PTE

doesn't li

ly, stone giving way to damp soil layered with fallen leaves. The air thickened as she moved deeper, press

he wanted to, but because no on

o loose packs. Witches murmured in low voices, sigils dimming beneath the canopy. Shifters move

slowed

. Let them preten

tter where she turned, she was never unobserved. Not for a second. Somewhere beyond the island, millions of eyes were on

g, on keeping her stride steady, on ignoring the way the jungle seemed to lean

omething massive had pressed the land flat. Stone pillars ringed the space, etched

d. Some stopped altog

tanding too close to a live wire. Her ski

hoed acros

the fir

d and unnatural, as if the jungle itself were speaking. Th

Observati

feet. The pillars brightened

les," the voice continued ca

felt the change in the way the others looked at her

ding with Jace Draven'

ostility. Conflicted. As if his instincts were pulling him toward her even while his pride fought it. For a

ttled her more tha

nreadable. Thorne leaned casually against one of the stones, arms crossed, his gaze fli

ound t

ring. Stone slabs slid apart, revealing a descending stairway spiraling into darkn

the voice

ne m

ard, claws half extended, confidence radiating off

ld, the symbols on the pillars flared v

othing had happened. Silence crashed down

stomach

voice said, a

ecoiled. A witch screamed as the ground beneath her liquefied,

't move. S

the ground reacted differently depending on where each contestant steppe

ful step forward. Nothing happened. Holding her breath, she

orce. Riven froze. Slowly, deliberately, she placed her foot back where it had been. The p

Thorne straightened. Lysander's head snapped

swal

ey

ings shimmering faintly in the filtered light. Her

airy asked lightly. "There's no mercy in thi

e. "I'm not lost or weak," she

e widened. "Smar

iv

, unshifting ground beneath Riven's

rmured, "this just