I don’t have time to consider what a strike like his would do to my skull. I just act on instinct.

I’ve been experimenting with my hoverboard’s versatility and practicing some skateboard tricks in the hover park, so I’m about 60 percent sure that what I’m about to try should work. If not, it’s gonna hurt.

Right as we approach impact, I throw my lance, trying to vaguely aim it at Bram’s shield. Then I lean back into my board and leap up onto the fence that divides us. The bottom of my board squeals against the metal of the rail—which has no maglev tech—and I glide like that, completely out of range of Bram’s hit, riding the rail to the end of the pit. Then, feeling pretty good about myself, I showboat a little and do a kickflip on my way down.

The crowd is going absolutely bonkers.

The lodge has to convene to determine whether my moves were legal, but they rule that since I was continuously moving forward, it counts as a fair match. And apparently, when I tossed my lance, it did, just barely, touch Bram’s shield, so they’re counting it as a hit.

With two hits each, the game is a draw.

From the soup of noise in the stands, I hear my name rise from the crowd. I look over, and my cheeks ache from my smile when I see a large banner that says, GO, ADA, GO! It’s so very… provincial. Georgie must have made it. Despite being mad at me about Rafe, she’s cheering me on. And she’s only one of the people holding the sign aloft, along with Mbali, a heavily pregnant Xander, and Kaylie. They’re all cheering for me, wearing Alchemist tokens and waving and blowing kisses.

Suddenly the knowledge that I’m leaving tomorrow hits me like a direct lance strike.

These people have become my family here. How can I choose one family over the other?

Will I have to?

Michael’s also there, sitting next to Kaylie, with a green token to cheer me on. But he’s not looking at me. He’s seething in the direction of the Bioscience team. Is he jealous Rafe and I are wearing each other’s favors? Or is it Bram he’s glaring at for taking reckless aim at my head? It’s hard to tell because Rafe and Bram are standing together at the other end of the pit.

Bram isn’t getting the hugging and high-fiving support that I am from the Alchemists. In fact, Rafe is yelling at him and practically pushing him toward their team’s tent. If screaming at his teammates when they don’t win is his style, I can’t imagine he was a very good captain for his last team.