THE SILVER TESTThe guards outside my tent didn't talk. They just stood there like trees. It had been hours since Demetrius left me. The air inside the tent felt old, like it was being used up. I kept pacing, back and forth, counting the steps from the bed to the entrance.

Ten steps. Turn. Ten steps. Turn.

I heard the heavy sound of boots. Not the steady, rhythmic pace of a guard, but something heavier. More purposeful. The tent flap was pulled back, letting in a rush of cold air and the smell ...