By the time night fell, Klara had to force her feet not to drag as she walked with the rest of 24th Squad back to the barracks. The one hour break after the maze had been most welcome. An aloof and cold Idalie had given Yeger and her a light healing extract each. Before the hour was up, they were as new—they’d even managed to eat.

  However, Yefimova had thrown them straight into the depths with training. Endurance, combat, stealth—all requiring more teamwork.

  The prospect of spending another night on the stone floor made Klara cringe, but even lying on the floor appealed more than standing right now.

  Klara fell into step beside Zin. They’d remained on the same team all day and somehow made it without killing each other. “What a day, huh?” Klara said.

  Zin grunted.

  “Yefimova is quite the tyrant when it comes to training,” Klara continued, hopeful.

  Silence.

  “Can you believe that Alarick survived the fall from the mechanical dragon?”

  Zin stopped walking and rounded on Klara, her eyes ablaze. “It doesn’t work like this, Klara. You don’t get to ruin training with your stupid pride and then just pretend nothing happened. You need to get it through that dense skull of yours that we all have something to lose here. We could’ve won in the maze today, but your selfish pride got us last. If Mikhail hadn’t pulled the crossbow on Yeger, we wouldn’t have even eaten today.”

  “Well, pardon me for having an idea so good it got me out of the maze first—even after we got lost and I finally backtracked.”

  “You’re insufferable.”

  After hours of abuse—from both training and Zin’s silent judgement—Klara snapped. “I’m insufferable?” she asked, blood pounding in her ears. “How can you be so blind? I had a good idea, Zin, a really good idea. But you and Mikhail refused to listen, preferring instead to wander lost in the corridors.”

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “You don’t get it,” Zin said, her face as red as her hair. “It was a team exercise. We voted, good and fair. The vote said corridors. You should’ve respected that and stuck with us. It means nothing that you got out first because you did so without your team—your family. Yefimova was right, Klara, you aren’t a Sentinel. Not even close. And you won’t be until you learn that you never abandon family.” With that, Zin stomped away, leaving Klara standing, mouth agape, in the middle of the street, a mess of emotions churning in her gut.

  Zin caught up with Mikhail, who’d continued with the rest of the squad, and said something to him. A grin split his bearded face, and they laughed.

  Klara followed the squad at a distance, the space a bitter reminder of the chasm she’d built between them. Maybe Zin was right. She had been proud, and more focused on her plan than teamwork.

  They arrived at the barracks, and the exhausted squad filed through the door. Klara brought up the rear, and as she reached the door, Nikolay appeared and barred the way.

  Klara’s hearts sank. She didn’t need a confrontation with him right now.

  “What is this I hear of you wall walking?” Nikolay asked, his face expressionless behind his thick auburn beard as he gazed at Klara.

  Great, he’s going to be furious that I cheated.

  Before she could find a suitable response, a grin split Nikolay’s beard, and he clamped a meaty fist over her shoulder. “Superb work,” he said, pulling her inside. “Too many of you salagi fail to consider the entire space when looking for a solution. Thinking outside the corridors is what keeps us alive.”

  They stopped by an empty bunk. “Yours. You have earned it.”

  Baffled, Klara glanced over her shoulder. Mikhail and Zin watched her, Mikhail’s face remained blank, while Zin’s screamed murder. Klara chose to ignore it and sank onto the bed. Oh, that feels incredible, she thought with a smile and a sigh.

  Nikolay left her and shoved Mikhail and Zin towards the door. “What are you two still doing here? You have floors to clean!”

  Without a word, Mikhail and Zin walked to the door.

  “Oh, Avilov!” Nikolay said suddenly. “I nearly forgot…”

  Mikhail turned and raised an eyebrow as the big man pulled him aside and quietly told him something. Mikhail nodded, a slight frown on his face.

  “Thanks,” Mikhail said and joined Zin outside.

  Klara stared after him for a second, curious about what Nikolay said, but not curious enough to try to find out. Not when bed called. Her stomach let out an impressive growl and Klara groaned. With great reluctance, she stood. Food had to come first, then a shower, then sleep.