Chapter 39

I can't begin to imagine what would make a group, of such regally and stinking rich people be so scared by the notion of the Winter games.

"Then why was everyone in a panic earlier?" I ask Adrian, and I can see his eyes aren't focused on me anymore, he's gazing far into the distance and his gaze is calculating.

I turn to Arden and see she has the same look on her face, and a sigh escapes my mouth. Is making more friends that big of a deal?, the ones I have seem to pay me no attention most of the time "Was I brought here to just stand and do nothing, or did you actually have a plan for me to help in any way?" The suprise that enters his eyes again is comical, this time but i resist the urge to laugh.

His eyes always seem to open wide and his face gets all flushed from embarrasment. I can only guess how truly embarrassing it Is to keep on forgetting someone who you brought here in the first place. The halls are awash with pleasant conversation and light talking as everyone is putting in thier best already to make sure they have a head start for the winter games.

I grunt, annoyed by the sight and Adrain gives me an appologetic look like me being forgotten almost five times today is something normal for him. I can hear Arden's light laughter as she also seems to think me being ignored and complaining about it is cute by some standards.

"Can you guys at least explain how this winter games work?", and for a moment there's absolute silence from any and both of them. I almost think we were back to me being ignored, and them with the odd scent of fear drifting off from thier bodies. We keep on walking, and after a series of twists and turns and a pathway that seemed oddly familiar, though I can't seem to figure out exactly where I'd seen it. Our arrival at the glade makes me realise exactly where this is.

It's the same place we had come to last night, and i can hear Arden's audible groan of satisfaction as she collapsed by a tree and breathed in the fresh winter morning air.

"Aderyn. I don't want you to ever feel you're being ignored. You've been a lot of help to me and I appreciate that". The tender tone Adrian uses makes the air in my throat catch, and I can't breathe for a second, his speech isn't complete and surely the clause comes "but, I also want you to know exactly the kind of place you're in. I regret not being honest with you at first, and I didn't really know things would get this complicated but as it is, I need you to please listen to me. No one in there is your friend, no one wants to make life any easier for anyone else but themselves. The winter games isn't a game. It's war, and I don't want you to be caught up in it" His explanation makes me a little but more confused than i was earlier on. What exactly have I gotten myself into?.