Chapter 209

Chapter 209

ARIA

Finished

Around us, the other teams were eating and talking, already beginning to strategize and plan. I heard Nina and Elite discussing potential challenge scenarios. Marg and Jordan were analyzing what they knew about previous Hunts, Jason and Kael were comparing notes on wilderness survival techniques.

Ivory ate in focused silence, not engaging in the speculation happening around us. She consumed her food with the same efficient precision she applied to everything else-purposeful, measured, exactly what was needed without excess or waste.

I wanted to say something. Wanted to apologize in advance for being inadequate. Wanted to acknowledge that she’d gotten stuck with the weakest partner and assure her I’d try my best not to be a complete liability.

But the words wouldn’t come. And honestly, what was there to say? She already knew I was inadequate. Everyone knew. Apologizing for it wouldn’t change reality.

After the meal, after we’d collected our ration packs and received final instructions about staying alert and prepared, we were dismissed to our quarters to rest and ready ourselves.

“The Hunt begins at an undisclosed time,” the commander reminded us one final time. “It could be in an hour. It could be in six hours. It could be in the middle of the night. You won’t receive warning. You won’t get preparation time once it starts. So prepare now. Sleep in your hunting clothes. Keep your supplies within reach. And stay ready because the moment you think you’re safe is probably when we’ll activate the Hunt p>

The warning was clear-expect the unexpected. Be prepared for chaos at any moment.

I made my way back to the chambers I shared with Kael my body screaming with exhaustion from the day’s exertions. Every muscle ached. My feet were blistered from the running. My arms trembled from the strength tests. I was physically destroyed in ways I’d never experienced before.

But I couldn’t just collapse into bed and sleep. I had to prepare.

I took the fastest shower of my life-barely five minutes to wash off the sweat and grime from training while trying not to think about how much my body hurt. Then I dried off and examined the clothes that had been provided for Hunt participants.

They were practical in a way that prioritized function over form. Fitted pants that allowed full range of movement without being restrictive. A long-sleeved shift that was lightweight but protective. Boots designed for rough terrain. A vest with multiple pockets for supplies and equipment. Everything in neutral earth tones that would blend with natural environments

I dressed carefully, making sure everything fit properly, that nothing would chafe or restrict during extended physical activity. Braided my hair tightly to keep it out of my face. Checked the small weapons I’d been issued-a hunting knife, a basic bow with a quiver of arrows, some rope, a water purification kit, matches waterproofed in a sealed container.

By the time I finished preparing, I was so exhausted I could barely stand. My body was demanding rest with increasing urgency. The bed looked impossibly inviting-soft, comfortable, safe.

I collapsed onto it fully clothed, my weapons and supply pack positioned within arm’s reach as instructed. Closed my eyes. Tried to settle into sleep despite the ansiety still churning through my thoughts.

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Chapter 209

Tried not to think about how the Hunt would start without warning.

Finished

Tried not to imagine waking up alone in the forest with no idea how I’d gotten there or what challenges awaited.

Tried not to calculate all the ways I was going to fail and humiliate myself and prove that I never should have been included in the final twenty.

But exhaustion won eventually. My thoughts grew foggy, indistinct. My breathing slowed. My muscles gradually released the tension they’d been holding all day.

And I fell into dreamless sleep.

I was having the most peaceful sleep I’d experienced in weeks. No nightmares. No anxiety dreams. Just blissful, restorative unconsciousness that my destroyed body desperately needed.

I shifted in my sleep, rolling over to find a more comfortable position. My body moved automatically, seeking the cool side of the pillow, the perfect angle for my aching muscles.

And I rolled directly into water.

Cold, shocking water that soaked through my clothes instantly, that filled my mouth and nose, that submerged me completely in freezing liquid that had absolutely no business being in my bed.

I gasped, inhaling water instead of air, choking and sputtering as I fought to get my head above the surface. My hands scrabbled for purchase on something solid, finding nothing but more water, more cold, more shocking wetness that made no sense in the context of sleeping in chambers.

My eyes flew open. I wasn’t in chambers.

I wasn’t in a bed. I was in a forest. In a stream. Soaking wet, disoriented, with absolutely no memory of how I’d gotten here.mThe Ghost Hunt had officially started. And I was completely, utterly alone.

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