“She ran well,” Tamra said. A slow start, but she’d compensated for it, taking the turns exactly as they’d practiced. She’d had enough speed in the final leg, but then that other kehok, the one shaped like a beetle with a hawk’s head . . . It had spurted forward as if burned. She didn’t think the creature had had that much left in reserve. Certainly its rider hadn’t looked like the kind who held back enough for a last push—he’d stormed full-speed out of his gate. She frowned, her face a mask of concentration as she replayed the race in her mind.
“It shouldn’t have happened that way.”
The more she thought about it, the more convinced she was. That kind of rider with that kind of technique . . . he shouldn’t have had the strength for such a final burst of speed.
She noticed a commotion near the finish line. Judges were on the sands, arguing with one another. The crowd near them was beginning to push and shove.
“Ooh, a scandal!” Lady Evara said, delight in her voice.
A second later, Tamra realized what she meant: a new flag was being raised and the old results flag was being lowered. Raia and the lion were first.
“The hawk-beetle kehok cheated,” Tamra guessed. She’d been right—the rider hadn’t given his racer the extra push. The extra push must have come from his trainer, who, Tamra saw, was down on the sands, near the finish line, arguing with the judges.
He must have found a way to position himself within the psychic shield. Tamra felt as if she could breathe again. Her knees felt wobbly as she plopped down onto a bench.
“That was so exciting!” Lady Evara said.
“One word for it,” Tamra agreed. Lucky was a better word.
Standing, she looked for her rider. Raia had already disappeared into the stable. Tamra wasn’t sure she’d seen the change in results.
“I feel breathless,” Lady Evara said. “What happens next?”
“We go back to the royal stable, and prepare for the next race.” The first major race. If they could win enough major races, then they’d race in the final championship race. If . . . If . . . If . . .
This was too close. We can’t let it get this close again.
They’d had one lucky break. She was certain the River wouldn’t grant them another.
It hadn’t granted that foolish child Fetran another.
Lady Evara was eyeing her with a piercing look, and Tamra was reminded yet again that she was much more calculating than she acted. “Do you have ideas for ensuring the next race is less exciting? We have yet to have a solid win. It would be lovely to feel confident about our chances as we head into the majors. There are still a lot of races between us and the final championship race, and I don’t think my nerves can take this much excitement.”
Tamra wasn’t concerned about Lady Evara’s nerves, though—she was worried about what today’s race was going to do for Raia’s confidence. The longer she went thinking she’d lost, the more damage would be done. “I’ll work with her.”
“We need strategies, dear Tamra,” Lady Evara said. Her tone was light as always, but her expression was dead serious. “There are trainers, as we’ve seen today, who would do anything to win.”
Narrowing her eyes, she studied Lady Evara, hoping she wasn’t saying what Tamra thought she was saying, and especially hoping she wasn’t saying it here in the midst of the stands, where anyone could overhear. “Those who attempt to cheat at the races are disqualified.”
“Only if they’re caught.” Then, a second later, Lady Evara tilted back her head and let loose as cascading laugh, as if to say of course she was only joking.
Tamra knew she should laugh along, but the best she could manage was a glare. “Don’t,” she warned. “We will win this, fair and square.”
“Very well,” Lady Evara agreed. “But remember: all of Becar needs you to succeed.”
“Believe me, I know.” Tamra pushed her way through the crowd, ignoring all the other trainers and people congratulating her, and tried to get Lady Evara’s words out of her head. That kind of pressure could break a rider—or a trainer.
Raia didn’t crumble until she was safely alone, back in the royal stable, away from all the eyes and words. If one more person said congratulations and talked about how lucky she was that the cheater had been caught . . .