Hall of Games [The Celestial Chronicles #1]

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Trojan Horse

  "Like a sheep invited to a banquet in his honor thrown by wolves." 

-Pierce Brown "Golden Sun"

***

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Trojan Horse

The Hall of Games was unusually quiet for the rest of the week. All Masters and Mistresses were summoned for an urgent meeting. The guards around the dungeons doubled and a representative from the Chaldean Order paid the Hall a solemn visit. All Cady's classes with Firaun were cancelled, in which she had no doubt Firaun was taken away for questioning by Mistress Tucana.

A quisling. That was what her father would call someone who turned against their kind. All her anger and frustration were vented into a pillow that she imagined as Firaun's unctuous face. What puzzled her was his presence down the dungeons when the Decanate ran rampant.

What the hell was he doing?

Bum. Her deceased friend's face floated hazily before her. His infectious smile and brilliant round eyes only added to Cady's fury. With a loud scream, she punched the wall with full force and sharp pain flared.

The physical pain distracted her from the mental anguish. Cradling her injured hand, she stared at the setting sun outside. It was a beautiful evening, where the sun resembled a shiny copper coin dipping below the horizon. Birds of all shape and sizes chirped and darted by the skyline without a care in the world.

For a brief moment, Cady allowed the beauty of Mother Nature to soothe her.

The door of the dormitory swung open and Lydia's voice floated in. "Hey Cady, the other Starlings and I are having a little campfire at the back of the Hall. There is space for one more and there is food."

Her blue eyes fell upon Cady's bleeding hand and she frowned.

She strode over to Cady's side. "Cady, you know, decapitating yourself isn't going to bring Bum back."

"I don't even think you know what decapitating means." Cady winced as Lydia touched a tender spot.

Lydia shrugged. "Whatever. You need to stop moping around, for Trael's sake. It's been a week. Do you think Bum would be happy if he found you wasting away? No. Now get yourself together missy, we have a campfire to attend to."

"I said nothing about going to another one of your parties."

Lydia gave Cady another one of her hard stares that basically meant go-or-I-will-murder-you-on-the-spot.

"You have no say in this." Lydia shoved Cady out of the room. "Now, come with me before I turn you into an ice block and slide you to the campfire in a wheelbarrow."

*****

With her clumsily bandaged hand, Cady found it hard to even pick up a fork without making a fool of herself. Standing before a small campfire with about ten others, she cringed under their probing stares. She only recognized about half of them, sparking her regret for not seeking out their names beforehand.

"Hello. I am Thomas, Thomas Soleil."

One of the guys finally spoke up, breaking the tension that rose when Lydia pushed Cady into the circle.

Cady took a good, long look at him. He was tall and lanky, with wavy brown hair and an enthusiastic smile. The boy wore an eye-patch over his right eye, making him resemble an out-of-time pirate.

"Cady Gates." She managed a smile. She extended her hand before realizing that it was her injured one. "Uh sorry, no handshakes."

"You're hilarious." Thomas uncorked a green bottle and offered it to Cady. "Rum?"