bChapter /bb26 /b

ra’s POV

b“/bYou really think I need bprotection/b?” I turned to Jory, arching an eyebrow as he cracked his knuckles like he was ready to

take on ba /bbbear/bb. /b

“Just saying, if something lunges at us, I’d brather /bbe the one getting mauled,” he said, puffing his chest ba /blittle. b“/bGamma or not, you shouldn’t have to bget /byour hands dirty.”

Vessaughed so hard she nearly choked. “Oh Joryb, /bour Gamma would probably save your sorry bass /bbefore you even know what hit you.”

“I’m serious,” he insisted. “If anything happens, I stand in front.”

I shook my head with a faint smile, adjusting the strap of my crossbow pack. “No one’s dying today. We’re not here to y heroes. Just focus, both of you.”

From behind me, Vessa made a face. “Great. And just when I thought we’d get through the morning without drama–look who’s struttin‘ over in heelsb./bb” /b

I didn’t even have to turn. The stiletto clicks on stone were enough.

Mi.

Dressed like she was headed to a garden party, not a wildernesspetition, she wobbled across the gravel with a basket hooked delicately on one arm.

“Seriously?” I muttered.

“Good morning everyone!” Mi called out with an exaggerated sweetness that made my mrs ache. “I heard you’re allpeting today, so I made some snacks to boost your energy.”

She opened the basket like she was revealing treasure. Chocte muffins, greasy fries, mini pizzas… even a lemon meringue

tart.

Jeff and Steven hesitated near the basket, hungry eyes battling better judgment.

“I made everything myself,” she added proudly, casting a sugar–syrup smile at Thorne. “Figured it’s what a good future Luna

would do.”

Oh, here we go again.

“Did you seriously pack sugar bombs for a warriorpetition?” Vessa scoffed, peering into the basket. “Where’s the protein? The fiber? You trying to give us a mid–runa?”

Mi blinked, caught off guard. “I–just wanted to help…”

“You skipped nutrition ss too?” Vessa raised a brow. “Remind me–how did you graduate again?”

That struck a nerve.

Mi’s smile faltered. She fumbled to close the basket, muttering something about bringing different snacks next time.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, pulling a box of protein bars from my pack. “These might not be homemade, but they won’t kill your stamina.”

In seconds, beveryone /bbgathered /baround meb. /bbBars /bvanished from the bbox /blike wildfire.

And Mib? /b

She stood there clutching bher /bbbasket /blike a used brag/b.

bI /bcaught her bgaze /bflick toward Thorneb, /bsearching for sympathy. But he bwasn’t /blooking at her. He bwas /blooking at me. Quietly. Smiling.

bThat /bprobably stung worse than bVessa’s /bbjab/b.

“Attentionb, /ball teamsb!/bb” /bMyles’s voice rang out across the field. “Get ready!”

I stuffed the empty bar wrapper in my pocket and tightened my gloves. Jory and Vessa were already in position.

“Let’s win thisb,/bb” /bbI /bsaid, my voice low and steady.

b“/bGO!”

And just like that, we ran.

Branches whipped past my face as the forest swallowed us whole. Our team didn’t rush forward like the othersb–/bwe moved with purpose. Calcted. We weren’t after speed. We were after the win.

The air grew thick with moss and mist as we slipped deeper into the woods.

“This forest gives me the creeps,” Vessa muttered, stepping over a fallen branch. “Smells like moldy secrets.”

I stayed quiet. I knew this ce too well.

They used to throw me out here, you know. Co and Ruvan. When I was still too small to lift a pan, they’d shove me into these woods as punishment. I’d scream until my throat went raw–but no one ever came. Sometimes I wondered if they hoped the wild things would finish me off.

But I didn’t die.

I learned.

Now, the woods didn’t frighten me. They knew me. I belonged here more than Mi ever would.

“Hey,” bI /bsaid suddenly, ncing over my shoulder at Vessa. “What happened with you and Cael the other night?”

Vessa blinked, caught off guard. “That was fast.”

“Wellb?/bb” /b

She hesitated, then sighed. “We kissed.”

“What?!” I stopped mid–step, nearly slipping on wet mossb. /b“And you didn’t tell me?”

“Because it wasn’t a thing,” she said with a bitter shrug. “It didn’t mean anything to him.”

“That jerk-

“Let’s talk about itter,” she cut in, nodding toward Jory who was emerging from the brush with a deer draped over his shoulders like a scarf.

“Look what I found!” he beamed.

“Good catch,” I said, patting his arm. “Let’s keep moving,”

We navigated through twisted roots and decaying stumps, deeper into the dark. We were almost at the stream–a natural ma for prey–when something tugged at my instincts.

I pulled the map from my bag and scanned it again.

Left turn at the jagged tree. Downhill. Stream dead ahead.

But something was off.

“Everything okay?” Jory asked.

“Yeah,” I said slowly, folding the map. “Let’s just keep moving.”

Because the paper felt strange.

Like it had been… altered.

Scraped.

Rewritten.

A gnawing feeling settled in my chest. But I didn’t say it out loud.

Not yet.

Let Garron think he’s clever.

Let him think he tricked us.

Because if he was ying dirty…

Then I was going ito /imake damn sure he regretted it.