The next day, Kai wakes up deep in the Whispers, Ilya’s impenetrable forest. He realizes that he has been drugged and brought there in his sleep, confirming that this is the first Trial. During the Trials, the contestants are surveilled from afar by Sights, Elites with the ability to record and project what they see so that they can show the events to the audience back in the city. Kai finds a message in his pocket explaining the rules of the first task: The contestants are all wearing an armband and have a week to collect as many of them as possible to win the Trial. Kai decides to walk in the direction of a stream. Weapons and supplies are strewn about in the forest for the contestants, so the prince collects a sword and some canteens. He finds water and hunts a rabbit to cook, but he is interrupted by Braxton attempting to ambush him. They fight, and each of them gets burned by Kai’s fire, but the prince victoriously grabs Braxton’s armband before letting him run away.