Page 19

THE EARLY BIRD GETS EATEN BY THE SNAKE

SYDNEY

The discussion of the schedule went later than anyone expected, but when you throw a bunch of people used to taking charge into one room, it leads to constant fights for dominance. Even Thad and Huck—who normally let me have the reins—threw their hats in the ring a few times. It took forever to agree on how we were going to handle the events, and who would take control in what situation. I’m not sure anyone will even honor it; I know I won’t if I think they’re fucking everything up.

And men always, without fail, fuck shit up when left to their own devices.

My eyes scan the tight crown of braids I have my hair tucked into, then the black shirt and pants with the F.E.A.R. Academy logo on it. They told us to wear our normal uniforms today for the first orientation, physical consultation, equipment distribution, and lunch meeting. Afterward, we’re supposed to change into the athletic gear for an afternoon of physical evaluations. It didn’t say whether any of these ‘intro sessions’ are just our team or groups of them, so I tuck my contraband weapons in their hidden spots carefully.

“Get moving, Vicious. The rest of these idiots are getting restless,” the annoying mage yells from outside my door.

I could give a fuck less, but this time, they’re probably right. We want to be early to the first session to get the lay of the land. “I’m coming.”

“Oh, not at the moment, dangerous lady, but I could help with that later.”

My eyes widen and I open my mouth to shoot back a retort, but the sound of his footsteps moving away from my door stops me. I frown at my reflection, my skin feeling tight and uncomfortable suddenly. “Stupid flirty asshole. Why do men never understand timing?”

Not that there’s ever a right time for a guy to flirt with me, but it’s definitely not now.

After a final check, I press my hands to my hot cheeks and head out the door to meet them in the living area. Thad smiles, rising from his seat immediately to hand me a to-go mug of coffee. Huck winks at me and tosses one of the nutrition supplement bars sector supes survive on. Catching it with my free hand, I look at the others warily. They all look well-rested and ready to go—even to the point of being clean-shaven. I guess I should be thankful they’re taking this seriously, but fuck me if it doesn’t increase their hotness factor by a thousand.

Huck walks over, offering his arm, and I roll my eyes at him. “Don’t be a pill, sweet pea. I just wanted to make it clear to whatever scoundrels we meet down there that you’re not interested in what they have for sale.”

Rory’s eyes narrow as he looks at me. “You’re dating the fear demon?”

“She definitely is not,” Elias says smugly. “Her scent mingles with theirs, but not in that way.”

My head turns to look at him slowly, like I’m auditioning for Linda Blair’s role in The Exorcist . “Don’t fucking scent me for information like that, Dante. You won’t like what I do to people who invade my privacy without consent.”

My demon friend snickers as he gives the dragon a knowing look. “Having been on the receiving end of her wrath, I’d advise you to listen, gents. She’s not only brilliant and hot, but vengeful as hell and crafty like a fox with her plots.”

“Not crafty enough to see what’s in front of her face,” the vampire mutters and I whirl on my toes, flinging the knife I grabbed from its hidden spot directly at his head. He smirks, catching it before it strikes with that damn vampiric speed. Flipping it over, he stalks over to hand it back to me. “Well, I suppose we should be thankful you’re not slow as well as magicless.”

The urge to continue fighting with him is strong, but Thad walks over and growls at the traitor. “Back off. This is a stressful day for all of us. Let her fucking breathe before you start in on her, Whitmore.”

“I don’t need a savior,” I mutter to my friend. “I can handle shit without being rescued.”

Thad grins knowingly. “I’m rescuing him , Syd, not you.”

Oh. I guess I can deal with that.

“Fine,” I say, tucking my weapon away with a regretful sigh. “Let’s get this shit over with. I’m looking forward to this afternoon, but I have a feeling this morning is going to make me want to stab myself in the eye.”

Huck and Thad chuckle, waiting for me to move to the door, then they follow behind as usual. I don’t look over my shoulder to ensure the others are with us; they can get on board or not. My goal for this stupid contest is to win so Huck, Thad, and I can live the rest of our lives away from the desperation of Tempest Seven. If they’re as motivated as me, then we’ll be able to work together.

The mood is somber as we head down the hall to the elevator, and this time when we squeeze into the metal box I despise, no one speaks. I don’t mind that in the slightest; I’d prefer to get my game face on before we exit. Sipping the coffee that’s stronger than anything we’ve been able to brew ourselves in years, I feel the divine pulse of caffeine thrum in my veins. A corresponding ache in the spot where my Marker used to be makes me furrow my brows as I stare at the floor.

What will happen if I try to use magic?

I barely had any of my abilities before the Sweep that earned me the damn tag that used to rest in the back of my neck. I’m not sure what the hell I can do or even what I’m supposed to get. I need to figure it out before the actual competition starts, obviously, but I can’t do it in front of anyone but Huck or Thad.

How am I going to ditch the other assholes to find out?

