Page 31 of Run of Ruin

“I do too,” I replied.

We were quiet for a few moments, a silent understanding passing between us. The pact we’d made just this morning somehow found a deeper, more intimate meaning.

“I’ll let you get some sleep, you have a big day tomorrow,” he said, sidestepping to let me past. I slipped by him, and didn’t miss the way his body shivered as my shoulder brushed against his chest.

“Zaffir,” I said, turning to see him just as he was disappearing into the bathroom.

“Yeah?”

“Did you get to taste her?” I don’t know why I asked. Maybe it’s because I still have her taste on my tongue and the thought of getting more right from the source was making me blind with desire. His eyes flashed darkly.

“Not yet,” he vowed.

“When you do…” I whispered, shocked by the words I was going to say next. “Let me watch.”

He groaned and I had to turn and leave down the hall to stop myself from doing something stupid like leaning in to taste the sound on his lips.

When I locked myself safely back in my room, I struggled to control the pounding heart and ragged breaths.

What the fuck was I doing?

And why the fuck did I like the idea of it?

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep to my mind filling in the blanks of what happened behind that door.

PART TWO

THE TRIALS

CHAPTER

NINE

Bex

My palms wereclammy as I gripped the straps of the pack strapped to my back. A shiver ran down my spine, and I couldn't help but feel a wave of gratitude for the thick wool coat Nova had tossed at me earlier that morning when she came to collect us for the first trial.

Now, here I was, sitting on a plane, shoulder to shoulder with the other Challengers, completely blindfolded. My other senses were heightened, and although I couldn’t see anything, I could feel Ezra beside me. His presence was unmistakable, like a quiet anchor. That was a small comfort, at least.

The plane jolted, shifting slightly in the air. I'd never been on one before, and I was already hoping to never ride in another one again. My stomach twisted in knots, and my ears throbbed, desperately trying to pop and adjust.

“You’re okay,” Ezra’s voice broke through my anxious thoughts, soft but reassuring. His words helped steady me,even if just a little, allowing me to focus on what was coming next.

If they were following the typical structure of the Reclamation Run, this one would likely be a physical challenge. Tasks normally designed to test endurance and resilience.

I felt the telltale warmth of lights switching on, heating my face and confirming what I already knew…cameras were rolling. I forced my expression into calm neutrality and tried to steady my breathing. If Jax was watching, I wanted him to think that I was brave.

“Good morning, Challengers, and welcome to the first trial of the Reclamation Run!” The chirpy voice echoed from overhead speakers, too cheerful for the moment. Annalese Wyley. The host of the Run. I used to think her voice was annoying, high-pitched and overly girlish, more irritating than intimidating. But now, it sent a shiver down my spine.

“Your first trial will be for the resource of…” she paused dramatically, milking the tension. “Transportation!”

I let out a slow breath. Transportation. It wasn’t the end of the world to not have it, it just took more time to get around. But, Canyon could benefit from a few working buses back in the Collective. Even one could change things for the better. And maybe, just maybe, Ezra stood a fighting chance in this one.

“Right now, our Challengers are being transported over one hundred miles away from our bustling Praxis. In honor of the value of transportation, and the vital role it plays in survival, our first trial is simple….make your way back home.”

I flinched at her phrasing.Home, she’d called it. Praxis wasn’t home. Not to me. Not to any of us on this plane.

Then the reality of the challenge hit me. One hundred miles. On foot. No maps, no paths, no clues. Just forest, terrain, and time. My stomach dipped, nausea curling tight inmy gut. I felt Ezra’s leg press reassuringly against mine, grounding me again. I leaned ever so slightly into it, grateful.

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