Page 47 of The Amber Sunburst

This time support comes from an unlikely corner. “This morning, Lykos said that the meetings would be run by the Cohort Leaders. As I understand, Lazarus is our Cohort Leader. In fact, he won everyone’s vote except for your own, which went to yourself,” Kallias drawls from the back of the room.

Kleitos whips around in his chair violently and glares at Kallias, touching a bandage on his nose that Lazarus hasn’t noticed until now.

“You done?” Lazarus asks, trying to sound confident and sarcastic.

Kleitos shifts his gaze from Kallias to him, but doesn’t fire back.

“Great,” Lazarus says. “Let’s get started, then. I’ve watched every televised Trial I could get access to, and here’s what I’ve gathered so far…”

11

EUDOXIA

Alexander lets out a low whistle as they drag themselves across the field to dinner. “That guy does not mess around, huh.”

“Lazarus?” Zeno asks. “Definitely not. He’s always been a bit intense.”

“I wonder when he’ll realize that stressing us out won’t magically make us succeed,” Eudoxia complains. She has enough on her plate without the Trials, and Lazarus’ constant reminders are making her crazy.

Zeno, ever one to see the good in people, says, “We have to remember that he’s loyal to our cohort when he doesn’t have to be.”

“You’re too nice. That guy is a powder keg about to explode.” Alexander shakes his head and speeds up his pace. “Now come on, losers, we’re going to miss food.”

They stumble into the dining hall a minute late, much to the Priestesses’ amusement. Apparently their tardiness is now infamous in the Temples, to the point where Priestesses make bets on how late they’ll arrive.

They eat quickly, and Alexander scans the hall the whole time like he’s looking for someone.

He’s been doing that a lot more recently, especially at nighttime. Maybe all of the Trial talk is getting to him too.

“Do you wanna come spar with us, Alexander?” Zeno asks once their plates are almost empty. Eudoxia’s expecting the usual: ‘I’ve got some stuff to catch up on’ or ‘I need to go to sleep right now or I’ll die,’ but instead Alexander checks the time on his ring and shakes his head.

“I, um— I have something going on tonight. Studying, I mean. I’m just going to study here tonight. You don’t have to wait up.”

Well, he is definitely up to something.

“Right,” Zeno responds, squinting in suspicion.

She can only pray to the Forms that he isn’t meeting with Kallias. He’ll be dead by morning if he lays a hand on that golden-haired loose cannon.

“Yup. So, I’ll see you guys tomorrow. Have fun! Sparring. Et cetera.”

Zeno laughs and ruffles Alexander’s precious hair, ignoring the affronted squawk he receives in response. “See you tomorrow, you goofball,” he says. Then he starts for the training room, checking back every few seconds to make sure Eudoxia is following.

Which—of course she is. She would follow this boy to her own death if it meant she’d have one more moment to look into his eyes.

Because he’s her friend. Obviously. That’s why she feels this way. It’s a platonic admiration for a loved one’s best qualities.

No! Not a loved one. Just—a one… who is beloved? Liked?

Well, ‘liked’ doesn’t really work, does it? Admired? Respected?

She’s been through maybe a hundred different adjectives by the time they arrive at the sparring rooms. Zeno grins over his shoulder as he opens the door.

That smile. Brighter than anything.

It sends her right back to the drawing board.

Back to ‘loved one’.