“First to five, three-minute limit. Got it?”
Before we can answer, there’s a crash.
“Fuck,” comes a voice from the lockers.
Then Kai comes stalking in. Whites on, but unfastened. Scowling.
No one says anything as Kai looks around—for his mask, presumably, which isn’t on its peg. Finally, he seems to notice the quiet.
“What?” Kai says, practically sneering at Kingston. He spots his mask under a bench and squats to retrieve it. “Am I fifteen seconds late again?”
Kingston lowers his foil. “You’re on duty, Kai. You’re supposed to be with Gwenna.”
The chill that comes over the salle is palpable. I actually shiver.
Kai freezes only a half-second. Then he stuffs his right arm into his jacket, shrugs it on, and zips it up to the neck, like Kingston said nothing at all.
“Kai!” Kingston barks. “Did you hear me?”
“Sure did,” Kai says, turning to pull out a foil. “Sounds like ayouproblem.”
There’s aclangas Kingston drops his foil on the strip. He tears off his mask and strides over to Kai in two steps, his expression nothing short oflivid—which, on Kingston, isgenuinely kind of scary. I glance at Cal, who’s standing statue-like at the other side of the strip. We can’t really meet each others’ eyes through the mesh, but it doesn’t matter; we exchange a look all the same.
This is bad.
“We discussed this,” Kingston is saying. “We agreed.”
“Youagreed.” Kai calmly loosens the strap of his mask, his back still turned to Kingston. “I’m a conscientious objector.”
Kingston’s nostrils flare as he takes a deep breath. “Kai,” he tries again. “Don’t?—”
He goes for Kai’s shoulder, but Kai’s quicker. In one fluid movement, Kai drops his mask, spins on his heel, and grabs Kingston’s wrist, bending it back. Hard. So hard Cal and I both wince.
Even Kingston can’t avoid a grunt of pain.
“Hey!” Somehow, I find my voice. “Dude. That’s his sword arm.”
Kai narrows his eyes, waits a beat, and flings Kingston’s arm away. “He’s a big boy.” He gives his own arm a shake. “And Gwenna’s a big girl. She’ll be fine. I’m nobody’s bitch.” He points right in Kingston’s face. “Hers, or yours.”
Kingston doesn’t move.
“You’re right,” he says at last. “I can’tmakeyou do anything. I can’t make you do what I say. I can’t even make you follow your vows.”
Kai picks up his mask with a smug smile. But it flickers. Like he knows Kingston’s not done.
“I just hope it’s worth it,” Kingston goes on. “For your sake.”
Mask in hand, Kai waits a moment. When Kingston doesn’t say anything, he gives a dramatic sigh and props his mask under his arm.
“Fine. I’ll bite.” He rolls his eyes. “Hopewhat’sworth it, King?”
“Defiance.” Kingston’s voice rings against every surface of the salle. “I hope the satisfaction of not doing the right thing just because it wasmy ideais worth whatever happens to Gwenna when Moroslav finds her again. Or, more likely, when she gets dragged back to that place we found her. I hope it’s really,reallyworth it to you.”
Kai doesn’t move.
Then he yells.
Screams, really. A raw, frustrated sound as he chucks his mask right at the weapons rack, knocking all the blades into a clattering cascade to the floor.
