Don't pick fights.
The spring wedge was pretty, but Marion didn't trust it. She kept her eyes peeled. Someone else had to be here, surely.
Right now, though, it was getting late. Time to stop, she decided.
Leesha leaned back against one of the dying trees and started cleaning off her blade. So far they'd only found mutts to dirty them on, but that would change sooner or later. If Emma kept up the attitude, probably sooner.
Seph offered her a canteen. She took it with a smile, but she didn't drink the first time she raised it to her lips. Seph was her biggest rival here.
Then again, he was also the boy who had told Warren flat out that he was going to regret his latest "prank" before immediately punching him in the face. Poison probably wasn't his thing.
Above, the sky began to fill with faces.
Leesha drank.
The first night had passed peacefully. McGee had flinched at every sound. He'd spent his watch trying to come up with traps they could use. They still had that wire . . .
Caspian awoke with a start.
Susan withdrew her hand carefully. "All right?"
He drew in a deep breath and tried to wipe the sweat off his face. "Fine."
But the strange purple flashes from his dreams weren't as easily wiped away.
And when he breathed out, the curse spread.
Marion kept moving. Indy had to be somewhere.
Moth stopped eventually. Puck was gone. Of course he was. He was always gone when the consequences came. He was still such a child.
She had made excuses for him. Waited for him.
But this world had no more room for children. Their people needed better than a laugh disappearing on the wind. She needed better. Deserved better.
For a moment, the wind tasted like ashes. Then it disappeared in the far more familiar taste of outraged bile and the burning breaths of air frozen cold.
Kate stretched as she got up. "Anything?" she asked McGee.
"Noth- " He heard a faint rustling and froze.
Kate narrowed her eyes and rolled up into a crouch. She grabbed one of her knives.
McGee tried not to breathe.
Sorcerers didn't walk. They flew. When they had to look like they walked, they hovered.
For the first time in his life, Rhys touched the ground.
He was up again in a second.
But with each breath, it cost him more.
Marion heard something up ahead.
It might be Indy.
And if it wasn't, then it might be a source of supplies.
She grabbed a fallen branch and crept on.
Indy prepared the nets he had and started making more. Hopefully he could catch some game.
Kate waved her hand at McGee. He scuttled back.
She made her way forward. She let her eyes flick to her bracelet once for luck.
Terence ghosted toward the fall wedge, eyes wary. A rabbit didn't even notice him as he passed by a foot away. Gawain would be proud.
He blinked the purple flashes from his eyes.
Marion could see flashes of unnatural color through the trees. She gripped her branch tighter.
There wasn't much water in the summer wedge, but Gilbert had known there had to be some.
And he had found it.
The stream was shallow, but it was one step closer to Anne.
It was too dirty here, but if he followed it toward fall . . .
A girl sprang out of the trees. She swung a branch at Kate's head.
Kate leaped forward. The branch clipped her shoulder.
She hit the other girl hard. They both fell.
Kate stabbed her knife down.
Will hadn't slept. He couldn't sleep. Every time he tried, the wolves got closer, and there was no one here to watch his back.
But he was being watched all the same.
The branch was pinned. Marion let it go. She grabbed the other girl's wrist. She forced it up. Her nails drew blood.
Pain exploded in her nose. The other girl drew back her fist for another punch. "McGee!"
Marion spit in her face. She tried to thrash free. Her knee connected with the other girl's stomach.
Someone had screamed.
Ava looked at him, eyes wide.
Jack gripped his new staff tighter and smiled at her. "Come on. Let's play a game."
He could only protect one person in this arena.
McGee was scrambling forward, but Kate was rolling now, her and the other girl, a hopelessly tangled ball of fury.
Kate jerked her hand free of the other girl's grip. Blood dripped down her wrist.
She stabbed down. And down.
And down.
Max took a long drink. Marcus blinked. "Oh, dear."
The cannon boomed through the speakers.
Abby flinched.
Tony let out a long breath. "She made it."
Gibbs gave them both a quick squeeze on the shoulder. All he said was, "McGee needs to be quicker."
"Didn't we all," Tony muttered. "Think Kate'll be alright?"
On the screen, Kate had pulled out her knife and stalked over to the edge of the clearing to sit down. She was breathing heavily, but she didn't cry.
"As alright as any of us are," Gibbs said. "Abbs, get ready. In two hours when this airs, the phones'll start ringing."
"Time to play the sponsors," Abby agreed, bobbing her head. "I'll have the paperwork ready."
"The Games never stop," Tony said quietly as she left.
And Gibbs said under his breath, "Not yet."
(You may not win.)
