Page 105 of The Amber Sunburst

When they start to nod off in the Library, Alexander forces Kallias to stand and they drag each other up the stairs. He falls asleep almost instantly when his head hits his pillow.

But before he’s all the way under, one thought consumes him.

I love him.

28

OPHELIA

The energy in the viewing tower is high, everyone buzzing and ready for the Trial to begin. All of the Sun Priestesses hover around, serving drinks and food to Guardians and the Producers wealthy enough to receive an invite.

The two other towers are manned by either the Priestesses of the Rose or the Scale, and below them is a wide outdoor viewing bleacher for lower-Arc Producers who want to come see the show.

The towers have a very good view of the ocean, which Ophelia assumes must be central to the challenge, but most people aren’t focused on what’s outside. The screens placed throughout the room, each dedicated to a specific pair, have drawn the most attention. Everyone is trying to snag a good view of the most anticipated Auxiliaries.

The most crowded screen is Lazarus and Theokleia’s. Guardians of all levels are pushing and shoving for a chance to watch those two in action, discussing them like they’re racing dogs. Zeno and Eudoxia have also drawn quite a gaggle, probably for Zeno’s strong performance in Trial One.

She jogs to their screen with a tray, then slowly weaves through the crowd, offering food, but not taking her eyes off the broadcast. There’s no way she’s missing Eudoxia’s attempt at the Trial.

People in the crowd shush each other when the televisions light up with live footage of each Auxiliary stuck alone in a small, enclosed space.

“Auxiliaries, welcome to the second Trial,” says a robotic, female voice, and complete silence settles over the room with an eerie immediacy.

“Each of you will soon be provided a riddle. You have five minutes to solve it and a constant audio connection with your partner in the challenge. If you solve your riddle, you guarantee the safety of your partner and your spot in the third Trial. If they solve their own, they guarantee your safety and their spot in the third Trial. Work together to solve them both, and both of you will be safe and be moving on.

“If one of you isn’t able to solve their riddle, there will be no safety net nor scuba mask for your partner.

“May the Forms grant you wisdom in Justice.”

Money is already changing hands, Producers laughing and taunting each other about wins or losses. Apparently they place bets on what the Trial will be as well as the outcome. She’ll never understand the stupid crap rich people do with their money.

She focuses back on the screen when each Auxiliary’s ring lights up. ‘WHAT ARE YOU?’ the ring projects, along with a short poem.

Zeno and Eudoxia have comically similar expressions of confusion on their faces when their audio connection is established.

“Is this it?” Eudoxia asks. “We’re just… solving riddles?”

Zeno shrugs, then he probably realizes Eudoxia can’t actually see him because he says, “I guess.”

“But then what do Icarus and Narcissus have to do with⁠—”

Just as she starts to ask, the floor opens up under her and she drops out of her box and into a freefall through the sky.

“Zeno,” she shouts, flailing frantically before turning face down to control her fall. By Ophelia’s visual estimation, Xia’s plummeting speed has been slowed to a quarter of normal, somewhere high in the sky above the sea. She would say the drop is around thirteen thousand feet, which would give her five minutes before she hits the ocean. Ophelia doesn’t want to see what would happen once that time is up—even slowed, the fall is still dangerous.

She scans the rest of the screens in the tower to see that one half of every pair is being forced to do the challenge falling through the air. And when she peers outside the windows, tiny dots fall through the clouds above the water.

Isn’t that so imbalanced though? Only one half of the duo has such a major disadvantage. It doesn’t seem very fair to Ophelia. That is, until Zeno says, “Ummm, Eudoxos? Did your compartment just start filling with water?”

That’s when Ophelia notices it: a significant trickle of water is flooding into Zeno’s small box.

Well, that explains the Icarus and Narcissus of it all. Icarus falls to his death, Narcissus drowns and, theoretically, Auxiliaries should be able to practice critical thinking to avoid their fates. The metaphor seems a bit stretched, but who is she to say?

“No,” Eudoxia shouts against the loudly whizzing air. “The floor of mine dropped out and now I’m plummeting toward the sea.”

“Oh, shit,” Zeno responds, and all of the viewers chuckle like this is a comedy show. “Well, okay then, let’s not freak out. Let’s just solve these stupid riddles. I have both yours and mine on my ring. Do you have the same?”

“Yup. Let’s start with yours. It’ll be a lot easier for me to think when I’m not falling through the air.”