VenatIO (Book I Of The IO Series)

IX

QUINQUENNIAL VENATIO (HUNT)

0908 HOURS

LOCATION- PLUTO, GAYLORD ACADEMY, SECTIONI I

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"Get up," Nina screamed at me for the millionth time. The sun had divided into the room, giving all of the furniture a soft blue tint. It was beautiful. But it wasn't good enough for me to remove my head from the comfortable pillow under.

"Nina," I moaned softly.

"Yes."

"I don't want to go to school."

"You have to," she said sternly, removing my duvet from my body. I grabbed back at it and curled back into a ball.

"You have to," she repeated.

"What's the point, only the picked will stay at school and I'm not getting picked."

"You might get picked."

"No, I won't, I'll just go stand there making my legs ache for absolutely nothing when I could be sleeping comfortably in this amazing bed."

"Sapphire, what are you doing in bed," a stern voice asked, and I put my head under the pillow.

"Nina stop imitating Marine," I groaned.

"I'm not," she whispered. I scrambled off my bed and placed my feet on the floor and scowled at Marine.

I had not talked to her in a long time, ever since she told me about the king. I thought of my mother again, she would have poured a bucket of water on my head by now. Who knew I would miss that?

"You're supposed to be getting ready," she said her voice hard.

"I'm sorry, your highness," Nina said timidly. Marine considered Nina's words then surprised us by throwing her head back laughing. I stared at her bewildered.

"Not your fault Nina, we West's have very bad mornings," she said smiling.

"I'm coming to school," she said.

"Why," I asked, "isn't some official supposed to come, not you."

"WelI, this Venatio is important," she said. When I saw her face, though she was trying to play it off, I could really see how important it was.

"It doesn't matter who picks though, it's picked by a raffle system."

"Yes, but I must pick them," she said and offered no further explanation.

"What is the object and why is it so important," I asked. I was staring up at her from my bed. Her brows creased and she bit her lip.

"How did you know."

"It's easy to read you," I said the truth.

"Cole always said that too," she said in silent wonder. I looked at her, I could no longer find it in me to hate him. Understanding what she said, her smile quickly vanished. A sad small smile played over her lips.

"He was a fine man," she said quietly, "I have to go, I'll see you at the school." I nodded and she disappeared through my room doors. I trudged out of bed and sat down in front of the mirror waiting for Nina.

"That's the first thing she's said about the King in a long time," Nina said, walking over to me.

She shoved a pair of white clothes in my hand and I walked to the closet to get changed. Dressing into a white semi-transparent shirt and whitewashed jeans I walked back out. I spun my hair into a bun. White was the colour death. I found it amusing, that we had to wear it for this occasion.