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King Valaris came to a stand, giving Sophia a soft and welcoming smile. “Ah, my dear Sophia,” he opened his arms in greeting.
Casper, on the other hand, remained tense in his seat. With a flushed face and unruly hair, he looked beyond distressed.
Sophia ignored Valaris, keeping her eyes pinned on Casper. “This is the chance I’ve been waiting for to save my family. You willnottake this from me!” Didn’t Casper understand how important this was to her?
“Then I guess today’s your lucky day.” Casper muttered, sinking deeper into his chair, despair seeming to consume him. “The contract you signed is binding. Not even my uncle can reverse it.”
“Now, now, Casper, let’s not get so upset about this.” King Valaris rubbed a soothing hand over Casper’s shoulder. “You haven’t been around to see what an incredible warrior Sophia has become! She is quite fun to watch in action.” He winked at Sophia.
Casper’s eyes focused downwards. He didn’t seem to be buying what his uncle was saying. “I don’t understand why you let her do this. We basically raised her.”
Wrong.Sophia’s parents raised her. The very parents that were in trouble right now! Couldn’t Casper see that?
“Who am I to deny her what she wants most? If you had cared enough to be around you may have come to learn how important this is to her.”
“Care enough?” He shot upright in his seat. “I saved her life before! How could you act like I don’t care?” As his voice raised, Sophia could hear the twins entering the room behind her.
“Oh please,” Sophia flippantly swung her hand around. “You haven’t cared about me in decades. Thankfully, that no longer bothers me.Youdon’t affect me anymore.” That was a lie, he still affected her more than he should. But she was working on it.
Then, Casper split, one second he was sitting in the chair across the way and the next he appeared in front of her, his hot face in front of hers. “You made that abundantly clear last night.” His voice was steel.
She swallowed. Did he care about what she did last night because he wanted to be with her? As always, she hoped. In a moment of weakness she asked, “Does that bother you?”
“It bothers me to see a friend put herself in harm’s way. A werewolf? What were you thinking!”
No. It definitely didn’t bother him the way she hoped it would. She straightened herself out and pretended she didn’t succumb to a moment of weakness. “I wasthinkingI did what I wanted last night, just like I did what I wanted when I signed up for The Elaron Games. Did you seriously just return to Elaron to try ruining everything I’ve been working so hard for?”
He took a step back, lowering his voice when he spoke next. “Are you doing what youwantor are you doing things just to get back at me for leaving you?”
The nerve of him!
Hands on her hips, she said, “I can promise you the need to save my parents far outweighs the need to get back at you for being a piece of shit.”
Casper looked down to his feet, shaking his head. “You didn’t even talk to me before making this decision…”
“You weren’t around to talk to.”
“You don’t understand. There’s others out there who are important to me. You have no idea where I was.”
“And I suppose I never will, will I?” Sophia asked, knowing very well that Casper kept his escapades a secret from everyone.
Casper’s silence was answer enough.
Before Sophia had the chance to walk away, King Valaris’ voice broke through the quiet. “While taking Sophia out of this tournament is out of the question, that doesn’t mean we won’t be able to help her.” His smile was somehow both mischievous and warm. “Tonight we will introduce all the candidates. All one hundred fifty-three of them.” Sophia knew this. All the competitors were going to be placed in the middle of the arenatonight and showcased to the audience during the welcoming ceremony. It resembled the moment when Olympic athletes are introduced to the world prior to the Olympics beginning. “Theremaybe a chance the games will begin at that moment, a fun surprise if you will. What else are we to do? We have to kill off about one hundred of you very quickly. Far too many unnatural beings signed up this year. I suppose The Heart of Aphrodite was a much too appealing award.” King Valaris frowned, not seeming to recognize the bomb he just hit Sophia with.
Sophia’s breathing became staggered as the reality of her situation finally sunk in. She was really about to take part in The Elaron Games. And now she was going to take part in a free for all battle to the death where less than half the competitors would survive? It took everything in her power to keep from swaying where she stood.
Conall spoke up from behind. “Uncle, I hate being the one to say it, but… Sophia’s a bit hungover today. Anyway, you can change that rule?”
Casper wouldn’t look away from his feet.
“What’s done is done. Now she has been forewarned. That is the best I can do.” King Valaris clasped his hands together. “Enough of this. She knew what she was getting into. She isn’t a child. Now, I must host today’s ceremonies. Proceed with caution Sophia, you are the only one that knows of this surprise today. Use this knowledge well.”
Casper’s face grew white, the disappointment in his eyes when he looked at Sophia was more than evident.
Sophia pursed her lips together before telling him, “If this is too much for you to handle, go back to those others you care about so much.”
Then, she began making her way out of the hall.
