The Gilded Survivor

The Gilded Survivor A YOUNG ADULT DYSTOPIAN FANTASY THE BLOOD TOURNAMENTS BOOK ONE DANIELA A. MERA GOLDEN GLOW PRESS This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Copyright © 2023 by Daniela A. Mera and Golden Glow Press All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address: [email protected] First ebook edition June 2023 Book Cover Design by GetCovers Map by Daniela A. Mera Book Artwork by Daniela A. Mera ASIN (ebook): B09J349FQK ISBN (paperback): 978-1-960343-07-9 ISBN (hardback) 978-1-960343-06-2 Created with Vellum Contents ¡Bienvenidos! Important Translations I. Four Months to the Blood Tournament 1. Red, The Color of Dance 2. Late 3. Blinding Gold Lights 4. Next Time, Just Don’t Come 5. A Dead Man Dying 6. Where Did This Come From? 7. Mistress of Disguise 8. The Grand Hotel 9. This is Not a Place for Friends 10. The Audition 11. A Problem And A Punishment 12. Vino de Fresa 13. Pretty Pink Dreams 14. We Hate The Chancellor 15. I Lost My Home II. Three Months to the Blood Tournament 16. Hacienda Rosa de Oro 17. An Awkward Breakfast 18. Huerto de Naranjas 19. Punctuality Isn’t An Abstract Concept 20. Cruel Meetings 21. What a Very Elite Thing to Say 22. An Ode to Human History 23. You Again 24. Mushroom Hooks 25. Hands that Burn and Hearts that Glow 26. A Weekend In The Frost 27. Don’t Eat Snow 28. La Cima 29. I Wasn’t Born Like This 30. Time Ceased Being an Easily Quantifiable Experience 31. Since When Were You Ever Afraid of Telling Me Exactly What You Thought? 32. Rage and Romance Wrapped Up With A Bow 33. Isaac Was A Way Out 34. Morning Walks Through A Patch of Fading Gold 35. Cómo Ser Bella 36. Meeting The Parents 37. Una Deliciosa Cena 38. ¿Quieres Bailar Conmigo? 39. Besáme 40. Don’t Get Mad III. Two Weeks To The Blood Tournament 41. Lastimarme Como Siempre 42. If You Want To Survive… 43. A Drive Alone 44. Diamonds Shine Brighter Than They Should 45. Round Two 46. Enrique Asbaje Torres 47. Murder at Midnight 48. Chancellor in the Hallway Glossary of Spanish Translations More by Daniela A. Mera First, let me say… About the Author ¡Bienvenidos! Dear reader, Que sean muy bienvenidos al mundo de Arrebol. I want to start out on a personal note: both me and my family are bilingual. This is a big, messy part of my life that has always added beauty and hilarity. This isn’t my first novel, and I have struggled for most of my career with just… not remembering the right word to use. Typing in English while you are speaking Spanish in your brain (or vice versa) often creates words that one might think belongs to a particular language, but have no relation. (Shakes fist at false cognates.) I have always loved both of my languages. Imagine having double the ways to say, “I love you”, or getting to read something for the first time all over again because translations always seem to bring something unique to the story. In tribute to the growing diversity among languages, I have written this book with complete sentences of untranslated Spanish. You might notice that none of the Spanish is italicized. This is intentional. When we italicize words from other languages in literary works, it is a visual othering. I want to create connection, not divide. You also might notice that I often choose Spanish spellings of common words which are not English. For example, writing “chofer” instead of “chauffeur”, where the spelling comes from French origin, or using “aperitivos” instead of “appetizers.” For the kind people reading my stories who need some help with their newest acquired language, I have included a Important Translations Canciller (can-see-yer): Chancellor Familia Real (fah-MIL-ee-ah ray-AL): royal family Élite (EL-ee-tay): a member of the Elite class Trabajador (tra-ba-hah-dor/tra-ba-hah-dora): A member of the working class. Artista (Ar-tee-stah): a member of the performing class, including any form of producer or entertainer. Campeón/Campeona (cahm-peh-OWN/cahm-peh-OWN-ah): the title given to the latest champion of the Blood Tournament. Ex-Campeón/Campeona: a former Blood Tournament champion. Niñera (Nee-nyer-ah): Individuals, typically women, who were charged by the government to take care of orphans. Guardia (Gwar-dee-ah): a soldier/guard who acts a law-keeper within Arrebol. Bailarina (BY-lah-ree-nah): a dancer. Costurera (COS-too-rare-ah): a seamstress. Cantante (cahn-tahn-tay): a singer. Institutriz (eehn-sti-tu-trees): a governess Maestra/Maestro (mah-yes-trah/may-yes-trow): Can be a teacher/instructor, or a master of a craft. For example, a master strategist. To my great-grandmother, Maria Elizabeth Valarida. For a long time, I felt ugly. But now, when I look in the mirror, I can see you peeking back at me. And I am beautiful. Part One Four Months to the Blood Tournament Chapter 1 Red, The Color of Dance San Volcán, voy a morir, I thought and squeezed my eyes shut. My legs and arms burned with the intensity of a thousand fires. The muscles in my lower-back ached after six hours of rehearsal, causing strange numb sensations to shoot through my buttocks. I hadn’t been dancing the entire time, but my brain was always alert—watching, mimicking movements, and staring at my body in the mirror while I tried my best