After Cyrene, they’d never allow a half-Fae girl in their ranks. And on some level, Kerrigan hardly blamed them… but that didn’t mean she wanted to accept it.
The competitors were in line, and the master of ceremonies gave final instructions. The crowd cheered. The tension in the enormous arena was frothing.
And then came the final bout of information.
“Today, we’re testing to see if you are worthy to join the ranks of the great Society. We have already tested your physical and mental prowess in the first two tasks, but this will test your will. To do that, the officiators have agreed to give each competitor a potion that will temporarily remove your access to your magic.”
Cheers from the crowd. Shock and disgust from the competitors. Kerrigan remembered the feeling of being without magic when Clare had delivered a similar potion. It had been terrifying. Also, she found it ironic that a society built around the biggest and baddest magical wielders would make their competitors no better than the humans they so loathed. Only someone so deep into their own privilege wouldn’t see the absurdity of it.
The competitors were escorted out of the arena and deep into the mountain. From here on out, they were beyond the view of the crowd. Anything that happened in the third task was for those competing only. That was the only way they kept the third task mysterious enough.
“Well,” Valia said to her right, “now, we wait.”
Kerrigan bit her lip and prayed to whichever god would listen to watch over Fordham. She hoped that no visions meant that he was going to be safe, but she doubted it. No one was safe in the final task.
* * *
At dusk, the crowd grew restless. Kerrigan among them.
Most knew that the final task didn’t typically end that last day, but it made for a long wait to see who would show up. Luckily, the Society had other displays come into the arena—sword fighting, music, dancing, horse racing, and even some dragon flying demonstrations—while they waited on the big spectacle. But by nighttime, even Kerrigan was tired of waiting around.
A good portion of people had gone home. They would return the next morning and hope that they hadn’t missed out. Only a few diehards would remain all night in hopes of seeing one of the dragons flying home.
“I need sustenance,” Kerrigan told Valia, who was ever vigilant, staring at the horizon.
“Bring me back some hard cheese and goat’s milk, if they have it,” she requested.
Kerrigan yawned. “Sure thing.”
Nerves bit into her the entire walk back to the mountain. She didn’t like not knowing what was happening with Fordham, if he was doing all right. She was glad for the distraction of returning to the mountain. They had some food, water, and wine at the table, but it had been sitting out all day. She needed something fresh and couldn’t bring herself to ask a servant to do it for her.
She made it inside to the feasting table, which was mostly empty at this hour, and rounded up supplies for herself and Valia. She had a tray full of food and turned to exit the mountain once more when she felt a dizzy spell hit her.
Kerrigan gasped as her vision went blurry, and she felt unconsciousness beckon. “Oh gods.”
Hastily, she set the tray down on the ground and pressed her back into the cold stone of the mountain. Blissfully, the corridors were empty, but even if they weren’t, she wouldn’t have been able to fight off what was happening. A vision was coming whether she wanted it or not. Just before it pulled her through, she hoped that this was the answer to her prayers, and she would find out what was happening with Fordham. She
