Chapter 5: The Girl Who Fell Down

The arena was carved into the cliff above the capital and it held twelve thousand wolves. Eleven thousand nine hundred of them had come to watch me die. "Candidates!" the herald cried. "Trial of the First Blood!" We came out through the gate in a line. Cassia in white leather, hair braided with silver. Ilyana of Silverash, frost already crusting her knuckles. Runa of Storm Valley, all shoulders and lightning. Three others. And me. In my apron. Because I hadn't been given anything else, and...