Fugitive of Death

16

 I awoke to the sound of birds chirping overhead. My head pounded worse than an anvil. I pried my eye open, squinting excessively.

Sunlight beat down into the clearing where I lay. No—where I had been put.

Memories came rushing back to me of the celebration and drugged fucking wine. I sat up, taking in my surroundings. There was nothing but trees and scrub around me. A brilliant blue sky shone overhead, cooking me in my black clothing. I looked down, remembering I was both without my leather armor and my new knives.

So much for needing those during the Culling. But it was some relief to know everyone else had been drugged and dumped in the woods, weaponless. Not that it made a difference for them. I was certain any Lysidorian knew at least a dozen ways to kill without a weapon.

So do you, a small voice reminded me in the back of my mind. I had trained for months learning all the ways to defend myself and take down others.

I rose on unsteady feet. I could do this.

The sun was only just beginning to rise overhead. I tried to recall Xander's maps and the location of the temple. North of Pyrgolis. Good. Now I'd just use the sun to guide me. Maybe if I was lucky I'd find some water while I was at it. My mouth felt as if I'd ingested a full-course meal of sand alone.

The Sympharion had to be close. It would take time to drag all twenty or so of us deep into the woods before dawn. Which meant we couldn't be too far from camp.

After finding something close to balance, I made my way north.

Even with terror coursing through my veins, I couldn't deny the beauty of the forest. Golden sunlight streamed down through the pine trees and leaves above, casting the underbrush in a vibrant shade of green. A gentle breeze rustled through the branches and birds sang to each other above.

I pushed my way through the shrubs and rootwork below in the shade, working slowly to avoid making too much noise. Aside from the birds and the occasional rabbit, there were minimal signs of life. And there wouldn't be until dusk when predators joined the hunt.

I'd just have to get my ass back to camp before it came to that.

Around midday, I heard branches snapping ahead of me. I dashed into the bushes and tucked myself well away into the thicket, forcing my breathing to quiet. After a few moments, three figures stumbled into the space not a meter in front of me.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" A nasally female asked.

"Of course I do!" came a reply from a man's voice I recognized all too well. "My father told me that the temple is due north of the camp. Do you not trust me?"

"Of course we do, Yiani," came another man, presumably Aeson. "We just want to be sure you're not getting sidetracked hunting down other cadets."

The girl, Phoebe I guessed, agreed. "The other cadets can wait until we've received Death's approval."

I couldn't see their faces nor move to get a better look. But I heard the unmistakable sound of a hand colliding with someone's cheek followed by a yelp.

"Don't you dare question my leadership again," Yiani spat. "My father is the Lord of Eutrides, and I am his successor. There are certain cadets that are not fit to even so much as share the same rank as me in this Army and they must be exterminated before they can be given the chance."

He was absolutely talking about me.

"But isn't that Death's decision to make?" Aeson asked.

Another crack of flesh-on-flesh. Aeson stumbled to the ground and I found the urge to gasp—if he so much as looked in my direction he would spot me through the brambles.