Unsurprisingly, Caleb and Eddie had the most, followed by three other guys I hadn’t paid much attention to. The two who’d worked together were tied for the sixth-place spot. I wondered if the Warriors would accept seven victors, but after deliberating with the masters, Chris selected only one as the winner. He congratulated the other, encouraging him to try again next year. I hadn’t noticed the guy who’d won—Wayne—doing anything particularly different from his friend in fighting. Wayne was, however, much bigger and better built. Something told me the Warriors put a lot of emphasis on physical appearances, probably assuming that he who looked the strongest would be the strongest.
That didn’t bode well for me, because when the girls were called up—thirteen of us—it was clear I was the smallest and least buff-looking of them all. Things worsened when Chris announced that only two girls would advance and that they would be determined based on whoever had the most hearts at the end of the hour. Eddie and I exchanged brief glances across the arena at that. Two girls? That wasn’t much of a safety net, especially when it was imperative that I, more than Eddie, stick around to search out information about Jill’s whereabouts. He gave me a tight smile and nodded encouragingly, seeming to say, “Well, then, just make sure you’ve got the most hearts.”
Right. No problem.
Seeing the guys compete first had given us some sense of what the best strategy might be. We positioned ourselves in the arena, a number of the girls immediately moving toward potential weapons. I saw a few of them eye me, as the smallest, and I readied myself for defense. In some ways, I welcomed it, as that was what I’d focused on the most with Wolfe. But defense wouldn’t win me any hearts. I wasn’t violent by nature. Offense was second nature to Eddie, and he’d had an easier time slipping into that role.
Chris started the match, and chaos once again ensued. Two girls immediately headed for me. Blood pounded in my ears, and a cool sense of purpose slowly slid into place as I drew on all of Wolfe’s lessons. I stayed out of their reach, ducking their brutish and often clumsy advances. It seemed to frustrate them when I didn’t prove to be an easy victim, and eventually they got in each other’s way. With a snarl, they turned on each other, both falling into the dirt in a tangle of hitting and hair pulling. One emerged victorious, carrying the other’s heart, and charged toward me. Finally, I allowed myself to give in to the fight and astonished her with a punch that sent her stumbling backward as my magic-infused strength coursed through me. I had that same strange sense as before that the strength was both part of me and yet not part of me, but soon I fell into its rhythm. After a few more failed attacks, the girl yielded and gave me her hearts.
I looked around, uncertain of my next move. I knew I needed to just go up and attack someone, but it was still a weird and unfamiliar sensation. You’re playing a role, Sydney, I told myself. Get into it. Don’t feel bad—remember what these people are. What they might have done to Jill.
I was spared from choosing my next victim when another girl decided my earlier victory was a lucky break. A similar process followed, with me engaging in a long game of self-defense. The best fight is the one you avoid, Wolfe had always said. I led my foe on a merry chase, and when she finally grew impatient and lunged for me, I was able to trip her up and effectively pin her to the ground. Her ankle twisted as she went down, and I was able to take her heart with little resistance. It was also clear she was out of commission, and although I felt a little guilty about that, I was relieved to be responsible for an injury that would only require a little recuperation. Based on the screams of those around me, others wouldn’t be so lucky.
That left me with three hearts, and I felt rather proud. A glance over at Eddie, sitting near the other male victors, told me I shouldn’t feel so cocky. He gestured frantically, the message loud and clear: Pick up the pace. My pro-defense tactic was keeping me safe but not racking up the hearts. A quick reconnaissance told me others had more hearts than I did, but before I could choose my next course of action, the decision was taken from me.
The girl who’d sat near me, the big bulky one, came at me full force. We collided and fell to the ground. Her fist closed around the cords around my neck, and she pulled, nearly choking me in the process. That magical strength surged within me, and with one big push, I knocked her off of me and scrambled to my feet. She too rose and eyed me speculatively, clearly surprised at the hidden force beneath my small exterior. Chris shouted the five-minute warning. I braced for the tall girl to come at me, but then, with a quick shrug, she turned away and headed toward someone else. It took me only a moment to understand why. She clearly had the most hearts of any girl. With time nearly up, she wasn’t going to risk losing them to someone who’d surprised her with a big show of strength. She’d play it safe and let the clock run out. A few other girls were in contention for second place and suddenly grew more frenzied in their attacks.
Me? I was squarely in third—except there was no third place.
I met Eddie’s eyes again and saw true concern now. Then, my gaze slid to the person sitting beside him in the stands: Caleb, smug and secure in his position. Without thinking twice, I strode over and jerked Caleb up by his shirt. That magical strength burned through me, matching us far more evenly than we would ever have been in normal circumstances. Catching him by surprise gave me an extra edge. I landed a punch that would’ve made Wolfe proud and then kicked at his knee. I didn’t break anything, but Caleb did trip and fall to the ground. I quickly pulled the hearts from around his neck and sidestepped as he swung a fist toward me and roared in rage. Eddie jumped up, quick to defend me, but by then, Chris was calling time.
He hurried over to us, frowning at the unorthodox behavior. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.
“Winning,” I said. I held up my original three hearts with the mass I’d stolen from Caleb. “You said the winning girls would be picked based on whoever had the most hearts at the end of our hour. That’s me.”
Chris flushed at being trapped in his words. “Yeah, but—”
“And you said any tactic is fair game.”
“But—”
“And,” I continued triumphantly, “you asked if we were willing to do anything in the fight against evil. I am. Even if it means facing someone bigger and stronger—which those vampiric demons obviously will be.” I waved a dismissive hand at the other female competitors, who were staring openmouthed. “What’s the point of going up against them?”