"I give up," Thalira suddenly declared, her shadows dissipating.
I stared at her, my flames flickering out as her words sunk in. "What? No! You're not giving up!" I shouted, stepping closer to her. "You were going to win!"
Thalira gave me a tired smile. "Eileen, it's okay. Sometimes it's not about winning."
"That's ridiculous!" I argued, my frustration boiling over. "We were in the middle of an epic fight! You can't just quit!"
She chuckled weakly. "You're really something, Eileen."
"Don't laugh at me!" I said, folding my arms. "This is serious."
But before I could continue my tirade, Thalira swayed on her feet, her eyes rolling back as she collapsed. "Stop faking," I muttered, rolling my eyes.
However, the medics from the infirmary rushed onto the arena floor, lifting her onto a stretcher. I felt a pang of guilt. Maybe she wasn't faking after all.
