After all, a person continues to live through the memories they leave behind and it was her Gift to remember.
Maybe it was why she’d seen the Cleaner in that cot. She alone was capable of remembering the Ancient in the tunnels. Allyra struggled to hold on to that bare thread of logic, to make sense of what had happened, but the pain overwhelmed her.
She collapsed to the ground with a sob and High Master Zhuang rushed over to her.
“Are you hurt?” He asked gently.
She brushed him off and took another painful breath. “I’m fine.” She choked out. “Just tired.”
Jason shot her a look of disgust as High Master Zhuang helped her back to her feet.
“Congratulations.” Marcus said to her, insincerity ringing through his voice.
Allyra closed her fingers into a tight fist, wishing she could claw his face off. She was certain that he was a Revenant parading as the Elemental High Master. He’d forced her into this situation, and was relishing in her pain, but for now she had to maintain her silence. There was no knowing the reach he had.
She couldn’t trust anyone but herself.
Allyra steeled herself and straightened her back. That would be the last weakness they would see from her. She would continue fighting, for Alex, for her father, for Jamie, for Pierre, and for the green-eyed Cleaner she left behind.
She flashed Marcus an equally insincere smile.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw High Master Jameson turn away in anger, her face twisted in disappointment. Allyra was gripped by a sudden desire to scream at her: Your daughter is a heartless bitch.
Marcus nodded at her and Jason, “Congratulations.” He repeated. “You may return to the dormitory.”
She turned and walked away, not bothering to see if Jason was following her.
Chapter 31 – Jamie
Jamie woke up in another dormitory to the loud chatter of multiple voices. He groaned and pulled his pillow over his head, trying to drown out the noise. He felt as if he could sleep for another week. He turned over to get more sleep and let out an involuntary yelp as he rolled over his arm.
Pain rushed up his arm. He sat up gingerly and saw that it was in a cast – only, he couldn’t remember how he’d broken it. The last thing he could remember was standing in front of a doorway, a doorway framed by tree roots leading into dark tunnels…
Gemma appeared over him. “You’re awake!”
He groaned again.
Gemma handed him a couple of white pills and a glass of water. “Here – take these, the medics left them for you. I’d keep an eye on them though, there’s a couple of fairly beat up people who wouldn’t mind stealing them from you.”
Jamie pushed himself up – it was another dormitory and all the eliminated competitors were back. It was loud and raucous, as if some valve had been opened and all the tension leading up to the Trials was being released.
He looked at Gemma and then realization washed over him. “Who…”
“She made it.” Gemma pre-empted. “Allyra is in the final with Jason. She’s fine.” Gemma looked away and he could see she was holding something back.
“What’s going on?” Jamie asked, exhausted before he even heard the answer. He was angry with Allyra, but not so much that he didn’t care for her wellbeing.
He couldn’t imagine ever being that angry with her.
As long as she was fine, he’d rather just go back to sleep.
“It’s Pierre.”
“What about him?” Jamie asked with his eyes closed.
“He didn’t make it.” Gemma said quietly, her eyes down cast. “The funeral is tomorrow.”
Shock spread through him as he remembered Pierre – the gentle giant with six younger siblings. He couldn’t quite believe he was gone.
“How?” Jamie asked, but knew that there’d be no answer.
“I don’t know.” Gemma replied quietly, twisting a strand of her shocking pink hair around her finger. “A bunch of you were hurt quite badly, Rosalie is still in the medical bay.”
“We’re being kept here until a winner is actually crowned.” Gemma continued and looked around, wincing as the sound of shattering porcelain hit them. “People are getting bored.”
He glanced at the source of the broken plates. The Terras were letting off steam with some arm wrestling and a wooden table and all its contents had paid the ultimate price.
Almost everyone was up and about, though many were walking wounded. There was a large range in severity of injuries – Andy still looked the worst off, pale and wane, with his shoulder bandaged tightly, while others just had a number of scrapes and bruises.
He shook his head again; unable to fully comprehend that Pierre was gone.
How had he died?
Who killed him?
Ice flooded his veins as he realized that the possibility existed that he’d killed Pierre. If he did, he’d never remember it. Jamie didn’t know which was worse, the lost memories or never knowing the truth…
“So – Jason and Allyra? The bookies are having a field day with it…” Gemma said, disturbing his increasingly morbid thoughts.
He nodded with a smile, glad for the interruption. “I should’ve put some money on her – I should’ve known that you never bet against Allyra. Thank God it’s over…”
She gave him a curious look. “What do you mean – it’s over?”
“The Council specified that she only needed to come in second to show that she has sufficient control. She’s done that – she’s won her freedom.”
“Well – I guess that’s true. But she still has to survive the third Trial.”
“Survive?”
“One on one combat? The third Trial is the same year after year. The winner is only declared when one concedes or – “ Her voice faded away and she looked away uncomfortably.
“Or what?” He demanded. “Come on Gemma, spit it out.”
“Or one of them can no longer
