Yet Olet and the other officers still hadn’t returned. We received an explanation moments later when Rokath yelled out his next instructions. “Each female will select two male partners for the course. Once you have your group, grab a rope from the cart and tie it around your waists. Parancsok Olet and the Százados are waiting for you in the hills beyond to ensure there is no cheating.”

My heart stuttered as I looked around, trying to decide who would be best to pair with. I’d been hoping Kiira, Maariya, and I could join forces, maybe even with Izzenna or Vokkia, but if we had to connect ourselves to the males…

I understood Rokath’s reasoning, but damn him, he put me in a tough spot. No one would want to join with the mate of the Halálhívó, not when they would risk his wrath for touching me, or worse, injuring me.

Groups began to form, mostly from within already existing units. Kiira too seemed to be as lost as me, with wandering males looking everywhere but at us.

I let out an annoyed huff. “Well if they won’t come to us, let’s go to them.”

“Agreed,” Kiira said, and together we strode into the throng. Dipping and dodging, we put ourselves directly in the center, and I sought out strong-looking ones who didn’t immediately reverse course when they noticed our position.

“You!” Kiira shouted, grabbing the arm of a passerby I was about to claim.

“Ugh,” I replied as he begrudgingly came to her side. But when I turned my attention outward, my gaze collided with a familiar set of ruby orbs. “Uzadaan?” I took a tentative step forward toward the male who had come to Stryi to conscript new soldiers so long ago. Whose arrival, along with the rest of the Lovak Squad, had irrevocably changed the course of my life.

He grinned, flashing his set of extra sharp teeth. “I apologize for avoiding you until now, Szélhámos. I thought it best if we didn’t meet, for your mate’s sake. But it appears you need a partner.”

My heart warmed, my expression mirroring his. At least he didn’t reject me, like Dromak had, when I’d run into him again. “I am. Do you have a third that can join us?”

Uzadaan let out a sharp whistle and called out to another. From the crowd, a lanky male approached, boasting eyes in a deep shade of maroon. While he wasn’t as tall as Uzadaan, he held strong power, which would be to our advantage. “This is Darrx.”

“Szélhámos,” he greeted me with a respectful salute. “It will be an honor to complete the course alongside you.”

I glanced back at Kiira, who had grabbed a second male. She winked, then grasped both males by the arms and hauled them toward the cart filled with ropes. I snickered and turned back to Uzadaan and Darrx. “Let’s go then so we have an advantageous position.”

“Aye,” Uzadaan agreed, using his height to weave through the throng. Once we got close, he said, “Wait here.”

Darrx and I moved off to the side, while Uzadaan fetched a tether for us. When he returned, I realized it wasn’t a single piece in which we’d all be in the middle. No, it was actually three individual rings, tied to a greater loop. But the thickness? It was minimal at best. One wrong jerk in opposite directions would send the threads snapping.

“How are we supposed to get in this?” I asked, examining it.

“I think that’s part of the challenge,” Darrx chuckled.

“I should probably go first, since I’m the smallest.” Carefully, I stepped through the hole, then shimmied it over my hips until the noose tightened over my waist. Attention seared my skin, and I looked up. Rokath’s possessive stare pinned me in place.

“Like the view?” I shot down our bond, a small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

“Tremendously. I hope both of those males know the consequences of something happening to you out there,” he threatened.

“I’m sure they do,” I quipped as Darrx fastened the rope around himself beside me.

“I’m happy to tell them explicitly,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

“Fuck off and let me prove myself to them,” I replied, shooting him with a playfully hateful glare.

He rolled his eyes but moved along. “Just stay safe, okay?”

“I will,” I promised back, sending him a pulse of love down our bond.

Finally, Uzadaan was secured, and the three of us tested what movement was possible tied together.

“I think we can walk forward at least,” Darrx commented, pointing toward groups gathering at the base of the nearest hill. Rapp already stood atop it, surveying the scene. While he kept a neutral expression, the tense way he held his arm to his side told me he was in pain. I was grateful he was here, participating in the event with us. His solidarity was unwavering, and had been from the start of my journey in the army.

“Aye, let’s go before we’re stuck at the back,” Uzadaan said, and together, we strode in that direction, keeping our steps deliberately even and slow. It would be an utter embarrassment to break this before we even started the course.

And I would not give the disbelievers any reason to judge me or the rest of the females.

Once everyone was settled, Rokath joined Rapp in appraising us. “The rules are simple. Don’t break your thread and return within an hour. You’ll begin in groups of three. Step forward now, and the rest of you, arrange yourselves.”

The first three sets of three stepped forward, and I was happy to see some of my friends among them. Fierce determination straightened their postures, their entire focus ahead as if they were preparing to face a real enemy. We found our place in line about a dozen rows deep. Rokath raised his torch high in the air, the fire sending sparks dancing into the night. “On my mark.”

Muscles tightened. My heart rate picked up.

“Go!” he shouted, waving the light. The first groups sprang into action, and the following ones waited a beat before racing forward themselves. One by one, they crested the hill, until suddenly, it was our turn to pass by my mate.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, and he gave me an encouraging nod. But this wasn’t about us. It was so much bigger than that. So I dragged in a breath and faced forward, my sole focus on keeping this rope intact.

And showing these males why we deserved to be here.

Uzadaan, Darrx, and I scaled the hill with ease, coming immediately upon the first obstacle. A giant pit of mud waited, holes already sucked deep by previous footsteps. Thank the Weaver the moon hung high and fat among the stars—without it, we would have sunk in seconds.

“To the left!” I pointed, slowing my strides until Uzadaan and Darrx had time to process my words. Racing off on my own would have broken our rope immediately.

“Good call,” Darrx commented, shuffling behind me. Uzadaan did the same in front of us. In single file, we wound along a narrow strip of earth, the sticky substance adhering to our boots despite the firmness of this path.

“Halt!” Uzadaan shouted, and I paused immediately. His foot, unfortunately, had gotten stuck despite our best effort. Most of the others in this part of the course were in similar situations. I squinted around his frame, gauging how far we had to go.

Uzadaan spread his hands wide like he was calling on his shadows to assist in freeing his boot from the muck. Nothing happened, not even a whisper of power dripping from his fingertips. His shoulders tensed. “What the fuck?”

Curious, I dove into my well and tugged on the threads of onyx. They didn’t move.

“I don’t think we can use magic,” Darrx said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Mine isn’t rising either.”

Uzadaan cursed and looked around us for anything to assist him. I studied our placement in the mud. “Here’s what we need to do. Darrx,” I shot over my shoulder, “scoot backward so we can give Uzadaan room to wiggle free.”

Darrx’s hands pressed into my shoulders, and I was grateful he wasn’t as large as Rokath, otherwise we both would have sunk in. He steadied me, ensuring we weren’t drifting too far apart, as we backstepped. Then, he reached around me and grasped Uzadaan’s waist. Wedged between their bodies, I held my breath. Uzadaan yanked one boot free, but the force pitched him to the side. My heart leaped to my throat.