CHAPTER 86 - Flip the Board

Lyra I raced between that tables in the auditorium, my pulse so high my veins itched. The timer had started, and I only had one minute to find my seat. I scanned the numbers on the chairs, my eyes darting back and forth. "Eleven, twenty, sixteen" I muttered under my breath, weaving through the rows. "Where's thirty? Come on, come on!" Dread constricted my heart and tripped up my feet. My palms were slick with sweat, and I wiped them on my jeans. Again, I went down a familiar row. "No, no, no!" I spun around, nearly colliding with another girl. She shot me a dirty look before hurrying to her own seat. "Calm down, Lyra," a voice whispered in my head. "You've got this." I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, picturing the number thirty in my mind. When I opened them, I spotted it immediately. Right there, in the front row, second from the left. I sprinted towards it, dodging the other contestants. I practically dove into the chair,