Phoenix Warriors

Chapter 9

The ball.

The assembly hall buzzed with low murmurs, the excitement of the upcoming ball simmering beneath the surface of conversation. I sat in my usual spot near the middle, legs crossed, arms folded, trying to appear interested. My mind, however, was far from the present, replaying everything that had happened in the last week.

The ball is tonight.

I wasn't sure how to feel about that. Excitement? No. Not really. Anxiety? Definitely. The idea of celebrating after what we had gone through during the first challenge felt twisted—like they were throwing a party to honor the bloodshed. A grand celebration of death. How lovely.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, my eyes scanning the room, trying to distract myself from the gnawing unease that had settled in my chest. Most of the students were here, some chatting animatedly about the ball, others whispering about what they would wear or who they hoped to dance with. I tuned them out, focusing instead on the stage.

A new professor stood before us, a man I hadn't seen before. His hair was graying at the temples, neatly combed back, and he had a sharp, serious face that seemed out of place amidst the buzz of anticipation. He tapped the podium to gather our attention, his eyes scanning the crowd as the room slowly quieted.

"Good morning, students," he began, his voice deep and authoritative. "I am Professor Gregory. Professor Fredrick is unable to be here this morning, so I will be taking his place."

Fredrick's not here? I couldn't help but wonder why. Was he off plotting more challenges? Or something worse? Either way, it was a relief not to see his smug face for once.

"As we all know," Professor Gregory continued, "the king has invited you all to the First Challenge Completion Ball as a celebration of your success in passing the initial trial." His voice was flat, devoid of the excitement you'd expect for such an announcement. "You should all be aware that after each completed challenge, the king and queen will host a ball to honor your progress."

Great, I thought sarcastically, a ball for every challenge. A part of me almost wished I wouldn't have to survive long enough to attend them all. But of course, that wasn't an option.

"Tonight's event," he said, "will not just be a celebration among yourselves. You will be joined by other groups—important guests of the king and queen, including their closest friends, members of the political party, and other esteemed individuals. I must warn you all: there will be females among the guests."

I nearly rolled my eyes at that. Was that supposed to be a warning?

"I strongly advise," he continued, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the male students in the audience, "that none of you do anything foolish. These are high-ranking individuals, and any inappropriate behavior will be met with consequences."

Nice, I thought, so we're not just celebrating death, we're expected to mingle with the very people who will likely send us back to the arena. The whole thing felt like a sick joke.

As he droned on about etiquette and respect, I scanned the room again, my gaze falling on the empty spaces where the Six usually sat. They weren't here. Not surprising, but I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of unease about it. I had no idea where they were or what they were doing, but their absence felt significant. And then... my eyes flicked toward Garick's usual spot.

He's not here either.

An uncomfortable heat flushed through me, and I immediately cringed at the thought of him. The kiss. It had been a week, and I still hadn't figured out what to think or feel about it. We hadn't talked about it. Not once. And I hadn't brought it up either. Every time we trained together since then, there was this unspoken tension lingering between us, a weight that pressed down on every conversation, every glance. He hadn't mentioned it, so I hadn't either. It was easier that way. Or at least, I thought it would be. But the awkwardness was impossible to ignore.