“Seems like I didn’t need to worry about them though,” Cion said. “It appears you won them over.” He nodded to where Yeri was waiting for me.

“I want a rematch,” he said.

I grinned and tossed him the bag of pebbles. “You’re on.”

“Not tonight,” Cion said. “You should get to bed. The sun’s almost down, and training starts early in the desert.”

Yeri’s face dropped.

“Tomorrow,” I said.

Yeri’s eyes sparked, and a grin slowly spread across his lips. “You better hope Cion trains you really good if you want to beat me.”

“All right,” Cion said, trying to hold back a laugh. “Time for bed.”

He walked me back to my small alcove, which somehow did feel much more like mine even after only one night.

“Good night, Kateri,” he said. He offered me a small smile as he turned to leave.

I watched until his shadow disappeared down the long tunnel.

But the image of his smile stayed with me because it, along with those of the boys down the hall, were the first ones since my mother’s death that held warmth. They weren’t like the sneer Rodric wore or the sly expression that slid across my father’s lips when he knew the tiger was going to be released.

These boys shared a sense of togetherness that made their cave seem more like a home than the palace ever had. I’d just gotten my first glimpse of what a true family with siblings was like. And I liked it.

I fell asleep that night with a smile on my own face.

CHAPTER

13

When I awoke, I had no idea what time it was. The caves had a way of concealing the hour so that you never knew what was going on above ground.

But while I was awake, my muscles weren’t. They pulled taut with every tiny movement I made. A pang of hunger raced through my stomach. I curled inward until the pain stopped.

When I swallowed, my tongue stuck in my throat.

Ignoring the flashes of pain in my legs, I rolled myself up and went in search of water and food.

I ducked out of my alcove and nearly ran into Cion.

“I was just coming to wake you,” he said. “The sun’s already well up.”

“Are we not training today then?” I prayed the answer was yes.

“Not outside,” he said. “There’s a sandstorm raging. That’s why I didn’t wake you earlier. We can practice in the cavern instead.” He gestured down the tunnel, but my eyes were too busy following the spiked kana fruit in his hand.

“Hungry?” he asked when he saw me looking.

I nodded.

He tossed me the fruit. “You’ll get used to that.”

I devoured it, not even able to slow myself enough to savor it, as I followed him to the large cavern where I’d first seen Hardesh.

Pairs of boys were practicing with wooden swords. The clacks of each hit echoed through the room.