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I mumbled my thanks, my thoughts still consumed by my predicament.
As I settled into the confines of the Prize Pool, the weight of hopelessness threatened to pull me under.
My attempts to find a way out, to secure a future for Kuana and me, had failed.
And as the minutes ticked by, the enormity of my situation became clear.
Despair washed over me, drowning out all thoughts of hope and escape.
For the first time since arriving at this prison, I truly felt defeated.
I was out of ideas.
* * *
I had spent most of the day lost in my thoughts.
The echoing hollowness of my failed attempts to find an escape route had settled like a heavy fog around me.
So much so that I hadn’t even kept track of the day’s activities, a lapse that had never occurred before.
It wasn’t just my escape at stake, but also my daily role in the Prize Pool.
Usually, I would at least sneak a peek, trying to gather some intelligence on the winner of the day’s pit fights.
Knowing who had triumphed would allow me to adjust my demeanor or attire to better appeal or even deter the victor.
I knew how to play this game, and knowing the player was half the battle.
But today?
Today, my mind was a whirlwind of confusion, doubt, and desperation.
I hadn’t even bothered to get the basic lay of the land.
And now, as I was ushered onto the platform, I felt an unfamiliar pinch of anxiety.
The platform, as always, was a brilliant silver stage, designed to amplify the allure of the Prize.
The lights gleamed brightly, but it did nothing to lighten the knot in my stomach.
Each step felt heavy, and with every footfall, I silently berated myself for being so absent-minded.
The guards took their position, the hush of the expectant crowd reached a fever pitch, and the announcer’s voice boomed through the hall. “Ladies and gentlemen, beings of all species, today’s champion of the pits is… Kuana!”
The hall erupted in a mix of gasps, murmurs, and applause.
Kuana? I thought, stunned.
My heart leaped, and my anxiety transformed into sheer surprise.
I hadn’t even known he had entered the pits!
My mind raced, trying to piece together the events that led to this moment.
But in the midst of my bewilderment, a warm relief washed over me.
If Kuana was the victor, then the fear of being Claimed by someone else, of having to use my charms and tactics to deter another fighter, melted away.
