My teeth chatter as we walk from the dining hall to the school building. The wind has picked up and the air smells of rain and roots and dirt of the forest in the distance. The signs of a storm coming. Phasma walks beside me and Hux beside her. I rub my arms to warm them.

"Where's your cloak?" Phasma asks.

I shrug. "I don't know."

"Maybe you left it in Dukath's granddaughter's room,"Hux says. I stop walking.

"Who?" Phasma asks. She stops walking and so does Hux.

"One of the Masters that lives here," Hux replies.

"What are you talking about?" I say, my pulse pounding in my ears. Did he see me go to her room?

"Your little friend," Hux says. "I know your secret-"

I grab Hux in a force hold so tight he begins to choke. Phasma takes a step back. The others have already gone into the school building and it starts to rain.

"Are you allowed to use your powers?" Phasma asks, sounding worried. "You don't want to get expelled."

I ignore her and force my way into Hux's mind. He resists but I'm a lot stronger now that I'm mad. Master Snoke was right, anger and hate make me stronger. Hux's surface emotions are fear and anger, then I fin what I'm looking for. He saw me with Rey last night and was jealous of the way I was paying special attention to her. I search further. He doesn't intend to tell Snoke about it, because he doesn't actually want me expelled.

I let him go and he falls to his knees, gasping for air. Was I keeping him from breathing this whole time?

Phasma curses and kneels down beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders as he tries to catch his breath. She gives me an angry glare.

"Get lost, Ren," she says.

I hesitate for a second then walk ahead to the next building.

* * *

"Quiet down!" Master Garione says to everyone gathered in the Markin Hall. I glance around the theater-style room, the largest gathering space at the school, with a raised platform at the front where the important speakers do talks or big announcements are made. I take a seat at the back, away from the others who are all crowding the front.

Phasma and Hux walk in just as Master Garione is about to speak. He gives them a displeased look and waits for them to have a seat before he continues talking. Hux's neck looks red and Phasma has an angry look on her face.

"Grand Master Snoke has called you all in here today to tell you about a new initiative for the First Order Future Commanders Program," Master Garione says.

I look over at Grand Master, sitting in a chair beside three other commanders at the front. His face is veiled in shadow, inside his hood, and his eyes stare back at me. I don't look away. I'm not sure why. After a moment, he finally turns his head and looks out at the other students.

"As you know," Master Garione continues. "Only twenty-five of you will graduate from this program and continue on to be leaders and commanders with the First Order."

A hush falls over the room. Eighty students have been training this summer. Last summer it was 150 and the summer before that it was 250. I never thought about the selection process too much and how they decide who goes on to the next summer program. I always just happened to pass.

"To decide on the final twenty-five on this, our final year of training, we will be having a competition of sorts, a game, if you will." Master Garione looks to Grand Master Snoke, who nods. "Starting tomorrow, there will be no more classes. Your final training will be a practical one, a competition, to the death."

Everyone is silent as we wait to hear more. Hux and Phasma look over their shoulders at me and I suddenly wish I was sitting with them and not alone.

"You have a week to prepare, then we start the Elimination Games."

"Can we form teams?" Hux asks, not bothering to raise his hand. His voice sounds hoarse and I frown, lowering down in my seat.

"No," Master Garione says. "Each one for himself."

"What if someone has an advantage?" Phasma says. "Like Force sensitivity?"

A few heads turn to me and I sink down further in my seat.

"Everyone should use whatever advantage they have at their disposal, except for weapons fire. There will be no weapons allowed."

An outburst of disapproval fills the theater room as the rest of the students begin to complain.

"Quiet!" Master Garione says. "All blasters and other weapons will be removed from the school grounds. Anyone caught with a weapon will be automatically disqualified."

"What about just hiding until the game is over?" someone says. "Does that still count as winning?"

"You will be on a Capital starship, with a system that anyone can access, which can detect life-signs on board. There's no place to hide. I recommend you familiarize yourselves with the ship's layout and operating systems."

"If someone is hurt and doesn't want to continue, can they ask to be disqualified?" Phasma asks.

"No," Master Snoke says before Master Garione can answer. "Everyone remains on the ship until only twenty-five are left over, no matter how long that takes."

I swallow hard. With no blasters it will be more difficult for students to kill each other. They'll have to use kitchen knives or their bare hands. I frown. I do have an advantage, but I don't want to use it to kill my fellow classmates. I've never purposefully used my Force powers to kill anyone. Will Hux and Phasma get killed? Hux is smart, I can see him passing the Games, but if Phasma can't use her blaster skills she'll have a harder time. She'll get jumped by one of the larger guys, or a group of them.

I rub my face with my hands. I have to talk to Grand Master. This can't be the only way to decide who's going to be a future leader with the First Order.

Master Garione talks some more about the Elimination Game rules, but I can't concentrate. I keep thinking about Mom and Uncle Luke and how they wouldn't like this at all. I do have Force powers, but they are strongest when I'm mad or irrational. And if I'm irrational then I could get myself killed in the Game. There are some really smart students in the program, like Hux, and I can see them getting the better of me before the Games are over.

I look over at Hux. Would he kill me if it came down him getting into the First Order or not? I know he feels strongly about me, but he feels even more strongly about ruling the Galaxy. And I almost just killed him just now, before this meeting.

Master Garione dismisses everyone and they all start talking immediately as they make their way out of the theater. I can already see the teams forming, despite the rule about no groups. They want to save each other and be the new future leaders of the First Order. Some glace over at me and I know they're plotting to take me down. I'll be the first target on everyone's list.

My stomach feels queasy with the food I ate at supper. Phasma and Hux walk out together, not even glancing back at me. I stay in my seat and wait until everyone leaves. I've got one week. One week to figure out if I can kill my classmates to win a game, or if I should tell Mom or Uncle Luke about all this, and just leave the Program. One week... left with Rey.