Before them, the Arena rose up as Devvyn and Aela approached, craning their necks to take in its height. Until the day before the Trials, it had been closed to the public; even the outer walls, draped in wine-red cloth hanging from the parapets, kept their appearance secret (likely just regular brick walls). Guards stood at intervals around the walls. Their stares, hidden in the darkness of their helmets, seemed menacing enough to deter even the most mischievous children.
Aela nudged Devvyn. "You’ve got the map?" she said under her breath. They weren’t the only ones heading to the Arena now; the other contestants moved into the now-uncovered Colosseum in a steady stream. There could be Unbound anywhere—Jelric’s father had already proved this.
Devvyn patted his shirt, where a folded square lay against his chest, hidden in a pocket on the inside. They’d constructed the hidden pocket the night before to counter any searches at the Arena entrance; Aela had found the patch of cloth he’d sewn onto his shirt. She’d also obtained the needles and the thread; Devvyn hadn’t asked how.
He thought back to the conclusion of their meeting with Soren and Jelric.