Book 5: Running Out of Time

Ingrid

Beri thunders underneath me, a machine of muscle and sinew I don’t know like my own. The lance droops, ridiculously heavy. The crowd roars like a distant ocean. I can barely see Kaloni through the sun behind her, but the basics should be the same. Present a small target, aim for where they’re weak, don’t fl—

Her lance hammers into my chest, crushing air out of my lungs. My body twists. Vision darkens. Where are the reins? Where are my fucking hands?

I hit the ground like a sack of shit, and any remaining whisper of breath oozes out of me in a pathetic wheeze. Should’ve taken the helmet they offered me. My ears ring, and the back of my head throbs like my heart is there, trying to patch up whatever damage I did all by itself..

The sun glares down at me with distant disdain. I should’ve known. The second I saw the armor, I should’ve known.

Kaloni fucking cheated.

She knew what the fuck I meant. Her little speech made that ver