Kaela clutched Lyra’s hand tightly as the girls were led toward the towering stone coliseum. It rose from the sand like a beacon of brutality under the harsh desert sun.
Merrow had sent for them not long after Kaela woke. Kaela tried to question Lyra as they were dressed and rushed from the room, but Lyra could only tell the girl to keep close. Lyra’s dress was a garish green-blue color that made her stand out against the gold, red, and cream hues around them. Given little time, her hair was loose over her shoulders, the silver blond strands catching in the harsh rays of the rising sun.
Merrow stood expectantly outside the entrance to the coliseum, ready to show Lyra what was in store for the tournament’s beginning. She held her chin high and kept her back straight, refusing to show he
