Read The Fear Trials for Free Online

kids. We used to see who could hold their breath the longest. Who could jump the farthest, dive the deepest. I never won. “What if I can’t beat him? He’s bigger than me. Stronger.”
    â€œYou are the stronger one now,” my father says.
    And just like that, Koi’s good mood is gone. He turns and swims away.
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    For a while, we stay side by side, navigating through the trash and wrecks together. Koi’s strokes are long and even. I mirror him, keeping my breathing steady so I don’t exhaust myself.
    Just before we swim past the bow of another boat, I look over my shoulder and see my father heading inside the cabin. He won’t be watching us now.
    That’s when I think of Trace, and suddenly I fall back, break away from Koi, and swim in the direction of Trace’s boat.
    It is smaller than ours, only about a twenty-footer, an old yacht almost rusted out. I swim up to the bow. For a second, I think about turning away. I should forget about her, just like Koi said.
    But then I see a flash of red, and her face appears over the railing.
    â€œWondered when you were gonna stop by.” Her voice is throaty, like it’s nearly gone from crying.
    â€œGot a rope?” I ask.
    She tosses one down. I look over my shoulder. Koi is lost in the maze of wrecked ships. My father is nowhere to be seen, so I start the climb.
    The first thing I notice is the bloodstain on the deck.
    â€œCouldn’t scrub the damned thing away,” Trace says. She kicks aside a metal bucket, spilling seawater. “Doesn’t matter. Guess it’s just a sign that I’m next.”
    I keep my mouth closed. If Peri were dead, I wouldn’t want Trace to say anything to me.
    She leads me inside the cabin. There’s an old mattress on the floor that takes up most of the space, a few half-carved arrows nestled in the corner, and a brown teddy bear on the floor.
    â€œIt was Anna’s,” Trace says, picking it up.
    â€œAnna. That’s a nice name.”
    â€œSit down.” She points at the mattress. “My momma always said you let your guests sit down when they visit.”
    I sink down onto the mattress. Trace sits beside me. Her hair is long, nearly as long as mine, but she wears it in two braids, and it shows off her blue eyes.
    There’s a crazy look in them.
    It reminds me of my mother.
    â€œHe came out of nowhere,” Trace says. “Your arrow warned me. Thanks for that.”
    I nod.
    She picks up the teddy bear and squeezes it tight. “He’d already slit her throat by the time I grabbed my bow. And then he just dove into the water. Left her there to die. She was just a kid. She’ll never get to ride the train. I told her it was scary, but she didn’t care. She wanted to so badly . . .”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    Trace grabs a knife from the floor. “I never did understand why people say that. They’re sorry , like it’s something they did. You didn’t murder my sister. That bastard did, and when I get my hands on him . . .” She sinks the knife into the mattress.
    I have to change the subject. She’s drowning.
    â€œDo you spar?” I ask.
    Her blue eyes meet mine. A gap-toothed grin appears on her face. “I was hoping you’d bring that up. I see you training with your brother. He’s good. Moves fast, light on his feet.” We go back out to the deck and she turns to face me, her hands balled into fists. “But you could be better.”
    She lunges at me, so fast I almost don’t react. But I throw my arm up just in time, deflect her punch with my elbow.
    â€œYou don’t like to fight,” Trace says. “There’s no energy in you.” She whirls, throwing her leg up. It comes down on my shoulder and I swallow the pain. “What’s stopping you?”
    â€œNothing is stopping me. I’m just not good enough.” I throw a punch, but she sidesteps it with ease.