The quiet of my bedroom felt suffocating after the intensity down at the training pit. Drakon had gone down the hall to coordinate logistics with Bastian, leaving me alone with nothing but my thoughts and the ticking clock. Axle was still out in the field, playing his part in the trap, and every passing second pulled the string tighter.
I paced the floor, stopping beside the window that overlooked the darkening compound.
If this trap worked—if Carlos took the bait—everything was going to move fast. There wouldn't be time for lingering goodbyes or neat wrap-ups. And once the dust settled, win or lose, the Academy's eye would be locked on us. Any open lines of communication outside this compound would become a liability.
I needed to call Linda. Now.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dia