My question from earlier is answered when we arrive at the atrium downstairs. Krista and some of her irrepressibly gleeful cronies are waiting with six other groups. They aren’t the same as the ones we toured with yesterday, so I study them to see who I recognize. Two of the teams are gathered around Bitsy Carlyle. It’s her actual name as far as I know, and she’s supposedly a Chimera shifter. I’ve never seen hide nor hair of her powers, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t formidable. Her attitude and appearance certainly are—she’s been using her curves to get whatever she wants the entire time we’ve been in Tempest.

Bitsy is to our sector what Stormbringer is to his.

I know her team is all shifters because she seems to have a distaste for any supe not a purebred animal shifter. Her behavior in our lower school was atrocious and no one did a fucking thing because she was one of the beautiful party supes. Luckily for me, Thad and Huck kept me away from their bullshit, but I remember what tangling with her crowd did to others. She’s fierce and ambitious—plus, willing to do anything . We’ll have to keep our eyes on her people.

“You saw her, huh?” Huck sidles up to me, his presence at my back comforting. “The old girl is already gathering allies. Living proof some people never evolve past puberty.”

Nodding, I jerk my chin at the two teams. “We need to be careful of those idiots. Clearly, they can be swayed by a pretty face, even if it threatens their own self-interest.”

“Oh, is that your Queen Bee?” Rory grins, his eyes dancing with amusement. “She’s not bad, but she wouldn’t survive where I come from. Mediocre in comparison to our bees without a doubt.”

I frown. “That might be true, but I’m not in the habit of slamming other women to make myself feel better. If she earns my ire, I’ll handle it with upfront confrontation. I don’t need to hide in the shadows like a coward.”

Elias joins us, his expression inscrutable. “An honorable sentiment, Sydney, and one that will certainly be tested in the future.”

Unfortunately, he’s spot on; no way we won’t come into direct competition with Bitsy eventually.

“We should assess the others before they move us,” Sebastian interrupts. “Stop focusing on a silly bobblehead when there are far more prescient threats.”

“Damnit,” I mutter as I walk further into the group. I hate that the vampire is also correct, but I won’t fuck around and miss our chance just to spite him.

Once I’m in the thick of the supes milling around, I pretend to be bored. Being silent in the middle of a yammering crowd never draws the attention it should, so I have the time to scope out the other competitors. The teams with Bitsy are mixed shifters, but all shifters are the same. There are two teams of various magicals not far from them, then an all Fae team after that. A team that exudes mystery is in the corner, keeping to themselves, and I don’t know if that means they’re all vamps or not. Maybe they’re all creatures based in the darkness like vamps, Cubi, and the like. I’ll have to ask Huck.

The last team besides us is obviously shady as hell. I see their eyes darting around like mine, checking people out as they silently occupy space in the farthest corner from the humans. I don’t know if they're all demons or Lockdowns or what, but they are the most dangerous beings here besides my team. Turning to Thad, I murmur, “That’s who we need to find out about.”

“Correct,” Sebastian says and Elias nods his agreement. “They are mixed, but all have the scent of killers.”

Giving him a dirty look, I retort, “What the hell does that smell like, you overgrown mosquito?”

His fangs peek out as he smirks. “Blood.”

I asked, didn’t I?

“Guys, cool it. The guy next to Krista is getting ready to speak.”

Thad’s calm words help put a damper on the embers burning inside of me and I sigh. “Fine. I’ll behave for a few minutes.”

“Good girl,” Rory says.

My eyes narrow and I stomp his foot as hard as I can before hissing, “I’m not a girl, asshole.”

His hand flies to his mouth to cover the yelp, but he looks at the other guys to figure out his mistake. They might as well be staring into the sky and whistling for all the help they give him and I cross my arms over my chest, feeling victorious. The squeal of a bullhorn distracts me and we all turn back to face front. The guy standing on a chair looks like a preppy douche—the kind I would have avoided like the plague even before The Unveiling.

“Good morning, future champions!” When no one responds, he falters briefly, but then smiles brightly to cover it up. “The FHSA has chosen you for its biggest honor since the inception and we are here to guide you through your first step toward victory!”

Again, no one says a word—the only sound in the room is a cough, then feet shuffling. If this guy thinks anyone here is going to kiss his ass for being here, he’s definitely delusional. Even Bitsy is staring at him with open derision. That might be because he’s not powerful enough to do anything for her, but still. It feels like solidarity when we’re all quiet, so I’m going to take it.

“My name is Chad Burnett, and I lead the Wizarding Whizzbangs team over there. Today, your teams will go through the process of prep in both branding, like mine, and then the physical evals that will allow your coordinator to bid for things to help your strategy going forward. You will need to pay close attention, be honest about your abilities, and interact with your coordinator to help craft the image your team wants to project. If you think this isn’t important, you’re dead wrong—possibly literally once the Games begin.”

Of fucking course it’s a Chad. What would this circus be without one?