SASHA I hadn’t heard from Nikolai all day. I had sent a series of text messages to him and every single one had gone unanswered. That was when I was outside with my fellow hunters. Now I was in the house, alone. So I called and it went straight to voicemail. It was switched off. I didn’t bother leaving a voicemail and instead just tossed my phone on the bed. I was a little bit hurt and sad, but I just let it slide. I guess he was busy and would call me later. The day was already so hectic and stressful for me. I was too hot and had found myself doing more than my fellow trainees at the camp. I had hit every single target during archery, which had gotten both the attention of my father and my uncle. At some point during combat, which was my aunt’s field, I had flung someone to the g