Theara stiffened at Owen's presence, sure that he was just here to malign her. This could be an ugly round. Luckily I am under no compulsion to play. Though it would be interesting to hear what is the story with the new players. Jemma embezzling? How could she talk to me about hiding stuff? And Lyla... that's just messed up. Was Green one of those older men?
"Owen Pryor, right?" Jake seemed to be racking his mind for memories.
"I thought you were dead?" Ella crossed her arms suspiciously.
"I guess I was supposed to be," his cold gaze slid briefly to Theara. "I was in a coma for several months."
"You were attacked by someone, right?" Roy asked.
"Sure was."
"But you don't know by whom?" Isa lifted a brow.
"Well..." he flashed a mischievous smile and bobbed his head to and fro.
"We don't usually let older players partake. Only Seniors," Levi spoke up, drawing a skeptic look from Owen.
Owen scoffed, glancing between Levi and Theara. "What, are you two a couple now?" he gestured leisurely between them, causing Isa to shift uncomfortably.
"What a remarkable question," Ella laughed.
"Wait a bit," Penny pinched her nose pensively. "Weren't you dating Theara, Owen?"
"Save the questions for the game," Owen smiled, savouring Levi's surprise at Penny's question.
"I dunno... you are three years out of range," Jake contemplated.
"Well, I think you should let me play regardless. I heard everything you guys said. It would be stupid to let me go with all that knowledge."
"What's in it for you?" Ella asked warily.
"Honestly, the party is a bit boring. No offense, Jemma," Owen winked at her, and she had to put a restraining hand on Roy's chest to keep him back.
"Then I guess we will all be playing," Jake clapped his hands together gleefully. "Jemma? Where do you want to host this?"
She sighed longsuffering. "We can take a cruise down river on the yacht. I don't want any more ears to hear of this," she hissed and turned on her heels, leading the group off.
Jake glanced back, seeing Theara going the opposite way. "Hey, where do you think you're going?"
"Not playing," she hollered as she started up the grassy slope.
"Yes you are."
"Am not. Last time I played I didn't forfeit, so I don't need to come back."
"I think you're forgetting something," Jake glared, leaning his head at her. By now the entire group had stopped to listen. "You heard more T&B secrets from new players, but they haven't heard anything about you. That makes them defenseless against you if you just leave. And no one can afford being defenseless."
"Then you should have made that rule clear in the beginning," she leveled back his gaze, feeling extremely annoyed.
"From now on it is a rule. Does everyone agree that every player deserves that much?" everyone nodded reluctantly. "Well what do you know?"
"Doesn't change anything. I'm not playing," she sneered, catching Levi's imploring look.
"Then we have to use a new blackmail, I guess. As I said, one of the first rules is for every players to support the rules. So, if you want to protect yourself people, give me something to blackmail Theara with."
YOU ARE READING
Heart of Hysteria
Non-Fiction"They are so... dead," Theara look up from her bloodied hands and grabbed a fistfull of her hair as she shuddered. "I killed them?" she angled her head as she observed her classmates' corpses with fascination. "I know this looks bad Levi, but I had...
