Chapter 96
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I don’t know them, but I do. From the memory. Still, I find myself stepping forward into a knot of mostly unfamiliar faces management-track students I’ve only ever passed in hallways or worked around, never with.
Their jackets are cleaner. Their posture more assured. They cluster instinctively, already talking over one another before we’ve even fully assembled.
Then Karina’s name is called.
Stiffening, we both roll our eyes at the exact same time.
Great. I forgot she was on my team. Things were different back then. She hated me, but there wasn’t as much bite.
Karina steps into the circle, chin lifted, gaze already sweeping the group like she’s taking inventory. Around her, the others fall into conversation immediately.
“Alright,” says Bren, tall and broad-shouldered, already acting like he’s in charge. He has the kind of voice that expects to be listened to. “Let’s sort roles fast. I’ll take the moutain! Speed matters.”
Beside him, Tamsin-sharp-eyed, restless, fingers always tapping-nods eagerly. “Yeah, I’ve seen him take down a bear.”
“Yeah,” mutters Bren, arms crossed confidently. “It wasn’t even hard.”
Tamsin elbows him. Bren smirks.
Karina doesn’t look at me when she speaks, even though she’s a healer, she seems to know them. “We’ll need someone reliable for the forest leg.”
Their banter rolls on without me, easy and familiar, like they’ve run drills together a dozen times already. I stand half a step back, hands tucked into my sleeves, listening rather than inserting myself where I’m clearly not expected.
When there’s finally a pause, I take it.
“I’ll take the river segment,” I say calmly. “I’m a strong swimmer.”
For a moment, it almost feels like it might stick.
Then Karina waves me off.
“No,” she says lightly. “Tamsin’s better suited for water crossings, he’s on the swim team. You’ll take the forest.”
I meet her eyes, hard. “I rather the water.”
“I know,” she replies, already turning away. “But this makes more sense.” Right guys?
The nods and agreements roll him, and I don’t argue because outside looking in, this made the most sense
Outwardly, I just nodded along. Inside, a small panic hums beneath my ribs.
Alright. I got the forest. But, on the positive side, I knew about the trap.
My gaze, with out meaning to, flicks across the clearing.
Dominic’s team is gathered near the starting mountain path. He rolling a jacket unto his shoulders, bodying to star ifuctude up, and positioned at the mountain. He was already surveying the club up, pointing to Fox tearate
to take
Makes sense they’d choose him for it. A strong start Chiff train stated hij song legs added by MENU uneven ground and thin air
He glances any way
+25 Bonus
Just once.
I tense, and look past him immediately-too fast-and my eyes catch on Vivian instead.
I’m not sure which was worse.
She stands close to Dominic, posture serene, hands folded, with a big old smile. When our eyes meet, she waves.
Warm, and polite.
My stomach tightens. Ew.
“Ellie.”
Lucas’s voice cuts through the noise. He jogs up beside me, breath a little quick from weaving through the crowd.
“Hey,” I say with a tight grin. “Cold out here, huh?”
He nods, breathless. “Yeah. but uh, hey,” he says, smiling, nose already red. “I just wanted to say good luck out there.”
Before I can respond, he pulls me into a quick hug. I stiffen, patting his back before he pulls back, his expression turning a but
serious in a way I don’t often see.
“I heard you got the woods. Be careful,” he says quietly. “They’re more dangerous than they look.”
I huff a breath of a laugh. “You don’t say.”
His eyes linger on mine, searching. “I mean it.”
“I know,” I say, and I do. More then he knew.
When the signal sounds and teams begin to move, I turn toward my path without looking back. The forest looming ahead, its edge frayed with shadow. My boots crunch over frost and leaf litter as I move.
It’s exactly what I remember, cold, wet, mossy and grey. I follow the map to the spot I’m set to meet my teammate and sit on a
stone.
I settle it, as I hear a scream in the distance.
Someone fell far off on the moutain.
My gut twists a bit.
Or was pushed.
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