I watch Ava as she smirks at me from across the sand. Joanna could have picked anyone else. My ears are drowned out by the roar from the crowd. I watch Joanna as she silences them.

"Octavia Copeland has been lying and scheming about her real identity as a Black." Gasps shoot up from the crowd. I clench my sword tighter. "She and my son have conspired against me and my husband. They are responsible for the murder of the King." Cries erupt from the crowd. My face twists in shock at Cedric. I expect to see him reflecting the same expression, but he seems like he was expecting it.

"She's pinning it on us." Cedric grinds together.

"We're the bad guys," I say realizing what this means. Joanna is getting all the credit for being a hero.

"Silence!" Joanna orders. The crowd goes quiet. "My husband will be missed, but today is a day for justice. The criminals will fight our best fighters in weapon combat!" Cheers rise from the crowd. "Take your places." Cedric and I move to the center of the sand field facing Ava and Jeremy. Ava takes her place in front of me.

"This is going to be fun," she grins. All I can think about is getting out of here. One of us may have a chance and if we do, we have to take it. I glance at Cedric and we make an understanding eye contact that we might die, but at least we will die trying. I look back at Ava and focus. You can do this. Remember your training. Fight through the pain. I clench my sword tighter as the crowd grows restless.

"Let the duel begin!" The Queen's words slice through the air. Ava gives out a battle cry and raises her sword. I raise mine as they clang together. Ava moves quick and spins underneath her sword to get me off. I take a step backwards and swing my sword towards her oncoming attack. My stomach tightens as she moves her sword to slice at my arm, but I move my feet through the sand and hit her sword again. She grunts in annoyance. I make the next move and swing mine towards her head. She ducks and uses her elbow to hit my leg. I catch myself before falling, but I pause from the pain, giving her the chance to shove me over into the sand.

Get up! Before she can come towards me Cedric blocks her sword using his. I grin and look for Jeremy who is running towards me. I shoot my hand out and use my sword to knock him over. He hits the sand and I quickly get up. Cedric ducks from Ava's swing and I take my place in front of her and crash our swords together. She pulls them down to our eye level. Neither of us break. Her face closes into mine, only inches from my face.

"I should have known you were hiding something," she hisses. I give her a hard look. "You're a traitorous bitch!" She yells in my face.

"No, you are!" I use all my strength to push her away from me. She stumbles back but quickly recovers. I swing my sword in the air towards her. The medal clangs together every few swings. We move back and forth on the sand. I glance out of the corner of my eye and see Cedric and Jeremy are doing the same. Ava cuts are harsh and fiery. I do my best to block them, but I'm not sure how long I can keep going.

"You don't have to do this!" I do my best to distract her. She sneers and shake her head. "I know you hate me, but I didn't do anything wrong!" She barks out a laugh as she swings towards me. This time I stop backing up and press further towards her.

"You killed the King!" Sweat tears in my eyes.

"No, I didn't and neither did Cedric!" I watch her eyes, but they are too full of rage and revenge.

"Liar!" She spins in a 180-degree circle with her sword. I stop and see the blade coming down on my arm before I can move. I scream in pain as blood gushes from the cut my arm.

"Octavia!" I hear Cedric yell. I grind my teeth together and pull up my sword to meet Ava's before she can slice my face open.

"I'm fine!" I yell back. I squeeze my open fist in pain as blood dribbles down my arm.

"The next one's going to be aimed at your heart," Ava warns me. Great. She swings at me and I quickly duck and roll on the sand to the other side of me. She spins around right as I swing my sword towards her leg. My blade cuts the back of her calf. She shrieks and looks at me.

"You were saying?" She shouts and hauls the sword above her head. The blades clang together, then she thrusts her fist forwards towards my stomach. Pair rips through my body and suddenly I am flying backwards to the ground. I don't have time to register Ava tossing my sword from my hand and pressing the long blade against my neck.

