"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?" ANUBIS asked, placing his thumb by the bandaged cut.
"Lilith happened." Zaina winced at the memory.
It occurred not so long ago, barely a minute after the gong sounded. Due to Zaina's 'refusal' to wake up, Lilith deemed it fit to yank her out of the bed. In the process, Zaina's head hit the wood at the foot of the bed.
"Lilith?" he asked, a frown on his face. "Is that one of the other competitors?"
"Oh no, no." She shook her head, laughing slightly. "She is of the khadimas."
"I must have a talk with her then."
"Oh no, that wouldn't be necessary," Zaina replied, her heart pounding. She could only imagine what Lilith would do to her if she found out Zaina told on her.
His brows furrowed in concern. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely." Her lips stretched wide into a grin, eyes wide.
He nodded, smiling at her and dropping his hand. "I will see you later."
Anubis turned around and walked back to the centre of the crowd. "Welcome to the second trial. This trial is quite different from the first, do not worry, you will not have to worry about thieves chasing you." He winked at her as he said the last few words.
Zaina felt sick, nausea creeping into her stomach.
"This time around, you will have to race─" whispers and murmurs broke up in the crowd, disrupting Anubis' words. Shaking his head, he continued. "Not to worry, it is not runnning. You will all be provided with chariots. However, the horses that will pull your chariots are yours to choose."
The crowd had quietened down, some of the competitors were still discussing while others were deep in thought. Zaina on the other hand was panicking, she had never ridden a chariot before and besides the colour of their coat, height and size, Zaina knew no other significant difference between horses.
"Thoth, if you would," Anubis said, a hand raised in his direction.
Thoth snapped his fingers and they were transported to a desert area. There chariots with a rafiq flag planted by each one. The race track was a few feet away, spectator stands on either sides. They were filled with akhs, spirits of the dead, who were having conversations among themselves, strong winds threatening to knock them off. Zaina shivered at the notion—she was supposed to be like that.
Anubis clapped once, drawing the attention back to himself. Each horse is of a different breed, thus, you must be quick and wise in your choosing. Only the first fifteen to cross the finish line, might I add, alive, will progress to the third trial. You may begin."
The competitors rushed forwards, startling the nineteen horses in the process. The hasidas holding the horses scowled, moving quickly to calm the animals.
Quickly, the competitors began claiming horses, pulling them towards their work stations. Zaina tried to make her way forward but was shoved back and almost trampled on. By the time she had made her way there, there was only one horse remaining. It was by no means the tallest horse nor was it the fittest, but Zaina figured it would have to do.
With a sigh, she dragged the heavy-boned horse to her station and got to work. She tied a rope around the neck of the horse and connected it to the long rod that extended from the chariot. Satisfied with her work, she dusted her hands, walking towards the back. Mounting the chariot, she looked around letting out a sigh of relief, only about seven people had taken off, there was still time to catch up. Grabbing onto the sides of the chariot, she waited for the horse to move. When it did not, she frowned.
YOU ARE READING
The Death Trials
Fantasy"I wanted to give this to you in person," Anubis said, taking a step closer to the girl who was evidently petrified. He handed her a crisp white envelope that had his name written in a cursive scrawl. With shaky hands, Zaina took the env...
