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ADONE
Summer cried out and stumbled backward. Her hands slapped against her cheeks. She pivoted and hobbled to the pool, diving beneath the water. Tumbles followed, yipping with distress. When her head popped above the water, she pawed at her face.
“It burns. It burns!” she shouted.
Tumbles chittered and rolled back and forth on the shore.
“What did you do to her?” I growled at Burmoot. I didn’t wait to hear his answer but leaped over Tumbles to dive into the water. I swam to Summer and wrapped my wings around her. I studied her face, but her skin appeared unmarred. “What happened?”
“I tried to hit the monitor, and it shot something at me. It stung.” Tears fell down her face, mixing with the water. “It hurt so much.”
“How dare you try to touch the monitors,” Burmoot said, coming to stand beside the pool. The monitors followed, remaining behind him. He glanced at them and placed a finger over his mouth. “You should be punished for attacking one.” His fingers flexed at his sides, and he lowered his voice to a whisper. “I can only do so much. Don’t taunt them.”
I didn’t understand why our host was helping us, and I didn’t trust him. I assumed he was lulling us, and he’d soon spring a trap.
“What did they do to her?” I bellowed.
Tumbles spun and rolled toward Burmoot, though he skirted around the monitors that hovered close enough to watch everything. Those betting against us must be cheering and hoping Summer was injured badly enough so that she could no longer compete.
The monitors zipped over Tumbles and coasted above the water. They flew around us, taking us in from all angles. I imagined those watching cheered to see Summer’s distress. I wanted to hit them, but I wouldn’t do anything to endanger her.
“I did not do this. The Universal Council did,” Burmoot said softly. “Don’t test them.”
There was something else going on here, but I wasn’t going to wait around to find out what it could be. We had a Game to win, and the clock was ticking.
“Are you all right?” I asked Summer.
She nodded. “The sting has faded.” Glancing down, she sighed. “My clothing is soaked. It’s going to rub when I walk.”
“Then I will carry you.”
“Nope. We each have to do an equal part, remember?”
“Of the event. Getting there can be handled any way we please.”
“You were tired last night too. I want to do what I can.”
I carried her from the water and set her on her feet, noting Burmoot had left.
Summer dropped down to her knees and held her hands out to Tumbles. “Come here, little guy. You are such a brave tumbleweed for trying to protect me.”
Whimpering, Tumbles rolled up onto her thighs. She gathered him close, and his bristly hair softened. She cooed and stroked him, and I joined her, hovering near to protect her from all harm. I wrapped my wings around her, hiding her from view.
If the monitors came near her again, I would bash them to pieces.
No one and nothing would harm my mate.
Eventually, she put Tumbles down, though she gave him a few more lingering pats.
“I guess I should put my shoes on. We need to eat,” she said, her voice cracking. From the lift of her chin, I could tell she was trying to remain brave. It crushed me that she had to face things like this.
And it strengthened my resolve to finish this Game.
