Wicked Games Academy

CHAPTER 26

Clive and I were curt to one another. We gave each other our masks and coats and packed up without words or just a "yes" or "no" to a short question.

He knew I kept my distance and wanted nothing to do with him and he didn't push his luck.

Clive was unusually quiet and toned down, to the point the other boys thought we were fighting. I only told Will that Clive was coming to my place and I was sorry I couldn't go over to his place. He said he was fine.

I wondered if he had to go break up the gathering that other knight in trainings were doing. One day I asked him.

The students had filed out and a handful of second and third years stayed. As he packed and allowed me inside, I realized Wyatt had already left. Taking the chance to be away from Clive I sat down and watched as Will packed.

I couldn't find a mask or cloak so I gave up and asked Will the question.

"Are you and Whitecross working for the Headmaster?" I asked quietly.

Will didn't stop but continued folding his clothes and spoke.

"Well, Wyatt and I used to work for him. Mundane jobs like breaking into places they gathered and bringing back documents. We only had to fight a rebel twice, accidentally waking them up."

Only twice, I thought in envy.

"The Headmaster said he would give us more high ranking jobs if we did well in the hunt. Unfortunately, we were going to go against you and Clive." Will smiled sardonically.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know—no, I did, I knew the Headmaster planned it, but I'm sorry we had to pitted against you."

I sincerely meant it, too, because a part of me thought that I suited Will as partners better. I wouldn't have fallen for him like I did with Clive.

Clive was a mystery, all smiles and laughter, but also warped to a point he was a perfect murderer. 

"Well, now Wyatt and I have lost our position. We no longer do anything and won't be going to whatever they planned this winter," Will said. "Somehow it's a load off my shoulders. I have considered the several levels of knighthood and would prefer to work in guarding or body guarding instead of being on the war front.

"You don't want to go to war?" I asked, somehow surprised.

"Think about it, you will never see your family and might die. Your comrades, too, will die. When Wyatt was hurt, as much as we were always at odds, I worried for him." He chuckled. "Strange, right?"

"I know what you mean," I said quickly. "I mean, I am always scared of what Clive would do. He would sacrifice himself and others for me. It's like he's laid out a mantle of blood-soaked corpse for me to tread on."

"That's quite an eloquent metaphor," Will said. He sighed and sat on his bed across from me.

"I have a question. Do you think Clive is, well, strange in the head?" I asked.

"Clive? Wha brought this on?"

"To tell you the truth, Clive is scary sometimes." I played with my fingers, unable to put it into words. "He was calm killing an enemy and joked about mutilating dead bodies. He says strange things, too..."

Will didn't seem disgusted but he was stiff, picturing what I was saying.

"You two have encountered such horrific situations?" he asked.

"You know how Clive is a vagrant? His home country was riddled with crime and murders. Clive murdered children his age in order to get a patron."

"But why are you telling me all of this? I don't think anyone but you know him best, and I can't exactly give an answer without knowing the circumstances," Will said gently.