‘Noooo,’ says Kai, as the reality sinks in.
It’sCarterand his level 4 boar who have been entered into the arena in the first round.
Jinx arches his back and hisses.I know exactly how he feels.
‘I thought you said first yearscouldn’tfight in the battles,’ I say to Tobias.
‘They can’t,’ he says. ‘Well, they can’t unless one of the other team members volunteers to step down, which basically never happens...’
‘Or they were forced to back down,’ I say, raising one of my eyebrows.
‘Or that,’ Tobias concedes.
I feel my throat tighten at the thought ofJupiter going up against Hunter. Carter’s not exactly the type of guy to go easy in competition. I know that all too well.
River stares at me with wide eyes, then clasps me on the shoulder. ‘I’m glad we’ve got you on our team instead. I wouldnothave stepped down.’
‘Instead?’ I ask, frowning. River shrugs, and before I can question him, a fanfare of music begins.
‘She really is going to getmurdered,’ mutters Kai.
Tobias doesn’t respond, but a sheen of sweat on his brow speaks volumes.
I don’t have any more time to process. After the music, the competitors are lifted up into the arena. Swept up in the action, I cry out, ‘Go Ashley! Go Jupiter!’
She turns to the team box and gives us a thumbs up. But even from here, I can see that she’s shaking, her knees unsteady, her feet shufflingon the silver pads. Carter, by contrast, looks way too confident. Having a baku that’s a full level higher than the others on the playing field will do that.
‘You just have to last thirty minutes,’ I mutter to Ashley, even though I know she can’t hear me. But I bet thirty minutes feels like a lifetime in that arena.
And the battle begins.
It’s a fast-paced, frenzied start. Like Ashley, TeamDorian’s player – a second year called Wayne, with a bulldog baku – is also on the defensive, trying to protect as much of his baku’s functionality as possible to last out the thirty minutes.
Others, like Carter from Team Gemma, go in hardcore, attempting to inflict as much damage as possible on the other opponents to try and make them as difficult to repair as possible. Those silver tusks lookextra dangerous in that arena, as if he had sharpened them specifically for the purpose of inflicting maximum damage and pain. Jupiter, by contrast, looks so small, so domestic and tame, in the arena.
Tobias switches for a more aggressive strategy as the battlefield narrows. He pushes Ashley to in turn push her baku to the very limit, not allowing her to let up until the thirty minutes are upand there is only one other baku left.
Carter’s.
I clutch Jinx’s little paws, even as he attempts to crawl out from beneath my fierce grip.
>>She’s a goner.
But we’ll fix her.
>>You think that’s a good idea?
Why wouldn’t it be?
Jinx says something but I don’t hear it – my eyes are transfixed by the sight of Hunter rocketing towards Jupiter at lightning speed. Ashley just isn’t quick enough.The two bakus connect and the crunching sound is excruciating. Jupiter is thrown almost the full length of the arena, smashing into the curved wall underneath us, ricocheting around the outside wall like a pinball. Carter pumps his fist, triumphant.
‘Giving up, Ashley? Your poor doggie is almost out,’ he says, his tone full of swagger. He’s right – Jupiter’s stats are now at 15%. She could forfeitnow. ‘Go on, put her out of her misery.’
Ashley stares from Hunter to Jupiter. Her baku is attempting to stand up even though one of her legs is twisted so it’s pointing backwards, and part of her wiring is trailing on the floor. Even though everyone knows that she feels no pain, has no awareness, it is gut-wrenching to watch. Maybe it’s Ashley’s face that makes it worse. She’s even paler thanshe was before – I didn’t think that was possible – her face ashen, with a sickly sheen from sweat, worry and adrenaline. She looks as if she wants to forfeit the battle. Her eyes flick to Tobias in the team box, who is speaking furiously to Aero. The eagle is presumably transmitting the message to Ashley, for only her to hear. And I can see in Tobias’s eyes that he wants her to continue. There’sonly a few minutes left on the clock. If Ashley can hold out then she will have won us a share of the remaining points.
I bite my nails, chewing down the quick. I can’t believe Tobias is making her continue – he should pull her now and give us a better chance of fixing her for tomorrow morning. I try to catch his eye, but his focus is laser-like on Ashley.
Ashley closes her eyes for a beat,and when she opens them again, she is filled with determination. ‘You can do this,’ I whisper to her. My fists are balled into tight fists at my side, as I will her every ounce of luck I can spare.
