for a moment, and then she laughed. She didn’t know why she was laughing—it wasn’t funny, either what her parents had done or what had happened to Silar—but she couldn’t seem to stop. Her friends laughed with her.
She spent the next precious few minutes with them, as long as she could spare, talking and laughing, and by the time she left, she knew she was going to win this race. She held tight to that confidence as she strode through the camps, past the holding areas, and through the crowds that were shouting and pointing at her, calling out to her to wish her luck, either good or bad.
She’d nearly reached her campsite when Gette caught up to her.
“Told you we’d race together again,” the prior grand champion said. “I know a competitor when I see one.”
“You told me to quit racing,” Raia reminded him.
He flashed a smile that he must have thought was charming. “It was a test. You passed!”
“You didn’t. Highly likely you’ll be reborn as a hyena.”
“Ouch.”
“Are you trying again to get in my head? Because it won’t work. I’m ready to race, and I’m ready to win.” She smiled as she said it. “And do you know why?”
“Because you’re arrogant after all your wins and have forgotten what it feels like to confront a proven champion? From one rider to another, I only came to tell you that you should feel proud of what you’ve accomplished and not let today’s inevitable loss diminish that pride.”
Raia quit walking. He could be right. He was last year’s champion, and like her, he was undefeated in all his races so far this season. Worse, he’d already beaten her once. Easily. “I have so many reasons to win. Important reasons. But the real reason I’ll win isn’t any of them. Actually, they’re all too terrifying to even think about.” She looked him straight in the eye. “The real reason is because it will be fun to beat you. So thanks for that. And thanks on behalf of my kehok. He’ll enjoy his rebirth.”
Without waiting for him to respond, she pivoted and marched toward her camp, where her kehok and trainer waited for her. In the distance, on the stands, the spectators continued to fill in every bit of available space, all of them eager for the final race to begin.
At last, she was eager too.
And for a brief instant, the excitement outweighed the terror.
By midmorning, the racing grounds were packed tighter than ever before. The stench of kehoks permeated the air, and the sound of several hundred kehoks screaming, bellowing, and screeching at one another was phenomenal.
Tamra loved it.
They’d done it: the championship race!
Or we almost did it. One more race. Just one, and then we’ll have everything we want and need. She thought of Shalla and what this win would mean to their lives, and what it would mean to Raia and her life.
Tamra shooed Raia into the tent to dress in her riding uniform. She checked over the kehok—he looked healthy, strong, and fast. She hummed to herself. Today is going to be a great day. And Shalla will be by my side to see it!
Augur Yorbel promised to bring her when he came from the temple. Lots of augurs came to watch the championship race, and the high augurs would of course be here to drape the victory charm around the winning kehok’s neck. At sundown, they’d bring the kehok back to the temple to be reborn into his or her second chance at life.
It will be better than great, she thought. It will be glorious!
Raia dressed quickly and emerged to coax her racer out of his cage. All around, the other finalists were doing the same. Tamra checked both Raia and the lion over once, twice, three times, and then they made their way to the holding area.
As one of the top twenty, she had well-wishers all around her, shouting at her to run fast, as well as those who were rooting against her, calling out insults. Tamra cheerfully made rude gestures at all of them. “Block it all out,” Tamra told Raia. “Or drink it all in. Whatever will fill you the most. Isn’t this amazing?”
“I think it’s making him nervous,” Raia said.
“Is it making you nervous? That’s what matters most.”
Tamra saw Raia glance at the other competitors, each with his or her own racer. Nearby was Gette with his silver spider. He gave Raia a mocking salute.