The field went silent. The men glanced at Flynn, perplexed, while he stared at the distant palace as if waiting for Cosima to emerge.
The Proctor’s lips flattened. “Come again?”
“The Savior,” Flynn said. “Where is She? She’s usually present for challenges. She watches us compete more often than not.”
“Her Holiness is occupied with important matters,” the Proctor growled. “I do hope you’re not expecting Her attention at all times.”
“Of course. Naturally,” Flynn stammered. “I was just curious, is all.”
The Proctor’s nostrils flared. “Hidden somewhere in these woods is a token of affection: a single rose. Your task is simple: find it, no matter the cost, and bring it back to Her person.”
A rose. Tobias’s evening with Leila flitted through his mind, and he nearly smiled until he recalled whom they were competing for.
“You’ll be divided into two teams,” the Proctor said. “The team that retrieves the rose will win an afternoon with Her Holiness. The man who carries the rose in hand will receive extended time alone with The Savior, a reward for his tireless commitment.”
A sour taste filled Tobias’s mouth. Whatever you do, stay away from that rose.
“Now for your teams.” The Proctor scanned the men. “Dragon, Hunter, Prince, and Shepherd, step forward.”
The chosen men did as they were told, and a flurry of confused emotion turned within Tobias. He wasn’t entirely sure if he should be happy to have Drake and Kaleo far from his team or dread their opposition, though perhaps even worse was the fact that his allies were divided, forcing him to fight against two of his own.
“The four of you will play as a team—shirts. The remainder of you—Intellect, Bear, Brave, Artist—will play as a team as well.” The Proctor’s eyes panned to Tobias and shrank into slits. “Skins. Toss me your shirts.”
You little shit, I just got this shirt. Tobias begrudgingly pulled his shirt overhead, tossing it at the Proctor’s feet.
“For the shirts, your station stands behind me: the pedestal with its black vase.” The Proctor stepped aside, displaying a marble pedestal with a vase made of onyx. “Skins, your station is across the way: the pedestal boasting a vase in white. For the challenge to end, the rose must be brought back to the proper team’s station and placed in its accompanying vase.”
Flynn’s face twisted with criticism. “This is a children’s game.”
The Proctor pulled a blade from his pocket and tossed it into Flynn’s hands. “Now it’s a man’s game.”
Most of the men glanced nervously at one another, while Drake and Kaleo stood still, unaffected. The Proctor made his way down the line, handing out blades.
“Each of you will be armed. Retrieve the rose at any cost.”
He reached the end of the line and dropped a blade into Tobias’s palms, only for it to break into pieces.
“That’s unfortunate,” the Proctor mumbled.
Tobias’s eyes shot toward him. “I don’t get another?”
The Proctor patted his empty pockets. “It appears that was the final blade.”
Tobias clenched his jaw, his chest swelling with anger as he tossed the steel shards onto the grass. Nothing about this felt like an accident.
“Gentlemen,” the Proctor said. “Take root at your stations.”
Tobias trudged across the field, parking himself in front of the pedestal and its white vase. Bjorne, Garrick, and Raphael appeared along either side of him, but he ignored them, watching as the other team made its way to their station. Orion and Flynn were focused, preparing for the challenge, but Drake and Kaleo stared straight at him—the only unarmed competitor.
“You’ve survived worse,” Raphael said. “You’ll escape with your life, same as always.”
“Horseshit,” Garrick scoffed. “He’s as good as dead and useless to our cause.”
“Ready,” the Proctor shouted.
Most of the men took a running stance, yet Drake and Kaleo still stared at Tobias. He balled his empty hands into fists. Fuck the challenge.
Stay alive.
The Proctor took Pippa’s hand and gently led her toward the side of the field. “The challenge begins now.” His beady glare passed over the men. “Run.”
The men darted toward the trees, save for Drake and Kaleo, who barreled straight for Tobias. Adrenaline burst through him, and he bolted into the woods.
Streaks of green whizzed past him, the forest around him a blur. He listened for Drake and Kaleo’s footsteps, but all he could hear were his own feet pounding against the dirt, and all he saw were trees shooting high above him.
And then a mass of black ink swept through his peripheral vision, as Drake charged toward him, his blade in hand.