Simi panted hard as she leaned against the tunnel wall.

  Running around the maze had been one of the worst experiences of her life—traps, golem monsters bursting through the walls, and that fucking wall of acid chasing them the entire time.

  Azila, the idiot, had caused all this, and now she was smiling brilliantly as the others clapped her on the back, praising her for getting them out. They had reached the center of the maze at roughly the same time, where Azila had placed the orb on the pedestal.

  Then the maze had vanished into the floor. The far door had opened, and everyone had sprinted to escape the death trap. Simi had been so relieved to find no monsters waiting beyond the opening that she hadn’t even realized at first that someone was missing.

  Looking around, she frowned. Where was that bastard Nikolai?

  He had been trapped with Azila’s group, but her leader didn’t seem bothered by the infuriating man’s absence. In fact, she was grinning happily as she discussed their recent trials with some of the others.

  Simi glanced at Livi, who seemed far more reserved, and when Simi caught her eye, she quickly looked away.

  Cold ran down Simi’s neck, making the fur along her spine stand on end. She strode over to Azila and pulled her aside. Azila looked down at her quizzically.

  “Where is he?” Simi hissed quietly.

  Azila raised an eyebrow. “Where is who?”

  Simi growled. “You know exactly who I mean. He was with your group, and Livi looks so guilty she won’t even meet my eyes.”

  Azila shrugged. “He fell behind. Must have been taken by that acid wall, I suppose.”

  Simi knew Azila. They had been together for years at this point, and she was clearly hiding something. She hadn’t smiled once since entering the crypt, constantly on edge—but now…

  “Azila, do not lie to me,” Simi growled.

  The big warrior Kent was looking over now, and he didn’t look happy. He glared at Azila’s back. He had emerged with her as well, and pieces began clicking together for Simi.

  “What did you do, Azila?”

  Azila’s eyes narrowed. “You accuse me of lying? Why? For him? He doesn’t matter, Simi. Not anymore.”

  Simi grabbed the woman by her chest plate and yanked her down. “Tell me!”

  Azila sighed. “Fine. Yes, I did it. He was falling behind—that much is true. I might have let a wall slam shut in his face, which may have caused him to fall into a trap, which I’m pretty damn sure killed him. That wall of acid was right behind us.” Her face didn’t show even the slightest hint of guilt. If anything, she smiled faintly as she spoke.

  Simi’s eyes widened in shock, and she took a stumbling step back. “You killed him…”

  Azila adopted a look of mock offense. “I did not. I might have helped the situation along, but my blade remains unbloodied.”

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  Simi shook her head. “Do you have any idea what this means?”

  Her parents—her mother in particular. If she learned of this… No. She would have to hide it. But why had Azila gone so far? Sure, Nikolai was annoying, but why had her group been so damn hostile to him? She was missing something.

  Azila looked at her calmly. “Does it matter? He joined an expedition before he was ready, fell into a trap, and died. End of story.”

  Simi shook her head. “No, Azila. You killed the apprentice of my parents. My mother will turn you inside out and paint her tea room with your fucking entrails. You have no idea how scary she can be. Why did you do it? He didn’t deserve it—so why?”

  Azila’s eyes flared. “He did! I am not losing you to some random idiot because your fucking parents decided you had to babysit him!”

  Simi felt a second wave of shock, and an image of her father’s sinister grin flashed through her mind.

  He had done something. Shit.

  He didn’t care about Simi’s team, but she knew exactly how her mother would react. It wouldn’t bother him in the slightest if Moulin tore Azila to pieces over this.

  Simi slumped. “Damnit, Azila. He played you. Let me guess—my father came to talk to you, said I was leaving the team or some nonsense like that?”

  Azila hesitated, then nodded cautiously.

  Simi groaned. “Azila… he manipulates everyone around him. That’s who he is. His way of teaching is throwing his student into a monster’s nest and watching from the sidelines.”

  Azila opened her mouth, hesitated again, then said, “Well, if your father did that, then we’re fine, aren’t we?”

  Simi shook her head. “No. My mother won’t punish him—not much—but she will come after you and Livi. You can count on that. If he’s dead, then so are you.”

  Azila paled. “But how would she know? Only Livi and I were—”

  Simi gestured toward Kent. “And Kent. You have a witness, Azila. Not only did you selfishly kill someone innocent—which is bad enough on its own—you did it with a witness. What, are you going to remove him too?”

  Azila went even paler. “Shit…”

  Simi nodded. “Shit is right. Why the fuck didn’t you talk to me? I thought how you all acted was a bit over the top, but this?”

  Azila reached for Simi, but she stepped back.

  “No, Azila. You fucked up. I can’t believe you would kill someone just to keep me on the team,” Simi hissed. Others were starting to pay attention now.

  Kent was speaking with his own leader, and both of them were looking their way. Things were spiraling, and Simi had no idea how to stop it.

  Davon, Kent’s leader, looked furious as he began walking over. This was not good.

  “Azila, you conniving bitch—what did you do?” Davon growled.

  Azila spun, her mask of indifference snapping back into place. “Nothing, Davon. Nothing that concerns you.”

  Davon glanced at Simi’s furious expression and shook his head in disgust. “You’ve gone too far, Azila. We do not kill our own.”

  Silence fell over the tunnel. Slowly, people began to move. Simi’s team shifted to stand with Azila, even Livi—who still wouldn’t meet Simi’s eyes.

  Davon’s team mirrored them, and suddenly they were at a standoff. Two C-rank teams clashing wouldn’t be pretty, and everyone knew it. Simi doubted either Azila or Davon would back down.

  Azila shrugged. “Sometimes you need to cut away the rot for the wound to heal, Davon. That’s what he was—rot. I won’t excuse my actions or my team’s, but I also won’t accept judgment from a man who has killed more than his share of fools.”

  Davon narrowed his eyes. “You’re so fucking arrogant, Azila. The guild will know, and they’ll come down on you and your team like a hammer. We’re not continuing on with you. You’re no longer worthy of trust or support. I won’t be your judge—the guild will.”

  Everyone on Simi’s team looked confused, except Livi, who seemed to shrink with every word.

  Azila cursed. “You fucking traitor. He wasn’t even a real adventurer!”

  Davon rolled his eyes. “So what? He was on the team. He saved that guilty-looking mage’s life.” He pointed at Livi, who flinched. “You’re an arrogant, ungrateful bitch, Azila. That kid didn’t deserve what you did to him. We’re leaving. Go die in the crypt on your own—it’ll probably be kinder than what’s waiting for you up top.”

  With that, Davon turned and left. His team backed away warily, never taking their eyes off the now-incensed Azila.

  She balled her fists, teeth grinding. “Fuck…”

  That was all she said before turning toward the still-unexplored tunnel and striding deeper inside.

  Simi stood there for a long moment, unsure of what to do.

  Azila.

  She watched her team disappear into the darkness. Then, with a heavy sigh of defeat, she began jogging to catch up—

  —to Davon’s team.