"Time to die, Octavia," she says. I shake my head and use my arms to throw her off my body. She flies backward and I reach for my sword. She comes back to me and out blade clang together. We lock determined eye. I kick my foot out and she stumbles backwards. This gives me time to stand up. I charge towards Ava and our blades meet again.

"Stop this, Ava!"

"Not till you're dead!" She swings her sword to my side. I block it but the impact is too much and it knocks me over. I scramble to get up. I make note of the blood erupting from my stomach. My whole front of covered in blood. Crap. I look up and Ava is charging towards me again. Our swords connect and suddenly I step on something hard. As I dodge her swing, I see it's a sword. I glance over at Cedric who has is sword and is fighting sword less Jeremy.

We're gonna win. I launch a kick to Ava's side, and she topples over. I grab the sword from under me just in time for Ava to stand up and notice. She stops and widens her eyes. She looks over at Jeremy who is attempting to dodge Cedric's fast swings. I take this as my chance and run towards her. My swords make an X while connecting with hers. For once in her life she looks scared. I drop one sword by my sword and fight with my second one. She defends herself with the blade, until she has forgotten about the other one. I swing out to the side and she leans with me. I grip the sword and plunge the sword into her open side.

Spots of blood shoot up and hit me on my cheek. Her body freezes and she drops her sword. Everything seems to slow down. I let go of the sword. My eyes fill with shock as she drops to her knees. She falls back onto the sand and I stand over her. I killed her. Bile fills my throat as I grip the sword and pull it out of her dead body. I drop both bloody swords and watch the pool of blood grow larger around her. A hand grips my arm. The slow-motion stops, and I am plunged back into reality. I turn and meet Cedric's eyes.

"We won," Cedric says. I don't think I've ever seen him smile, but in this moment, he is. I can see it on his face. My heart plummets when I realize I don't feel the joy he has. Ava's dead. I killed her in front of thousands of people. In front of Lori and Kim. I'm a monster.

We both turn towards the Queen and Prince. Cedric holds my hand and suddenly I feel like I'm on top of the world. We won. I realize the crowd is silent and angry eyes pierce through us. Joanna slowly stands up along with Max. I try to meet his lifeless eyes, but he watches Cedric instead of me.

"We won. Let us go," Cedric says. The crowd looks to the Queen. She gives a small but evil smile.

"Guards take them away," she commands. Cedric and I glance at each other.

"What? No!" I yell as the guards grab us both. Rage fills my veins.

"We won!" Cedric yells at Joanna. The crowd cheers. We thrash in their arms, but they don't budge. They drag us away back into the cave. Once we leave the arena, I don't feel like fighting anymore. Blood seeps through my shirt and I can barely walk.

As we come to the end of the cave a figure sweeps in front of us moving towards the guards. A silver glint of a dagger catches my eye. The figure stabs my guard and then Cedric's guard. Cedric and I look at each other with wide eyes. Before I can say anything, the hooded figure rips off her hood. Red hair blooms from underneath the cloak. Sage. I cry out in relief and we both wrap our arms around each other.

"Oh my gosh you have no idea how happy I am to see you," I gasp. She pushes me back and looks at my front.

"You're bleeding," she says.

"She was stabbed," Cedric says beside me. Sage gives him a glare.

"I'm getting you out of here," she says grabbing my left cuff. She inserts a small medal key and it pops off with ease. She does the other one and slowly I feel my power release underneath my veins. She pauses and looks at me and then Cedric.

"He's coming with us," I say. She tilts her head in confusion. "He saved my life." She finally gives in and unlocks his cuffs.

"Resistance, right?" He asks me. I give him a nod. Once he is free, he reaches his arm around me and I do the same.

"Okay, let's go," Sage says pulling her hood up. I lean on Cedric as we move out of the cave. We all stay close to the walls in case of guards. Sage makes us stop for a second because we hear footsteps. I realize they are behind us. Two guards. I whip my head around, but before they can do anything. My shadows spring to life in my hands and wrap around them. I knock them against the wall, and they go unconscious. That felt good. Cedric and Sage look at me in awe.

