Chapter 14 · Pass the Trial. Don't Die.

The trial ground smelled like rust and old sweat.

Kai stood in the center of a stone circle the size of a basketball court, surrounded by tiered seats packed with clan members who'd paid good money to watch him either prove himself or bleed out trying. The mark under his ribs already burned hot, like someone had pressed a live wire against his sternum.

His breath came shallow. The coin in his pocket had gone cold the moment he'd stepped through the gate into this arena, and now there was just noise—voices layering over voices, bets changing hands, someone laughing too loud in the back row.

He scanned the crowd for Vera. Couldn't find her.

That made his chest tighten worse than the mark did.