“Way to cheat, Aarya,” I say. Normally I would just continue without a blip, but I can’t have Blackwood and these girls thinking I’m so bad at getting around in the dark that I tripped over my own feet.

“Who’s cheating? It’s not my fault you’re wicked clumsy,” Aarya replies with an American accent that’s a perfect imitation of my own.

There is the sound of a match striking, and the room is illuminated.

Blackwood holds a candle in front of her face. “Enough. Aarya, you have no place in this challenge. I specifically said to stay where you were. And November, surprises happen. People don’t follow the rules. Were you under the impression that this challenge was about being fair?”

We all look at her, including Nyx, who’s standing next to me with my cloth in her hand and a grin that appears to say “I knew I would kick your butt”—not as a gloat, but as an obvious statement of fact.

Damn it all. I not only lost, I get the added benefit of looking foolish. “Let me try again,” I say.

“You lost, November,” Blackwood says.

“I know. But you just told us a story about a girl who lost in order to win,” I say, and smile. “Let’s see if Nyx can beat me when she doesn’t have Aarya’s help.”

“No one needs Aarya’s help to beat you,” Nyx says, and I can tell that she’s miffed I even suggested it. She’s Greek, I’d bet, based on her accent.

The room is completely silent as everyone looks from me to Blackwood. Blackwood moves her mouth like she’s rolling the idea around on her tongue, then gives a perfunctory nod. I immediately scoot back to my starting position before she can change her mind.

Blackwood resets our cloths and I glance at Nyx, who gives me a withering look that makes me wonder if I just made a very bad choice. After all, she came right for me; she didn’t even try to go around the circle the other way.

Blackwood blows out the candle and throws the room back into blackness. My heart beats three times and she releases my hand.

I run for the wall, not even attempting to silence my footsteps. My hands slap against the stone and there are snickers from the girls. I pat the wall in fast circles, trying to find the chip. Got ya. I reach above me, yank the unlit torch out of the holder, and throw it with all my might across the room and away from the U of girls.

There are surprised gasps as it skids along the floor, and I yank at the edge of the heavy tapestry, pulling it toward me. Then I push it hard, sending it swishing in what I hope is the direction of the X guard in the hallway. There’s the sound of squeaking leather that I believe is the guard attempting to readjust himself, and I’m grateful I hit my mark. In the midst of all the noise, I grab the now-empty torch holder above my head with both hands.