My cheeks heat once again. Sun burn me! Why does this man have such a hold over me? I shake my hands at my side, forcing myself to refocus. “Your father is conspiring to swing the first trial of the Summit in your favor. I don’t know exactly how he is going to do it, but the Elves are going to bring magical creatures, kelpies—”
“Akemi.” He steps closer to me, smiling ever so slightly. “You are mistaken. There is no way my father would purposefully risk breaching the contract between the territories.”
“I heard him myself. He was talking to Elder Hightail in the Lower Fields. He was saying that the humans needed to win the Summit and that he would ensure you won.”
“Of course he is going to want the Champion from the human leadership team to win. That’s the point of the game.”
Irritation begins to prickle my skin. “Castor, he is going to break the rules, maybe even poison a creature to make sure you earn enough points in the first task—”
“Do you not think I can earn my way to the top based on my skill alone?” He takes another step toward me.
I back away. All the heat I was feeling earlier evaporates.
“Castor, stop! I’m trying to talk to you right now. You know I think you are excellent at fighting. I say it practically every time you help me with my staff training.” His eyes search mine for reassurance. “It’s your father who doesn’t believe you’ll make it, or at least wants to swing the favor in your direction.”
He stands there and tilts his head thoughtfully, though I know this look. The look of a man not taking a woman by her word. Something inside me cracks.
“Thank you for telling me, Akemi,” he says with a clenched jaw.
I let him clasp my hand for a moment before I break away. “I’ll see you at the Lower Fields for our Battlefield final. Good luck.” I turn and stride out the door, letting the fury of my steps carry me back to my room.
I hate it when men do not listen to me. It is so frustrating, flustering, and just plain fucking annoying. I let myself stew the entire walk back to my room, telling myself that by the moment I get there, I need to let it go and change my mindset for finals.
“Just returning now?” Ramona asks as I enter our room.
I don’t know what to say, so I just stand there, mouth agape. A mouse caught in a trap. I had expected Ramona to still be asleep. I would sneak in, take a quick bath, then pretend to wake up.
Instead, I am standing in our doorframe, disheveled, sleep deprived, and trying to ignore the patches of sand still stuck to my clothes.
“Akemi, I wasn’t born yesterday. I’ve noticed that you have been sneaking off. What did you think? I wouldn’t pick up on it? Who are you cozying with until the wee hours of the morning?”
I wondered how I had gone this long without her noting my nightly stealth routine. I didn’t see the point in lying any further.
“Well, I came from Castor’s—”
“Iknewit! Castor is a hot third-stone, not to mention the son of our Elder Superior.”
“No, Ramona—”
“I knew he had been checking you out. Have you seen the way his eyes rake over you?” Ramona’s excitement permeates the room. “Well… I guess you wouldn’t really notice because you are usually facing the other direct—”
“RAMONA!” I yell, waving my hands back and forth until she stops babbling. “I haven’t been sneaking off to Castor’s. I’ve been training in the Lower Fields to prepare for our final today. I actually made it across fully for the first time last night… well, technically this morning!”
“Oh my gosh, Akemi!” Ramona rushes over and squeezes me in a tight embrace. “That’s amazing! You’ve come so far from your first attempt. Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped.”
She did not push on the Castor subject, so I decide not to elaborate on that part. Not yet, at least. That would involve telling her about what I overheard Markus say, and I don’t want to throw her off before finals.
“I guess I am telling you now, aren’t I? Plus, I really needed to do this for myself. Prove to myself that I could do it. Today will be the ultimate test. I just have to get through my Elementation and History finals first.” I walk to my dresser and brush my hair. My entire appearance is disheveled, from my flushed cheeks to my torn battle gear and messy hair from my practice.
I’m a mess. And I have a final starting in one hour.
“I cannot wait to see you kick ass on that course later today. You’re going to fucking crush it.” Ramona cheers me on so authentically that I feel bad for holding back information.
I hastily shower and get ready for my Old World History final. Luckily, I’m a living, breathing history book.
16
Let Them Wonder
