Aliyah’s POV
Two days later, the air smelled like smoke and gasoline. The field behind the house had been turned into a rough track, the kind the boys used for practice runs. The sound of engine revving filled the space, wild and raw.
Papa had gone to a meeting with the council, so it was just Asher, me, and a few of the racers. I stood beside my bike, checking the gears and tightening the strap on my gloves. My body still ached a little, but my mind was sharper than ever. The tournament was only seven days away. I needed to win.
Asher came up beside me, wiping his hands on a rag. His shirt clung to him with sweat, his hair messy from the helmet. He looked at me with that same frown that had become too familiar lately.
“You shouldn’t be out here yet,” he said. “You were literally in t
