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 hair behind her ear and then habitually moved it back to hide it once more. “Anyway, Darby is worried about Lyam. He never turned up this morning.”
“Ah, Lee is probably drunk somewhere. He’s a lightweight,” Clover said with a laugh.
“Probably,” Kerrigan agreed. “But it’s not like him to miss something this important. His new tribe sponsor showed up and no Lyam? Seems odd. And I don’t like the idea that he’s missing.”
“Yeah. That’s not good.”
“I can get you into the mountain. Meet me in my rooms. I have to report to the tournament administrator first.”
Clover perked up at that. “Why do you have to talk to him?”
“Helly said I still had to work for my keep,” she admitted. “So, I’m working for the tournament… since that’s my timeline.”
“Damn.”
“Yep,” Kerrigan said, popping the end of the word.
The guards waved them in as they passed back into the shade of Draco Mountain.
“All right, I’ll meet you in your rooms,” Clover said, veering off in the opposite direction of Kerrigan, who jogged toward the tournament rooms.
She was running behind again. Bastian had told her to hurry back, but she hadn’t anticipated getting caught in the melee. She was breathing heavy again when she finally made it into the hall, which was strangely empty. Usually, people were bustling around, enjoying meals, and chitchatting. Voices and the ring of steel could be heard from the training facility. After the beating today, Kerrigan couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to train, but to each their own.
Administrators kept rooms near the competitors during the length of the tournament, and Kerrigan headed that direction. She was nearly there when Valia materialized.
“You don’t quite know the meaning of hurry, do you?”
Kerrigan bristled. “I got caught in the crowd.”
A smile split Valia’s face. “I’m kidding. I don’t care how long it took you. Bastian is just annoyed and takes it out on me.”
“That’s frustrating,” Kerrigan said. “Should I go speak to him?”
She shook her head. “Better not. I swear it must be a full moon tonight. Everyone is acting so incredibly strange.”
“I’ve noticed that,” she admitted.
“Anyway, here you go.” Valia passed her a note. “I wrote out Bastian’s instructions so that you could avoid a few moments of pain.”
Kerrigan took the note from the girl. “I appreciate that. My friend is missing, and I really need to figure out where he went off to.”
Valia frowned. “I’m so sorry. I hope that you find him.”
“Thanks,” she said, waving the paper at her in retreat. “Me too.”
Kerrigan headed back through the hall, and as she was about to enter the corridor that led back to her old apartment, Fordham appeared before her. She didn’t even