world-ender || l. castellan

v.

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v. is it me or
is it what's
inside of me

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         EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT NOEMI the next morning like they've never looked at her before. She's used to looks of indignation and horror, reluctant respect and even some of pure hatred.

But they've never giggled and pointed like they do now.

Instantly, she knows who is to blame for it. After breakfast she follows him to the rock climbing wall and hoists herself all of the way up the smooth backside, waiting for the right moment to pounce. Thankfully, the rest of his cabin doesn't see her until she has a hold of his line.

Travis Stoll is halfway up the climbing wall, his forehead sweaty and his hands pink when he spots her with a dagger to his safety rope. "What the fuck?!"

"You've got a big mouth, Stoll. Has no one ever warned you against trying me?"

He dodges a bucket of lava that makes his entire body flush red. He climbs up a few more rocks hastily. "I don't know what you're talking about, you psycho!"

"Gods, Travis! You'd think that since your dad is god of thieves you'd be good at lying. I guess it's not so easy when your life is in my hands, huh?"

He looks up and frowns when she kicks down a boulder before it's supposed to fall. He pushes off the wall and barely misses it. "What are you talking about, Noemi?"

"You're the only one who saw us last night! People are talking!" Noemi takes hold of his rope again and begins to saw through it. She sees him struggling to climb higher and avoid becoming a stain on the grass below. "You think I wouldn't get you for that?"

"You were making out in the open against our cabin!" Travis screeches in a mild panic. "Anyone could've seen!"

"You won't own up to it? Even if I say I'll stop?" Noemi taunts, feeling the rope weaken in her grip. She's made it about halfway through. One wrong move and it might even snap.

Travis is a foot below her, so close, and it seems their screaming has drawn some eyes. Of course, his brother Connor looks the most frightened at the sight.

"What did you do, Travis? You never mess with Noemi! It's like law!"

Noemi sees Luke round the corner and his eyes find hers almost immediately. He's frowning so deeply she almost feels bad about being the cause. Then she remembers that he started this, so it disappears as quickly as it comes.

"Shit! Okay, I told a few of the guys that I saw you and Dorian, even before you went to our cabin." Travis's fingers slip on a rock and he swings to the left to avoid another spill of lava. Some drops land on his shirt and singe holes. "I didn't think they'd gossip about it like girls."

"You shithead!" She stabs the dagger down into a foamy part of the wall where she's kneeling. She pauses as he pants, catching his breath. "What did they say?"

"Are you serious?" Travis howls. "Let me up! I don't owe you anything!"

"You're shitting me, bro!" Conner shouts. More campers have gathered around to see what's going on. "Give her what she wants! Your spine will snap like a twig if you fall from the top!"

"Fuck that!" Travis spits.

In one swift movement Noemi grabs the dagger and slices through what remains of the rope, falling to her belly and grabbing at the front of Travis' shirt before he can plummet to the ground with both hands. With all of her core strength she yanks him up a few inches so their faces are level. The dagger falls down the wall and lands in a puddle of lava, reduced to a hissing splotch of bronze in seconds.