Wicked Games Academy

CHAPTER 23

Clive and I never ended up scouting out the forest, called Lower Yards Forest. It was the lower part of a larger forest known as Montgomery Yards but it was usually called the Yards Forest.

Lower Yards, however, was closer to our academy and only a few minutes away from horse, although walking there could take half a hour.

The tenth years usually never entered this forest, especially in winter. Last year our exams took place in the woods behind our school, which is ample fighting ground, just not challenging enough. So here we were.

Our grade, around a hundred students so fifty pairs, (25 pairs hunting each other) had our days divided in half. They randomly chose 25 to go first and that included Clive and I and our opposing team, Will and Wyatt.

We decided to stay a safe distance from them as we trudged there, whispering in the snow. The wind howling in my ear reminded me of nights we killed. It was not unnerving, but rather strange as it was daytime.

It was almost the same, Clive was by my side, I had my one handed rapier as opposed to a two hand sword, and we had a bag of food and things such as matches. We wore three layers of everything, from tops to pants to socks and our boot and coat to camouflage.

Once we went to a forest Clive and I quickly kept an eye on our team but ran the opposite direction, too. It was decided we would take offense because if they did, we would have to run. Some teams began to grow closer to their teams, but other than your partner we didn't speak much to one another.

"Tonight I think we can have a good night's sleep," Clive said, sighing as he drank a small amount of water from the canteen. "Geez this water is cold. My teeth hurts."

"Just come here and watch," I gestured to our tent, which I set up quickly. We weren't given a real tent, it was leather held up by sticks with linen cloth over the sides.

Clive had helped put it up but sat outside, watching. His head always tilted slightly to one side if he heard a rustle, but he never moved other than capping his canteen and placing it down slowly.

"Take a rest," I whispered to him. I had taken off the leather gloves to dig the sticks we found into the soil but put them on again.

Thinking of moving our shelter made me tired but most boys around us (who we identified) were warming up instead and one slept as the other kept an eye out.

"Clive, just sleep tonight," I snapped. Still in whispers we bantered.

"What if they take this chance to hunt us? It's not just a test—it's the Headmaster, testing us against them."

He had been bothered by that, I realized, scared we would lose our positions.

Sure we made lots of money for each mission, and Clive saved all his money in a tin can under his bed for whatever mysterious use he would use them for. If I was honest to myself, I wanted to lose this privilege.

I was a coward like Daniel, if it weren't for the fact I'd lose Clive as my partner I wouldn't continue killing.

I had nightmares of people walking to me, knives in their bodies and bleeding face shouting in agony, but seeing Clive was worth it...or so I thought.

"Fine, I'll nap and we can change shifts when you're tired," I hissed. "Don't you dare not wake me up and overwork yourself!"

"I promise, just go, Nathan."

I left and under the trees I laid down in the cold cloth ground we had shoveled. I rolled myself in blankets but made sure my dagger was by my side and slept with both arms out. It was a silent night, a night of predators and prey, nights we hated.