I didn’t have many regrets in life. Because I lived in a way that prevented me from committing stupid mistakes.

  “I thought he was shorter—he grew up a lot since the last time I saw him.”

  “I never told you he was short.”

  Yet I was beginning to regret, quite painfully, my decision to vaguely inform Angus where I was staying.

  “But you kept saying he is cute. And you love small things the most.”

  “Are you blind, sister? He is small.”

  “Stop using yourself as a comparison, brother. It makes you look blind and stupid.”

  Because it didn’t cross my mind he would waste hours of his life pinpointing the exact location of the estate.

  Neither did I think about the possibility of him bringing company.

  “…what are you two doing here?”

  For the first time, the twins met my gaze. Angus and áine Quinn.

  Angus’ smile was warm—almost kind. “To check on you, of course. They will be announcing the results by this evening.”

  “But I—”

  Before I could finish my sentence, Angus invited himself in, his sister right behind him. As he looked around, the man’s smile got bigger, the glow in his eyes stronger.

  “I see you found yourself a lovely place.”

  Although the estate was grand, the main residence was quite small and modest. There was the living room, a space dedicated to guests, the kitchen, the bath, and a chamber. It had wooden floors and walls painted in warm, pale tones. Tapestries and curtains that hadn't been replaced in decades, alongside some random paintings and decorations.

  A place that was obviously not my own.

  I closed the door with a strained voice. “I got lucky.”

  “Luck is also a skill.”

  áine threw herself on the sofa, putting both legs on top of the center table. “Said the man who believes in prophetic dreams.”

  Angus ignored her.

  “Though, from my experience, people don’t give these kinds of deals due luck.” The way Angus’ gaze pierced my own as he spoke made me look away, unsettled.

  My benefactor’s voice echoed in my head, like an eerie yet alluring song.

  Styx seems interested you

  Perhaps there were different kinds of luck.

  “Are your arms healing well?”

  The man’s question made me meet his eyes again, the bright smile not sharing the darkening gold in his gaze.

  As if he were trying to dig into my soul with that stare.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Are you?”

  Though my feet wanted to take a step back, I forced myself to stay. To meet those sharp eyes without averting my gaze.

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  His smile widened, turning sickeningly sweet.

  “Because the Jackal I know hates losing, especially when it’s something he really wants.”

  There was no malice or mockery in Angus’ tone. And somehow, that made the truth in his words even worse.

  I clenched my fists. “You already checked on me, so you both can leave. There’s nothing for you two to do here anyway—”

  “Nonsense. Friends should be there for each other when they are feeling down—I brought the very best from my collection.”

  Angus raised the bag he was holding, placing it on the kitchen table. From there he took out wild berries, fresh biscuits, and three different liquors—all in their crystal and fancy bottles, displaying their sparkling and colored glory.

  I forced myself to take a deep breath.

  “We are not friends yet.”

  Angus winked at me. “But we are getting there, no?”

  I gave up, sitting across from áine. She had a wooden puzzle in her hands—a prism. As she shifted the pieces in her hands, alchemical reagents would glow and run through the wood as they were mixed. This puzzle in particular seemed to have mana patterns as well, that would trigger with specific reactions.

  This one must’ve been quite the expensive toy.

  “I heard you quit.” I didn’t have to clarify what I was talking about.

  She did not glance my way. “You would’ve heard correctly.”

  “Fredo replaced you.”

  áine smirked, the mana and alchemical glow reflecting in her eyes. “He is certainly trying.”

  “But how did he climb to fourth place? He was never that good.”

  Lor shrugged, still focused on the puzzle in her hands.

  It took me a few seconds to ask what I really wanted to know, tasting the stale words in my mouth over and over again before I could speak them.

  “Why did you quit? I thought you liked the money.”

  Her eyes met mine, then, though barely for a second. They were cautious.

  Sharp.

  “It was getting bothersome. And races are not the only way I can make money.”

  But it’s one of the best—one you are good at. So why stop?

  There was an itch I was desperate to scratch. A thought at the back of my mind, irking me to speak it out loud. A theory begging to be tested.

  Yet before I could ask what I wanted, Angus appeared in front of me carrying a plate with biscuits and berries.

  “Did you watch the highlights yet?”

  His golden eyes pierced my own with excitement, though I could see a pungent darkness brewing within. Almost like a silent warning.

  “They haven’t released it yet.”

  After a few seconds of Angus hovering the plate in my face, I rolled my eyes and grabbed some berries. His smile widened.

  “I have a copy of my own. Would you like to watch it together?” His voice had a cheery tone, one that was almost too bright.

  I frowned. “How come you have a copy?”

  Ergos would publish their races’ highlights every year. Applicants who participated in said races were able to ask for a copy free of charge. For any other race they did not participate in, or people who were not riders, Ergos did not shy away from charging hefty prices for their recordings.

  Not only was it odd that someone had a copy before Ergos’ official publishing, but that Angus had it.

  His eyelashes fluttered as he gazed at me.

  “I have my ways. So, what does the great Jackal say?” The man knew I had conceded before I even opened my mouth, clapping once with that same bright smile. “Marvelous! I will bring the drinks before I set things up.”

