I stood under the shower, letting the scalding hot water hit my scalp as it cascaded down my back.
I ran my hands through my body, scrubbing my skin, then pausing as I stared at the mark on my arm.
So I really just walked through fire?
I looked at the reddened and swollen spot on my wrist, tracing it gently as I remembered how the vine pressed into my skin, twisting it violently.
That's gonna leave a nasty bruise.
A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered how close to death I was at the hands of those vines.
If it wasn't for Zavian…
I turned off the water, standing in the steam as I let my mind go back to that moment.
I wrapped my arms around myself, beads of water dripping from my hair as tears welled up in my eyes.
I almost died, and this was just the second trials. How was I going to survive the rest?
A stray tear ran down my cheek as I recalled the feeling of the vines constricting around my neck, the panic that had enveloped me in that moment.
