Page 47 of Prisoner of Steel and Shadow

“That would be wise.”

This time, thank the stars, he stayed put, allowing her to creep along the edge of the field without issue. It wasn’t long before she spied a sapling with a broken branch. It didn't appear to be a natural break, but an intentional one. Like an X on a treasure map, marking the secret spot.

Gotcha.

Using that as her guide, she sank her hands into the earth just beneath it. The soil gave way easily, unlike the nearby dirt, which was hard and packed, so it was no surprise when her fingers brushed against something metallic after only a few seconds of digging. Making a point to keep her face free of expression, she palmed the coin and stood. Then she continued to wander about the field, moving as aimlessly as she could manage while still cutting a path that would lead her toward the bay and the next part of the trial.

It didn’t take very long to realize her movements hadn’t gone unnoticed. Once again, Ronan trailed behind her like a stray searching for a meal. Shadow sighed, mentally kicking herself. She’d unintentionally fed him by engaging in conversation, and now she’d never rid herself of the pest.

Instead of trying to shake him now, she gave up all pretense and took off at a dead sprint. He caught up easily, and she comforted herself with the knowledge he’d likely fall behind during the swim. She was familiar with the bay and its currents since she swam them weekly, but he was an outsider. There was little doubt in her mind she could lose him in the water.

Still, it rankled how easily he kept pace with her, and she debated more than once whether she should stick her foot out to trip him.

When they finally reached the shore nearly half an hour later, there were a series of red balls bobbing in the sea, marking the path that would lead them to the cliffs. There were also a handful of smoking craters along the beach. The twisted limbs and splatters of blood around them spoke to the fates of several unlucky contestants. Not everyone who thought they’d have an easier time stealing made it very far.

Poor bastards.

She wished she knew how many competitors had already been taken out, but given that only thirty of them would move on to the next round, it didn’t really matter. All she needed to do was hang onto her token and cross the finish line.

Easy.

When she reached the water's edge, she didn't stop, not even to remove anything she was wearing. She chose this set of clothes intentionally, knowing it would see her through all possibilities. Not only was it waterproof, but it was also lightweight and bent easily with her form, meaning it wouldn't slow her down in the water. Unlike the idiots who’d opted for full suits of metal armor.

As she started to swim, she looked back at the shore, catching sight of Ronan as he peeled off his shirt and tucked it into a small bag hanging from his belt. She wasn’t prepared for the sight of his well-muscled torso and the intricate black tattoo climbing up the left side of his rib cage, up over his pec and onto his shoulder.Stars, he was beautiful.Her smooth movements turned jerky, and she accidentally sucked in a mouthful of salt water.

Focus, Shadow! A couple of muscles aren’t worth drowning over.

She resumed her efforts, executing a couple of flawless strokes before risking a second glance back, even though she knew she shouldn’t. This time she spotted Ronan pulling off his boots and shoving them into the same bag. Her third check caught him completing an expert dive into an oncoming wave. It was then she realized her miscalculation. He was no novice swimmer. In fact, despite her significant head start, it wasn’t long before he was gaining on her.

He may not swim these waters like she did, but he was clearly no stranger to the sea. Given his form and the easy way he cut through the current, he'd spent a significant amount of time in the ocean.

Shadow gritted her teeth and kicked even harder as she fought to stay ahead. Logically she knew she didn’t have to fight so hard. All she had to do was get to the finish. No one said she had to be first, but it was a matter of pride to her. She was supposed to be the High Lord’s ringer. She couldn’t let thisoutsiderbeat her.

There was a panicked cry and then a, “Please!” Shadow spotted the floundering swimmer a ways ahead of her; her head popped up long enough for her to shout a frantic, “I’m drowning!” before slipping back beneath the unforgiving waves.

A better person might have stopped to save the woman. But not her.

She didn't even pause to consider it.

Rather she continued to swim to the rocky cliffs she still had to climb, mentally calculating how much longer it would take her to reach them. Experience told her the looming rocks appeared far closer than they actually were. In the end, it took almost thirty minutes before she finally pulled her shaking limbs onto the wet sand.

As always, the first few seconds after leaving the sea were an adjustment, requiring Shadow to relearn how to move without the weightless buoyancy the salt water granted her. Though she was used to it, she couldn’t deny it took even more effort than usual to lift her arms as she wrung the water from her hair and shook droplets from her skin. So much, in fact, that she was still working on it when Ronan joined her.

“Would you like some help drying off?”

“No,” she growled. “How many times do I have to tell you? We”—she pointed between them—“are not partners.”

With an amused lift of his brow, he stared at her as his hands began to glow, calling on his magic as he dried himself. “You sure?”

Damned convenient skill.

It was almost on the tip of her tongue to take back her denial, but watching the way he moved his hands over his body, she knew she couldn’t. He was distracting enough from a distance. She didn’t need firsthand knowledge of how much worse it would be if she allowed him to invade her personal space.

Turning her back on him, she began mapping out her path up, using the time to strategize and catch her breath. There were a few people climbing, giving her a pretty good idea of where the best hand and footholds might be. Some had opted for ropes, others going free hand, but no one seemed to be having an easy time of it. That didn’t surprise her. With the rocks slick with sea spray, it would be treacherous going no matter what.

“Last chance...”

“You put those hands anywhere near me, and I will gnaw them off.”

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