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“Casper’s been gone for years. He couldn’t care less whether or not I signed up for The Elaron Games. And frankly? I couldn’t care less what he thinks.” That was a lie. She totally cared. But damn, she wished she didn’t. “I’ll catch you two later,” she quickly added before storming off.
She couldn’t stick around much longer, or else risk falling apart in front of them. Shehatedgetting emotional in front of anyone.
As much as she wanted to pretend Casper didn’t affect her, he did. Hereallydid. He saved her life one day then deserted her the next.
She was a fey for crying out loud! Fey didn’t know shit about anything outside their little bubble. How did he expect her to adapt on her own?
“Well fuck you, Casper. I adapted,” she said to no one, furiously marching along the palace’s central river. The misty path she walked led to a marble spire that sat beside the ocean, ending just as the river’s water dropped off into the sea. Thestunning waterfall was the first thing she saw every morning, from her room within the spire, and the last thing she saw before she went to sleep.
Things could be worse, she supposed.
She calmed a bit, allowing the river’s cool mist to settle her thoughts. She needed to stay focused. Beltane was tomorrow and the fighting would being the following day. She didn’t have time to stress over someone who no longer mattered.
Then, as if she had willed him into existence with her thoughts, that particular someone stepped in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.
“Sophia,” Casper breathed. “Please don’t do this.”
Chapter Four
Sophia Brenning
Every bit of Sophia wanted to run into Casper’s arms in hopes that he would hold her and not let go this time. But she knew that reality was an impossibility. Casper wasn’t here to stay. He would leave again. He always did.
Remembering that, she hardened her stare, examining the man standing in front of her with cold indifference. “Casper.”
“My uncle told me you signed up for the Elaron Games. I came as fast as I could.” He made it sound as if he actually cared about her. She refused to fall for it. Not this time.
She shifted on her feet, preparing to walk in the direction she had just come from. “It’s great to see you again. It really is. But I think we should save this talk for another time. Perhaps ten years from now?” It wasn’t like he’d return any sooner than that.
Then, she spun around, storming off. Admittedly, she was probably putting a bit too much pep in her step for someone whowasn’tsupposed to care. She supposed it didn’t matter. The sooner they were apart, the sooner she could forget about him.Again.
But he chased after her, his hand gripping her arm and pulling her to a stop. Though, she refused to face him with all the stubbornness in the world.
“Can you just listen to me, Soph?”
“I’m listening.” She didn’t turn around.
“Please.”The distress in his voice broke her a bit. Despite her resentment toward him, she didn’t want to see him upset. Especially not because of her.
So she gave in and gave him her attention. “What?” She asked, trying to keep a straight face. “If you’re here to tell me not to participate in The Elaron Games, don’t. Of all people, you know how much I have to do this.” He was part of her life while she was still happily living with her family. Heknewhow important they were to her.
Worry permeating off his features, he said, “We’ll find another way to help them. Let me talk to my uncle and get you out of this.”
Sophia balked, unable to control her reaction to what he just said. “We’llfind another way to help them?We’ll?I hate to break it to you, but you’re not around enough for there to be awe. Whatever I have to do, I have to do it on my own. This is what I’ve decided to do.”
“I promise I’ll stick by your side until we find your parents.”
There were so many things she wanted to say. She wanted to know why he didn’t make this promise before, or why her joining this tournament affected him like this. Instead, she settled with, “You never stuck by my side before. I don’t expect you to now.” She could rely on no one but herself.
He looked down, his eyes softening. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Soph. I didn’t realize…” He paused, pulling at his golden locks in frustration, as if he was trying to figure out what to say next. “I know I haven’t been around much, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. You’re my best friend. And Irefuseto watch my best friend do this to herself.”
She scoffed. “Some best friend you are.” Best friends didn’t desert their friends. “I was alone in a world I didn’t know anything about and you left me! You brought me here and thenleft!” She pressed her lips together, realizing she was getting too agitated. She worked on calming herself a bit before speaking again. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Doesn’t matter anymore? You have no idea how much it matters. I don’twantto abandon you. I’m sorry.”
“If you didn’t want to abandon me then you wouldn’t have.”
“You don’t…” His shoulder’s sagged. “That doesn’t matter now. What matters is you and the death sentence you’re walking into.”
