Page 22 of The Chosen Fae

Stone was probably giving his team the same advice. "Stay low, dig in deep, and try not to lose any teeth."

Xena laughed. But Rune was serious!

Then after a few minutes, the Game Master showed up. "The first team that pulls one of the opposing team members over the line will be the winner. Get ready."

"We can do this, team," Rune said. She set up the players to be more evenly balanced, considering their weight distribution, strength, and stability. "In your head, we'll do a cadence. Pull…pull…pull."

Everyone shifted into their wolves.

"Begin!"

Then the game was started. She hoped they could do a regular cadence in their heads that would coincide with everyone else's. At first, they didn't, and they weren't working together at all. But then they got into the game, felt the tension on the rope, and learned when to pull and when they needed time to regain their footing and strengthen their bite hold.

They kept tugging, but Stone's team was stronger. She knew Lolita wanted to be on her side, but Rune was proud of Stone for standing up for her and choosing her first. She knew why he did it too. He wanted Rune to have some stronger wolves on her team because, as a female, she wasn't as strong as the males.

She hated having Vesper on her team, but she knew Stone didn't want him even more. She loved his sour expression when he was the last to be chosen, and only because he had only one team to join—hers. And he didn't want to be on her team. Losing wasn't an option for him.

They were slowly losing the battle, but she would make Stone's team work for it. She couldn't just let them win so easily. She tugged with all her might, then after a while, she swapped places with one of the females, and Vesper did too. She really hadn't thought he would cooperate as a team member, but he must have realized that switching places helped them to maintain their position on this side of the line.

Stone's team didn't swap out members, but they probably didn't need to because they were stronger already.

They lasted for over forty-five minutes, longer than she had thought they would make it. She wished they could have been fae because then she could have shouted out encouragement and maybe kept them going longer. But she was glad they made it this far.

At the last, once Stone's team pulled them closer to the line, she and her team were digging in, no longer pulling, just trying to keep from being yanked across the line. Vesper was in the front of her team at that point, and he went over the line before they could stop the forward motion. They released the rope at once, and Stone and his team members all fell on top of each other.

She smiled.

Everyone shifted, Stone's team laughing. Rune told her team to get in a single file. Vesper and Xena stalked off. Then Stone hurried to his feet as the rest of his team followed suit, got into a single-file line, and each led their team past the others, touching hands and congratulating Stone and his team on a good game.

Then it was time for showers and lunch.

"I can't believe you wanted to pick mostly females for your team," Vesper said to Rune. "If Stone hadn't picked Lolita, you would have had her on our side too. You would make a lousy leader."

"Maybe I'm just a lone wolf at heart then, eh?" Rune didn't care how the others felt. They did really well under the circumstances, she felt. And she wanted to prove to the women that they could beat the men anyway. Mind over matter.

Before she could head for the showers, Stone caught up to her. "You were going to pick Lolita first, weren't you?"

"Yeah."

"She was mad at me for picking her instead. But we had to balance the teams better. You proved your point, though. You did great."

"Thanks. Your team won, though. I wonder what you'll get and what will happen to us."

"I don't know, but Vesper was sure sore."

"That was the best part. See you later." Then Rune headed off to the showers.

Rune never ceased to amaze Stone. She was adventurous and fearless, taking on challenges that she couldn't hope to win. Yet, she did amazingly well at it. Of course, even on the rope bridge, he couldn't believe she could sabotage all the other players but him and still be humble enough to let him tie with her by forcing him to touch the idol at the same time as she did.

He always told her he was the Chosen One, but he didn't mean it in terms of winning the games. He was a lone wolf at heart, and he was happy to be that.

Then he took his shower, dressed, and found a feast waiting for him and his teammates. Rune and her teammates sat at a lower table, eating porridge. He wished he could give her some of his delicious meal.

After he finished his food, he was called into the advisor's office.

"So, Stone, I found it remarkable that you would take Lolita on your team when she is the smallest and weakest of the wolves. I know why you did it. But you must remember that you are trying to prove you are a leader and not give in to feelings you might have for another fae," Kenten said.

Stone shrugged. "If Rune had all females on her team, my team and I would have beaten them easily within the first few minutes. I had to ensure she had enough strength on her side to give us a challenge. What's the sense in playing against another team if there is no challenge? Isn't that what the donors want? An interesting game?"