But when has anything gone perfectly in these challenges?
I’m tempted to send a prayer to the gods. Please let me get us out of here without leaving anyone behind.
107
Clerk, Ally, Friend
I don’t know how long it takes me to work my way around the amphitheater to the back side of the stage. A while. I can hear the sirens the entire time, keeping them to my left thanks to the terrain and buildings of the isle. Every so often, one takes off into the skies, and I have to duck into shadows or hide in doorways.
It’s not until I’m staring at the back of Jackie’s blond head that I actually believe I can pull this off.
The other champions are held in a small chamber with a door that leads to the sirens and a window—not big enough to climb through—at the back. I don’t want to startle them. If they make too much noise, it’ll draw attention to us.
I give a tiny whistle.
Two heads turn my way—Samuel’s and Jackie’s.
Jackie’s ocean-blue eyes go wide. “Lyra!” she whisper-screams. And I wince, waving at her to be quiet before we both go very still, listening for the sirens guarding the other side of the door. They don’t come. I check over my shoulder, and no one is in sight. But the tension already riding the muscles in my shoulders cranks down harder.
They come to the window. “Tell me you have a plan,” Jackie whispers much more softly.
I show them my pearl. “I need all of you holding hands tight, and for you to hold mine.”
Samuel nods. “Got it.”
They work fast, Samuel carrying the others, one by one, over to the window, and Jackie lining them up with hands held. They’ve got Dae and Trinica in place when a ruckus breaks out inside the theater, the sirens’ argument gaining steam. A few shoot up into the skies, their shadows passing over me. Then two sirens come running around the corner, out a side door from the amphitheater, and Jackie and I freeze.
Only…they don’t seem to notice me.
My heart is in my throat, trying to choke me, but that’s okay, since I’m holding my breath anyway…as they walk right past where I’m squatted, hand stuck through the window. Never even glance in my direction.
Somewhere, the goddess of irony has to be laughing her ass off.
Once they’re out of earshot, Jackie mutters, “What in the name of Hades just happened?”
“More like in the name of Zeus.” I hope that asshole is choking on frustration right about now. “Hurry.”
Samuel gets Amir in place at the end of the line, and Jackie checks all their handholds one last time, then comes to the window, taking Dae’s hand and mine, gripping tight.
Please, for the love of Hades, let me be able to take them all with me.
I set one pearl on my tongue and get two more ready in my hand, then swallow.
The weight of so many people with me pulls at my bad arm—the one the dragon burned—and even in the void of sound, a shout is pulled from my throat, cutting off jarringly when we land directly outside the final gate in a heap.
“Where am I?” I hear Dae groan.
Sharp relief hits me with an added burst of adrenaline. “Get across the finish line before the sirens can come for you again,” I tell them.
Then gulp down another pearl.
I materialize exactly where I pictured—right behind my kneeling friends in the center of the amphitheater.
It was a risk, but I figured it’s faster than sneaking in.
I hold very still and wait for the sirens to scream or attack or have any kind of reaction.
Nothing.
They are still arguing among themselves, and it’s like I’m not even here.
I lean over to Zai and whisper in his ear, “Take Diego and Rima’s hands.”
He sways away from me, frowning a little. “Lyra?” he asks. Not whispers. Says it right out loud.
One of the sirens in the throne-like seats up front focuses in on him, frowning a little.
“Did you hear Lyra?” he leans over to ask Rima.
“Who?” She’s even louder.
The siren watching sits a tad straighter.
Shit.
Think, Lyra, think.
