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My time has come.
The glow was the sign that the Trial was approaching for its contestants—the burning, a warning of what would happen if we did not attend. It seemed to realize that I acknowledged it because the burning began to lessen until it stopped entirely. I took this opportunity to touch my Trial mark. It didn’t feel any different. The slightly raised skin was the same as always, but the glowing remained.
I knew that the marks were given at random, even before birth, but I couldn’t help but wonder:why me?
According to what I had read, it always started ten days after it…woke up? Called? I didn’t know what to name it. But I did know that I wasn’t going back to sleep, despite the late hour. My heart raced from the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Whether it was present due to the realization of the Trial approaching or from my nightmare—or both—I didn’t know. And it didn’t matter.
I didn’t have time to dwell on the dream and why my past was coming back to haunt me tonight. I had more pressing worries.
My mind wandered the possibilities of the upcoming Trial for hours. I tried distracting myself with formulating a plan, something I thoroughly enjoyed doing. But how could I plan for something when I didn’t even know what to expect? Thetasks in the Trial were always different each time and given in the form of a riddle, some sort of sick entertainment for the Gods.
Knowing what my future held, I studied the recounts of the contestants that made it out alive. I memorized the complex riddles, all so vastly unique to each Trial. I understood that the Gods chose based on not only who completed the task but also those who had some unknown quality that they desired.
What qualities? Would I have them? Do I even want to be chosen? Would I make it out alive?
I shook my head, willing my mind to stop. I didn’t have time to fret over the dreadful possibilities. Worrying wouldn’t help me survive the Trial. My mark, and therefore my future, had never scared me until now. I supposed since I was born with it and I knew what to expect, I had just accepted it. My scars defined my past and my mark defined my future. Both were equally a part of what made me, me.
So why was I questioning it now?
I needed to do something, anything other than pacing my room and leaving my thoughts to spiral in anxiety.
“Get ahold of yourself, Kya,” I whispered to myself.
And now that the Trial mark was glowing, it was more easily seen. I would have to be more careful of going outside the protected walls of Morah. Those that are Marked risk being killed by the Lords and Ladies, the Worthy, of the Nations—they’re a direct threat to them. If there weren’t any contestants for the Trial, then there wasn’t anyone who could possibly be deemed Worthy and challenge them for their position.
That was just one threat. Not to mention the Trial itself.
“Breathe. Just breathe,” I said to myself. “You’ve prepared for this. You’ve read every document, every recorded word, of the Trials and you’ve trained your body to handle this.”
I walked over to the glass wall facing east, facing the Temple ofOdes.
“Gods, please let it be enough. I just need to survive.” Praying to the Gods, I could only hope that they would listen.
I paced back and forth in my room, recalling everything I had learned, every minute detail that I could remember so I knew what to expect. The only thing I could expect was the unexpected. No Trial was ever the same.
At dawn, I went to my bathing room to bathe and get ready for my training with Malina. I was glad that I was about to relieve some frustration and pent-up anxiety. And hopefully training would help wear me down so I could get some rest tonight. Or maybe that was a bad thing.
I stopped halfway down a step, my chest tightened as my breathing increased when I realized that I might only have ten days left to live. My vision blurred with unshed tears as I ground my teeth in anger.
I don’t fear death.
Did I want to sleep off that precious time? Did I want to even go and die a gruesome death rather than defy the Gods and have them take my life right then and there?
No.
NO!
My fists clenched and my eyes hardened.
I could do this. Iwoulddo this. Even if I only had a few days left, I refused to spend it as a coward, giving in to my panicked thoughts. I pushed the fear to the recesses of my mind, then continued down the stairs with determination in its place, and anger.
I don’t fear death. But I will not die.
I would survive the Trial of the Gods.
Chapter Six
Kya
