As a Roman (Prequel to The Lost Hero)

4: ...Games!

Cato sprang from where he was standing and ran into the forest, gladius at the ready. He glanced to see if Joe was following him. He wasn't. Interesting. Joe almost always stayed with him, because he always joked about needing protection.

Ha. Well, if he was going to get it from anyone, Cato was the one.

"Joe?" he called, as loudly as he dared. He didn't want the rest of the campers to find him, since he was hiding.

This was a special kind of War Games. You had to reach an opponent's (any Cohort other than your own), and attack and capture everyone. You captured people by tagging them-spraying them with the miniature paint gun you were equipped with. Then, you had to capture as many of their layers as you could, the cohort with the most winning. Fun. At least, in Cato's opinion.

He dashed into a particularly thick part of brush, and looked around for Joe. He was nowhere to be seen.

Weird, Cato thought. But whatever. Less to slow me down.

Wait . . . had he just thought that about his friend? That was nasty-even from him.

He put that thought behind him for now. He needed to concentrate on the War Games.

He sat down, intending to take a rest and brainstorm a bit.

He did not expect to see someone hiding with him.

"Well, if it isn't the arrogant young man who avoids me," came a voice. One with an unmistakable Irish accent.

"Sophia," he groaned, putting his forehead too his palm.

"Lovely to see you as well," she said. "I can see you're overjoyed to see me again."

He glared.

"Someone doesn't have a sense of humor," Sophia remarked, coming out of her hiding place. A leaf was entangled in her hair. Cato felt an urge to remove it.

Where the heck had that come from . . .? He thought.

He decided to ignore her last comment.

"Okay, Cato? Your silence is rapidly becoming irritating. Infuriating, even. Even if you want to swear at me or tell me to shut up! Just say something."

"Like what?"

"So you can speak!" Sophia exclaimed, putting her hands over her mouth in amazement.

Cato rolled his eyes.

"There you go, saying absolutely nothing. Again. Why don't you like me, anyway? I've seen the way you act with Joe. You're as talkative as any other person."

"I don't know," he said sarcastically, peering through the trees. No one was out there yet. He should leave soon, but he hadn't been able to strategize at all yet. Because of her. "Maybe it's because you talk non-stop? Because you mock me?"

"Me?" she gasped. "Mock you?"

"Yes, actually."

"I'm very sorry," she said, lower lip trembling. Which drew his attention to her full, pinkish, kissable, mouth.

What the hell was messing with his head today? Maybe, it was excitement caused by the war games . . .

Yeah. That must've been it.

He sighed. "Okay . . . the reason I'm hiding here is so I can strategize. Not socialize. So if you want to be helpful, that's how. Any ideas?"

"Um, no?" Sophia shrugged apologetically. "Why don't we just run out there and attack?"