"That was cool," Sage says. I smile to myself, but not before wincing from the pain. We follow Sage through the tunnels, occasionally stopping to wait for guards to pass by. Finally, we come to a wooden door. Sage pushes it open and Cedric helps me through. Fresh air hits my face and whips my messy hair around me. I almost stop moving at the sight of nature and trees. I realize Sage has gotten us outside the castle walls. We're free.

Suddenly we hear shouting from above. There are guards on the roof. Sage gives us a hard look.

"Run," she says. Cedric and I move as fast as we can through the grass around the side of the castle. My legs ache. I'm so tired.

"Octavia, we have to keep moving. I know you're tired, but we are so close," Cedric says as he feels me slowing down. My eyelids are starting to grow heavy. Sage comes to a halt at the edge of Bullman River. In the distance I can see the bridge of train tracks. Cedric looks at Sage for what is next. Sage looks at me and then Cedric.

"We have to swim," she says.

"Are you crazy?" Cedric is right. The currents in the river are too strong and there are sharp rocks everywhere.

"It's the only way. The river will pull us down towards the bridge. That's when we'll get off," she says pointing to the bridge. Shouting echoes in the distance. Cedric brings me to the edge, and we look down. The water moves at a rapid pace.

"Octavia, you're going to make it," he says unhooking his arms form me. I nod and Sage helps me stand up. "I'll hold on to her," he says grabbing my hand tightly.

"Right, let's go," she says. When she says that all three of us jump into the freezing river. Immediately Cedric's hand is ripped away from mine. The current pushes me under. I can't get to the surface. I move my arms faster hoping they will move me to the top, but it's no use. My legs don't move as the river carries me away. Before I am about to close my eyes, a hand grabs my wrist and pulls me to the surface. I sputter a gasp. Cedric is holding my arm. I see the bridge nearing. I mass of red hair signals from the edge.

"Hold on to me," Cedric says. I wrap my arms around him, and he uses his arms to move us towards the edge. Sage reaches out and takes Cedric's hand. She pulls us out and we all collapse on the soft grass across the river. Across the river. We made it. I cough up some water beside me and look up to see Sage and Cedric.

"We have to move. We have a train to catch," Sage says. Cedric nods and wipes the water from his eyes. Sage crouches down beside me. "You doing okay?" I nod and put on a brave face for her. She nods.

"She can't walk." Cedric looks at me and I sigh. Sage looks around for any threats before looking at Cedric.

"You start moving. I got her." Cedric moves down and scoops me in his arms like I am a sack of potatoes.

"Okay!" Sage calls as she starts running towards the mass of landscape. I've never seen so many trees.

We move up the edge of the river to vast landscape of trees. I have never seen this many tree in my life. Sage move ahead of us. I can see the edge of the train tracks to the left of us as we move. I start to feel weak and numb. I can't really feel my stomach anymore. I stare down at the blood and then let my head roll back.

"Hey... Octavia! You need to stay awake!" I hear Cedric voice beside me. My eyes flutter shut, and my arms go limp. I feel like I did when I was being carried away by the river. I think of Max. Him kissing me. Then him stabbing me in the back. I picture Kim standing in the arena watching me like some dog in a cage. I tried Kim. I'm sorry. I tried to save you Ava. I'm sorry. I'm sorry Dale. I'm sorry Katie. I'm sorry mom and dad. I feel shaking underneath me and fast movements. Shouting fills my ears.

"That train is up ahead! I see it!" My head rolls against Cedric's shoulder. It bobs up and down as if he is hopping. I feel the wind brushing my hair back and grazing my skin. I've never felt so light. I'm so happy yet so sad. I hear a roar of loud noises beside me. The train. I listen to the huffing and puffing noise it makes.

Suddenly all the moving stops. I feel something hard underneath me. It's enough to crack my eyes open. Cedric is leaning over me panting. Sage is in my view too and we are inside the train. We are safe. We are free. I can rest now. I plaster a grin on my face and close my eyes until all I see is black.