Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Mate Games: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

ALTHEAThere are eight of us left now.Only eight.And still, I feel like I’m unraveling.I sit on the edge of my bed, fingers tangled in the thick blanket, staring at nothing. Before we were dismissed to our rooms, I and the other girls had been in the grand hall, whispering about who made it and who didn’t. Now alone, I’m somewhere else.Back in the maze.Back in front of that mirror, where my father looked up at me with eyes that weren’t his—cold, sharp, disappointed. You betrayed us. The words echo, even though he never said them aloud. Even though it was just an illusion.But it didn’t feel like a lie.What if he’s right?What if I have betrayed them—my family, my people, myself?By being here?By surviving?By letting the king turn me into one of his toys?I tell myself I don’t want the crown. I don’t want power. That I’m here to survive. To find out the truth. To stay alive long enough to make something right.But the mirror didn’t lie. It showed me things I never wanted to adm

ALTHEA There’s a stone in my shoe. The same one that’s been there for the past ten minutes, but my legs are too busy running for me to be able to stop to do anything about it. We finally stop running once we’re a safe distance from the bar and seem to have lost our pursuers. We collapse against a tree and Asher finally lets go of my hand. My body protests against the loss of contact, and I wrap my arms around my body to keep my hands occupied. I look at Asher, finding his eyes already trained on me so intently that I swallow before asking. “So what now?” His expression is blank. “The palace.” “Well, that was…” I sputter trying to find the right word. “Stupid?” “Fascinating.” I finish instead. He heaves a sigh before muttering, “You’re always making things difficult for me, aren’t you?” I don’t answer, as I finally pull off my shoe and shake off the offending stone. I can feel Asher’s eyes on me as I slip my shoe back on. When he sees I have no intention of giving

ALTHEAThe walk back to the palace is quiet.Not the awkward kind of quiet. It’s something else. Heavy, but not uncomfortable. Like we’ve said everything that needed to be said, and now we’re both just… thinking. Processing.We don’t speak at all. Not even when the gates come into view or when we make our way through the secret passageways. Not until we’re safely in his room.As I make to leave through the door, Asher pauses with his hand on the handle. His eyes sweep over me, lingering a little too long, like he’s memorizing something.Then, with a nod, he says, “Good luck tomorrow, Gray.”I roll my eyes, but the smile breaks through anyway. “Well, with the selection of girls you have to pick from, you might need it more.”He laughs. The sound is low and warm, and it sneaks down my spine like it has no right to. Then, slowly, he closes the door behind him.And I’m alone again.Without him to distract me, the noise in my head comes rushing back. It’s hot and angry, but I barely acknow

ALTHEAEvery part of me burns.Burns with pain, thirst, and hunger. My skin is sticky with sweat and grime. My shirt clings to my back like glue. My legs feel like they’re moving through thick mud.If I can just find some water, I can wash off the blood, clean the dirt from my wounds, and maybe—just maybe—think straight again.I hope so.My eyes are barely staying open. Every step feels heavier than the last. I keep walking, dragging my feet across the uneven forest floor, branches scratching at my arms.Then I see it.A soft, orange glow. Flickering between the trees ahead.I blink hard, trying to make sense of it. It’s blurry, like everything else right now. Is it real, or am I imagining it?My hand tightens on my bow, though my grip is shaky. My fingers are slippery with sweat, and I’m not sure I even have the strength to pull the string back if I needed to shoot.Still, I move toward it. Step by slow step.The fire is small. Flickering quietly in the middle of a small clearing. Th

ASHER Althea is too stubborn to give up, and that’s probably going to be the very thing that undoes her. Even with all the cameras placed around the forest, giving us full access to every moment, my eyes keep going back to her. I don’t care how it looks. I try to act neutral, like I’m just another official watching the games. But I’m not. Not when it comes to her. From the start, there’s been this tight feeling in my chest. Like I’m waiting for something bad to happen. And every time she stumbles or cries out, that feeling gets worse. I sit there, frozen, trying not to let it show on my face. Trying not to feel anything. I’m supposed to be strong. I’m supposed to be cold. The future king, as my father keeps reminding me. But when she fights? Goddess, when she fights—it’s like I forget to breathe. She doesn’t attack like the others. She’s not cruel or careless. She watches. She waits. She plans. She moves like she knows she’s losing blood but still refuses to stop. I watch her