“I never would have found you,” she groaned.

No. I think this proves that. And the next test, they’ll drop you off, and I am supposed to find you. He sounded dubious. How will we not fail as miserably next time?

Kerrigan didn’t have an answer to that as she climbed onto his back and he shot into the air, heading back toward the mountain.

“Maybe we should plan a place to meet. One in the north and one in the south, just in case. As soon as I’m dropped off, I’ll run to the meetup spot.”

What if you’re hours away?

She huffed, too tired to argue. “Do you have a better idea?”

He was silent a full minute before conceding, I do not.

So, they made their plan. They picked the locations that both of them knew and agreed to meet up. She didn’t know if it would even work, but at least they had a game plan.

They landed back in the arena, and Alura awaited with her arms crossed.

“What happened?” she demanded.

Kerrigan shook her head. “It’s the distance. I can’t find the bond that far away.”

“That shouldn’t be possible. You’ve been working on it for months.”

“Maybe I’m blocked,” she said.

“Blocked? No, that’s in your head,” Alura assured her. “You simply aren’t trying hard enough.” Her eyes shifted to the horizon. “It’s too late to set you up for the next test.”

“What?” Kerrigan gasped.

“If it took you this long for the first one, you could be out into the evening for the next one. Light is fading sooner now.”

“What does that mean then?”

She frowned. “That I cannot pass you to the next level of training.”

Kerrigan gasped. “Are you kicking me out?”

Alura considered it and then shook her head. “No. We’ll have to have a makeup for the second part.”

“A makeup,” Kerrigan breathed. “When?”

“Monday. It’s a holiday weekend,” Alura reminded her. “I won’t keep you from the Night of the Dead celebrations in the city. Plus, I am to return to Venatrix this weekend for the Season event and the market opening. You and Tieran will have to make up the second test then. But if you don’t pass, then you’re out.”

Kerrigan gulped and nodded. “I understand.”

Tieran looked at her bleakly. We’re screwed.

And he wasn’t wrong.

29

The Night of the Dead

Kerrigan didn’t participate in any of the Night of the Dead festivities. She and Tieran spent all weekend flying around and scoping out locations to figure out how to beat this test on Monday. There was no other option. They ended up with a half-dozen places to meet all around the city perimeter. If she didn’t send them near those, then Kerrigan didn’t know what to do. It was the only shot they had.