SINS OF FROST AND HEAT

BEST FRIENDS FOR LIFE.

The lodge was tense. After the brutal elimination challenge, Group Four sat in uneasy silence, the weight of loss and survival pressing down on them. Tariqnwas gone, his name still hanging in the air like a bitter memory, while Liam tried to ignore the gnawing sense of guilt settling in his chest.

He could feel eyes on him sharp, accusing stares from the other kids. They sat huddled in small clusters, whispering in low voices, but their glances kept flicking toward him. Ruby , ever stoic, stood near the wall, her arms crossed as she surveyed the group with her usual unreadable expression.

Suddenly, the silence was broken. Amir, one of the older boys, stood up abruptly. His face twisted with rage, and his eyes locked onto Liam like a predator zeroing in on its prey.

“You,” Amir growled, his voice thick with anger.

Before Liam could react, Amir stormed across the room and grabbed him by the throat, slamming him hard against the cold concrete wall. Liam’s head snapped back, the impact sending a sharp jolt of pain through his skull.

“This is your fault,” Amir snarled, his grip tightening around Liam’s neck, squeezing the air out of him. “Tariq was eliminated because of you!”

Liam’s hands flew to Amir’s wrist, trying desperately to pry him off, but the older boy was too strong. His vision blurred as the pressure on his throat increased, panic clawing at his chest. The room erupted in startled gasps, but no one moved to help.

Ruby’s voice sliced through the chaos, cold and commanding. “Let him go.”

Amir ignored her, his rage blinding him to anything but his anger. “You’re weak, and because of you, Tariq’s gone!”

“Let him go,” Ruby repeated, her voice icy as she stepped forward. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Amir’s wrist in a vice-like grip. Her hand was cold, her strength surprising as she squeezed until Amir’s fingers loosened around Liam’s throat.

Reluctantly, Amir let Liam go, but his anger didn’t fade. Instead, he swung wildly at Ruby, his fist cutting through the air with reckless force. But Ruby was faster. She dodged his swing with ease, then twisted his arm behind his back and pressed him down onto the ground, her knee digging into his shoulder blade.

Amir grunted, struggling beneath her, his face twisted with pain. “You’re protecting him,” Amir spat, his voice laced with venom. “You’re always protecting him. Everyone sees it.”

Ruby didn’t respond right away. She looked up, her cold eyes sweeping across the room. All the other kids were staring at Liam now—not with sympathy, but with disdain. Their expressions ranged from frustrated to outright hostile. It was clear what they were thinking.

Liam flinched under their gazes, the weight of their silent accusations settling heavily on his shoulders.

Ruby’s grip on Amir tightened, but her gaze never left the group. When she finally spoke, her voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade. “Liam worked hard to get his flag. He fought that robot for it. Tariq tried to snatch it away because he thought Liam was weak.”

Her words hung in the air, cold and unforgiving. The other kids shifted uncomfortably, but no one said a word. Ruby let go of Amir’s arm, standing up and stepping back. “If you’re looking for someone to blame, blame yourselves for underestimating him.”

Amir, his face twisted with resentment, pushed himself to his feet, glaring at Ruby. “This isn’t over,” he muttered, his voice dark. He rubbed his arm where Ruby had pinned him, then sneered at Liam before walking away.

“Amir,” Ruby called after him, her tone flat. “You’re scrubbing the toilets for a week.”

Amir froze, his back stiffening at the words. He turned slowly, his eyes narrowing. “Are you serious?”