Rooming with the Wicked

25 | the exception

"What are—" I started.

"Are you crazy?" he hissed. "You can't just put these here out in the open?"

"Why—"

"For everyone to see!"

When I just stared at him, Haze sighed. "He takes this whole tournament very seriously."

You don't say.

"It's not just a tournament," Jaydis said. "It's our chance to prove to everyone here that it doesn't matter what you are..."

"We're the only, uh, mixed team," Kenas explained. Seeing my confused expression, he added, "All the other teams only have members of the same species."

What had Aidan called us? Rejects?

"Why?" The question left my mouth before I even finished the thought. "I mean, humans and supernaturals, sure, I see that," I backpedalled, "but I always thought supernaturals were this united front."

They all just stared at me.

"I mean, look at you guys," I added in a small voice, "you get along just fine."

"Because we're awesome," Jaydis enthused.

"We're the exception," Kenas clarified.

"Not all of us by choice," Haze added, pointedly looking at Danox, who just shook his head and glared at the tabletop.

"Guys," I said, batting my eyelashes, "stop being vague, or those potions will be put to good use right here, right now."

Jaydis lowered his arms around the vials and flasks almost protectively. "No."

"'S 'cause of Vespyrea," Danox sighed. "Not sure if you've noticed, but I seem to be the only shifter who gives a crap. Either they're scared to get kicked out, or they've just accepted it. In the end, doesn't matter, I guess."

But someone knew. Someone cared. Someone had gotten those crystals for him. Remembering my promise to him, I didn't press, but I wasn't about to forget about that little tidbit of information either.

"What about you?" I asked Kenas.

He shrugged. "How many half-giants have you actually seen here?"

Good question.

When I didn't answer, he smiled and said, "Exactly. The few that go here aren't even from Ardua. They grew up on Earth with their human parent. I've never even been to Earth before starting here. Spent my entire life in Rhunak with my father." His smile turned sad. "We're just...different."

"What about your mom?"

He just shook his head.

"I get it," I said. I did.

His eyes flitted to mine. "Thanks."

I turned to Jaydis. "What about you?"

"Are you kidding?" Haze said, nodding at Jaydis's hunched-over form still perched in the middle of the table. "Look at this fool."

Said fool cleared his throat. "Excuse me for not wanting to lower our chances of victory before the game begins." His eyes darted around the courtyard. "Have you seen the way the dryads keep looking over here? They're probably trying to come up with a strategy as we speak."

"They don't have an alchemist," Danox pointed out. "And they're probably gonna camp out in the tree roots just like they did the past two years. Their camo will make 'em hard to see, but even damp earth ain't gonna hide their scent when we get close enough. And we will. They always pick the densest area furthest away from the fae."

That had to be the most I'd ever heard Danox talk at once.

"Well, I see why you're on the team now," I said. "You know, apart from your senses and"—I suppressed a smile—"feline prowess."

He glared at me.

Jaydis smiled. "We might not look it, but we make a damn good team."

I was starting to get that. With Danox's brain and senses, Kenas's brute strength and endurance, Jaydis's familiarity with and orientation in forests, as well as his camouflage skills and knowledge of herbs in all terrains, we were pretty well off.

That left...

Haze picked up the Darken Draught and studied the black liquid with interest. His eyes flitted to Jaydis and he asked, "How come you've never made any of this cool shit?"

"I've made countless—"

"What are you actually contributing to the team now that we have Cupcake over here, hmm?"

"Wait a minute," I cut in, suddenly feeling the need to defend Jaydis, "what do you contribute, Zee Zee? You're a sloth." He opened his mouth, but I just pushed on. "I suppose, you could melt stuff if we poke you hard enough... Or wait, let me guess, you're the team sacrifice when we need a distraction."

"If anyone is gonna be the team sacrifice, it's you."

"Oh?"

"After you give us the potions, of course."

"Of course."

He took a moment to study me. "You're the perfect size. I can pick you up with one hand and toss you right at—"

"Okay," Jaydis interjected, waving his hands, "there will be no tossing of anything but potions!"

He looked more than a little hilarious still squatting in the middle of the table like some sort of forest gremlin.

"We clear?" he added, pointing a finger at Haze.

Haze said nothing, but that mischievous glint in his eyes spoke for itself.