"What happens if you don't have enough points?" The question comes out like a whisper. I know the answer isn't going to be good. Anyone who puts a load of people in an enclosure with a bunch of murderous dragons is probably not the kind of person to let losers off nicely.
"I don't know," he admits.
"There's a lot you don't know about this." Though it's still more than I've been told in the past.
He chuckles nervously. "Yes."
"I thought you volunteered for this?" I make sure to soften my voice.
"It doesn't matter," he says hastily. "We're not told much more than you, but I can make guesses from watching the Duels. It's rare that someone who kills a dragon doesn't win the Duels."
"Unless they die."
"And most of them do. You're a rarity."
"Is that why you stuck with me?" I regret the words the moment they've left me. Why would I ask that?
"No. You're still a risk to spend time with. How many winners from the city have you heard of?"
I shrug. "None. But that's because we never hear about any of the winners. But we barely know anything about the Duels, except that they exist and that people get to join the Dragon Defenders at the end. I don't even know many people who have volunteered to take part." Though that could potentially be because a lot of them had situations like mine where they simply weren't aware of volunteering.
"Ah. I can see how that's a problem."
"So that's why you saved me? Because you would gain points?"
"I'll probably lose points for it," he admits.
I frown. What does he mean by that? Is there something he isn't telling me?
"I don't want you to lose points because of me," I counter.
"And I want to be able to live with myself when all of this is over," he responds. "Sometimes, that means making decisions that may not go down well with someone else. But I don't care. The only person whose opinion I care about is mine. And maybe yours."
I smile at that. "Well, I appreciate it. Thank you for saving me."
"Any time."
"I hope I don't have to hold you to that," I quip.
He snorts. "I'm almost certain you will. And that you'll return the favour." He leans back against the rock. "I'm sorry about your friend."
The moment he says it, I'm reminded of every moment of losing Marina. I close my eyes and let a couple of the tears there fall.
"I'm sorry too," I whisper. "But she's still in a better place than she was before she came here. That counts for something, right?"
"I don't know," he admits.
I sigh and attempt to pull myself together with a touch of the charm around my wrist. The bracelet is certainly lucky to have survived this long with all of the running. I focus on getting my emotions under control. I know I can't let them get to me. If I do, then I could end up putting us both at risk, especially if Cobalt is going to keep trying to save me every time I get into trouble.
"We should be able to get out of here in about ten minutes or so," he says. "There's another lake close by, we can get water there."
"Okay." As much as I'm not crazy about the idea of ending up back at another lake in case the same thing as last time happens, I know we need water. There's no choice about going to it.
"Are you hurt?"
I frown. "I don't think so." I start patting down my body to check. Adrenaline can do amazing things, especially when grief and the risk of death are in the mix.
I pat my lower leg and wince. I reach forward and pull part of the torn fabric away.
"That doesn't look good," Cobalt says as he examines the graze on my leg.
"It'll be okay once we can clean it." I think. It doesn't look any worse than dozens of other wounds I've had over the years, which gives me hope that it'll be an easy fix so long as we can wash it out.
"But..."
I reach out and put a hand on his leg. "There is no but. That's the only thing we can do right now. We'll get some water and wash it out once we're back at our camp." At least that hasn't been compromised through all of this.
"All right. But we're keeping an eye on it. Infections can kill."
"I know." I don't point out that I've probably seen it happen more times than he has.
"Then let's get going. I don't want to give an infection time to actually set in."
He's crawling out of the rock shelf before I can say anything to the contrary. But I have to admit I'm glad for the idea of getting back to our camp and to things that are familiar. I guess for now, it's the closest thing I have to home. Getting back there will be one step closer to winning this infernal contest.
If Cobalt is right about the points system, then so long as I'm alive when this whole thing is over, I should be a winner. But what about him? He may be okay with losing points by saving me, but what if it means he loses and has to face the punishment? I don't think I'd be okay with that.
Which means we need to work out how to make sure he wins too. Preferably sooner rather than later. If I'm tracking my days right, we're about halfway through.
Right now, five days sounds like an eternity. One I'd rather not face alone.
Chapter Thirteen
I wince as Cobalt rubs an antiseptic wipe over the cut in my leg. It's deeper than we first thought, and needs more cleaning, which hurts worse than doing it in the first place.
"Where