  The small silver orb was soon floating above the table, with Angus’ fancy liquors spread out around the table. He poured me a drink, not bothering to ask which one I preferred—or if I even wanted.

  “Have you watched it already?”

  Angus shook his head, sitting by my side.

  Too close, by my side.

  After putting a bit more distance between us, I took one sip of the drink. It was neither sweet nor bitter, yet it was strong. Pungent, even.

  I liked it.

  “Sister, don’t you wish to watch with us?”

  “I am.”

  áine replied without taking her eyes off her puzzle, her fingers moving faster than before.

  “Could you at least remove your feet from the table?”

  She shifted her body, putting her legs on top of the sofa—almost as if she were lying on her bed.

  Angus took a deep breath, taking his drink in one go.

  Not wanting to waste anymore time, I started the recording. The moment Ergos’ emblem shone on the orb, shivers ran down my spine. The same question echoing—burning—in my mind.

  Who.

  Who were the riders who made it to Ergos’ highlights. The ones I would have to surpass in the future.

  The highlights were in no particular order. They were usually around six minutes long, and considering there had been more than 10000 applicants competing in that race, six minutes was barely enough time to show the best of the thousand riders who got accepted. Yet when Ergos’ emblem was gone, I could not hold in the laughter that burst out of my lips.

  Indeed, I should’ve asked for an even higher price for those two.

  Emrys took the woods lane after the first stop. A logical choice: as both had only ever participated in underground races, it could be tricky for Blue to fly under extreme conditions.

  Then, I saw how Emrys and the yellow wingless dragon were flying.

  That smug bastard…

  That lane was the most chosen one during the first stop, so it had the highest number of riders. Emrys had been Jackal’s shining treasure for years, so although I didn’t know him well enough as a person, I knew him as a rider.

  And that kid just loved to show off.

  They flew low, between the trees, snaking their way into their branches and between other competitors at an insane speed.

  Every dragon that came too close to their range, Blue would either coil around them and throw them into a tree or use their bodies as a propulsion to gain more momentum. That was something I had seen the duo perform multiple times throughout the years, yet it would amaze me every time.

  Soon enough the orb was showing another rider, someone I could not recognize. No explanations were needed to why they had been picked for the highlights, their level of mastery almost palpable. They had chosen the lane with volcanic activity, the speed of their dragon never dropping for a second as the animal maneuvered and avoided the lava and gas explosions.

  To my surprise, I did recognize the following competitor.

  “Oh dear.”

  “What is that?”

  While Angus’ gaze sparkled with an amused curiosity, his sister frowned as she glanced at the scene being displayed.

  A laugher tickled my throat as I replied.

  “That is Cornelius Romerio the Third.”

  And he was even crazier in a race.

  He lacked some of the flight control and balance from wingless dragons, however his flying was as powerful as a four-legged. Even without wings, his dodges and maneuvers were really good—considering his age.

  Yet what made all three of us freeze in our places was him throwing his rider up in the air with his tail two seconds before she could get hit by ice.

  And then, just a few seconds later when the blond girl landed on her mount’s back again, the dragon lost his balance only for a short few seconds before gaining back his speed and surpassing their fellow riders.

  If he is this good at that age…

  That breeder girl had created a literal monster. If she could give him proper training, that was.

  The following riders were all impressive. Some I could recognize, like the girl with the arrows and the dragon with the light attribute that blinded Styx and me in the last lane. Every single duo that appeared, they all shared things in common.

  Control. Experience. Power.

  Talent.

  Again and again, as the highlights went on, I was shown in many different angles, lanes, and ways how I was lacking compared to the ones at the top. The ones that held the crown and kept the shining treasures.

  I had gotten on the waiting list, yes, which was an amazing feat considering my current level. I got lucky.

  Lucky to had found a dragon as experienced as Styx. Lucky to had struck a deal to get the right equipment and a good location to train. Lucky to had known someone who could teach me the very basics in a very short amount of time. Lucky to had acquired some high-quality potions to improve my physique.

  Yet luck would only take me that far—a waiting list. I couldn’t beat Alantra Harris with luck. I couldn’t win the StarWing race with luck.

  I couldn’t become the best with luck.

  Angus’ laugh pulled me back to reality, grounding me in the present. Forcing me to focus again on the highlights being displayed in the silver orb.

  I blinked.

  “I knew it!” There were still traces of the laugher in his voice, the words beaming with a joy I couldn’t comprehend. “You owe me a new coat, sister.”

  “We never bet anything, brother. Stop being delusional.”

  I blinked again.

  And I still couldn’t believe it.

  Styx was in the highlights.

  I am in the highlights.

  During the last lane, the time when we dodged the attacks while blinded and the moments leading to that. It was something around ten seconds, perhaps a little bit more or less. Around ten seconds.

  For that brief time, I was enough.

  Enough to appear in the highlights.

  Angus wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer. And even when he whispered closer to my ear, I didn’t push him away. Because I was still coming to terms with what I had seen.

  “You see, Vex? Luck does not favor anyone.”

  His words sent a shiver down my spine, my mind racing—my heart bursting.

  If I had made it into the highlights, that meant I had a pretty good chance of being accepted in the special classes. I had a chance to make sure that “luck” would never be the reason why I would be at the top.

  I had a chance to win.