I do not trust the Dread, but I do take him up on his warning toward caution. As I move back through the forest, I double cross my own trails, hoping to throw off any attempts at following me back to my ashes. It takes more time but I still reach my ashes long before sunrise. The rain has cleared. I sit down, feeling soaked and tired, but can’t help grinning like a fool.

Bravos will struggle tomorrow. His lead will fade. Revel has me by a few hundred paces. There is Pippa, looming like a shadow, but I find myself unafraid. The Ashlords are not superior to us. They’re not faster or stronger or wise. All they have that we do not is the gods.

And that can change.

Morning comes and revolution is on its heels.

Chapter 41: The Final Stretch

You decide to leave most of your supplies. This is the final leg of the Races. You can’t imagine needing anything but your hood and your switch from here on out. You are about to leave your mark on history. It starts now. As Quinn mounts, the two of you set your eyes ahead. It’s a form of survival. If you’re going to win the Races, you have to forget everything that’s happened in the past few days. Taking the caves gave you a chance. It let you pass through the heart of a plateau that the rest of the riders had to go around. You’re not in the top three, but you know the road ahead will bring back the time you’ve lost to the others.

You glance at your watch and eye the names: Bravos, Revel, Adrian.

The thought of meeting all of them on the final stretch has you grinning.

“Let’s ride, Revenge.”

The phoenix’s coat flashes as the name takes and she kicks him into motion, stirring the dust with each thundering stride. By some trick of adrenaline, you don’t feel like there’s a second person clinging to your waist. Instead, it’s like you and Quinn are drifting into one being as Revenge presses through passes, down winding gulches, and through shallow creeks.

Neither of you speak. Instead, your thoughts echo in some impossible space.

We’re making good time.

The next pass feeds into the final crossroads.

Let’s ease off before the final leg.

What if we see other riders?

We stand our ground.

If we see Bravos?

We end him.

The sun burns overhead, but you refuse your hood. You want Bravos to see your face and tremble when you meet again on the final stretch. Your gut twists a little as you eye the leaderboard. Revel has taken the lead. He’s burned his way out ahead of Bravos, who’s barely clinging to second place. Adrian’s in third, but you’re gaining on both of them.