Pain. Sadness. Fear.

I tossed and turned in a half-dream state until heavy hands pressed down on me. I felt thick straps placed over my body at intervals, holding my shoulders, middle, and tail to the cot I lay on.

Cot. Med tent. Trials.

Thoughts trickled in, like unwelcome visitors. I was in pain. More pain than I’d ever known.

Not dead then, I thought with a bittersweet sigh.

Beazil. Dane. Starla. Rip.

Not dead, but perhaps I should be. I’d be better off gone if my friends were all lost to me. But they had still lived when I last saw them. Dane was alive. Not Beazil. Surely not Rip, after the blow he’d taken for me. Juno’s spelled blade had frozen him, but the force was too great not to tear his flesh apart. I wasn’t sure about Starla or Marcum. The truth was, anything could have happened. We’d been winning. In a tight formation. And then disaster struck.

All because of those two treacherous Mers.

Not to mention my dastardly half-sister. I saw her dagger slide into Beazil’s eye, reliving that awful moment in excruciating detail. I felt my anger. My impotent fury. My rage.

I woke with a gasp, my back arching and my eyes wide.

“She’s saying something! Annaruth!”

Dane was by my side. I stared at him, frantically trying to get loose. The lovely High Priestess appeared by my bedside, joining Dane. She leaned over me, listening to my words.

“What is she saying?”

She leaned up, giving Dane a wry look.

“She’s saying that she will kill her, over and over again.”

Dane stifled a laugh. Annaruth wagged a finger at him.

“It’s not funny.” Then she bowed her head slightly. “Your Highness.”

I groaned, half paying attention. I pushed futilely at the straps that held me down.

“Get. These. Off me!”

This time, they both laughed. Annaruth waved her hand over my bonds, and they lifted away, dissolving into a sparkling dust that was quickly swept away in the water.

I glared at them both.

“Tell me.”

“Tell you what, Tri?”

“Tell me who is dead!”

“Get her something for her throat. She sounds awful.”

Annaruth nodded, bowing again, and left the screened-off partition. That was odd. I’d never seen her bow before. Dane looked at me, his smile huge.

“Well?”

He nodded, clearing his throat.

“There were quite a few casualties, Mer and familiar. They will be honored by the Elite during the naming ceremony.” I opened my mouth to tell him to hurry up, but he held out a hand. “None of your friends, or loved ones, are on that list.”

I blinked at him, opening and shutting my mouth like a fish.

“None?”

He shook his head, smiling.

“But Beazil . . .”

“He lost an eye, Tri. It was serious but he’s alive.”

I fell back on the bed, pale bubbles pouring from my eyes. I reached for him and he took my hand. I exhaled shakily.

“Starla? Rip?”

“Both alive. Starla was ferocious once she saw what happened to you. She saved my neck more than once.”

I smiled.

“She’s fine. She barely had a scratch at the end. Rip’s injuries should have been fatal, like yours. But they were able to save you both. He won’t be throwing spears anytime soon.”

I closed my eyes, still crying.

“Tri?”

“Yes?”

“I know she betrayed you, but—”

I knew he was speaking about Thalia. I knew it. I cut him off before he could say another word.

“Do not ever say her name to me again.”

“Okay. I just thought you might want to know what happened to her.”

I closed my eyes and nodded imperceptibly.

“She lost her arm. She nearly lost her life. And . . . well, she’s being sanctioned for what she did, bringing unmagicked weapons into the arena. Some wanted her put to death. I . . .”

I cracked my eyes open and looked at him.

“You what?”

“I argued for mercy. I didn’t think you would want her put to death.”

“You? But why would they listen to you?”

He looked down, then lifted his eyes to mine.

“Tri, there’s something I have to tell you.”

My heart started thudding. Something was wrong. He had lied about Beazil. Or Starla. Or—

“You’re alive!”

Starla threw herself on me as she burst in without warning, hugging and squeezing me harder than I would have thought possible. She was stronger than she looked. I could barely breathe, she was hugging me so hard!

“Starla! Her wounds!”

I grimaced as she pulled away, touching my belly. It pulsed with agonizing clarity. Not drugged anymore then. Great. So did my back, though that was more of a stinging sensation. I winced, remembering the blade sliding into me. Then I remembered Jaynelle’s spikes as they pierced the flesh of my back through my tunic.

Ouch.

Annaruth was back, scolding a blushing Starla for not being gentle. She winked at me and then went back to looking stern.

“I’m sorry.” Starla turned to me. “I’m sorry. I’ve been so worried. It’s been days and there was so much blood—”

I must have turned green because Dane took one look at me and interrupted.

“Not helping, Starla!”

“When can I see Beazil?” I tried to sit up, grimacing in pain. “And Rip?”

Dane’s expression darkened somewhat when I mentioned the other Mer, but he nodded.

“Rip will be easier to manage. Beazil was treated and left the camp. No one has seen him since.”

“He will be back. I have something for him.”

I stared in awe as Annaruth opened her hand. A dazzling crystal eye lay in her delicate palm.

“Does it . . . work?”

She nodded.

“Quite well. He’ll see better than you or me.” Her eyes twinkled. “He may even see a bit of the future.”

All the talk of eyes made me gasp.

“Marcum! Did he make it?”

“He’s alive. And he is sure to be honored for his bravery.”

I exhaled in relief. Starla helped me sit up, plumping the pillows behind me.

“I only have one more question.”

Three beloved faces stared back at me expectantly. I had lived. My friends had lived. My familiar had lived. I was overjoyed. Other than seeing my friends and my familiar, I only wanted one thing. And I wanted it very, very badly.

“When can I eat?”