Page 102 of Kings & Chaos

“I think we’re getting a flash game.”

What the actual fuck was a flash game?

“Time for a flash game!” Neo roared.

The crowd went wild.

“What’s a flash game?” I asked Claire.

“It’s a game that has to be done here. Now.”

“Now? Like, now-now?”

She nodded, her eyes fixed on Neo.

“For two thousand points,” Neo said, “each team will appoint two people for a cliff jump.”

The murmurs grew to a roar as each house tried to speed-strategize, but I was trying not to panic.

Trying not to run.

Because this… this was insane.

And then Neo spoke again, his gaze fixed on mine. “I’ll jump for the Kings.” I knew what was coming before he even said it. “With Willa.”

Chapter39

Willa

My ears were ringing, darkness closing in all around me. I stumbled back and Claire caught my arm while the other teams announced their players.

“Are you okay?”

“I can’t… I can’t…” Speak apparently. Or think. Because if I’d been thinking I would have been running from the quarry as fast as my legs would carry me.

“Oh my god… I have to jump too,” Claire said. “That bitch chose me and Lucia because we were supposed to do the last game.”

She was obviously talking about Alexa, but I could hardly think straight, let alone follow along while the other teams chose their players.

I was getting ready to head for the trail, make my way back to the parking area and the road that led to town, hitch a ride if I had to. Anything to get away, because there was no way I was jumping into the water from the cliff.

Then Oscar was there, standing next to me, pulling me back from the crowd to the edge of the clearing.

“I know you’re freaking right now, but it’s going to be okay.” I started backing away from him, and he grabbed my shoulders to hold me in place. “Listen to me, Willa.”

“I can’t,” I whispered. “You know I can’t.”

He shook his head. “Wrong. I know you can. You can do anything. You’re Willa fucking Russo, and you’re one of us, okay? We’re not going to let anything happen to you. Neo won’t let anything happen to you.”

I flinched like I’d been slapped. Because yeah, not only did I have to jump, I had to jump with Neo.

“You have to do this. Everyone’s here. Everyone’s watching,” Oscar said.

My mind registered the logic. If I quit, I was as good as done at Aventine. Losing the games was one thing, but refusing to play?

Not an option. Not if I expected to stay and not be an outcast.

But the rest of my body — namely, my nervous system — was holding its hands over its ears, humming loud enough to drown out my brain.

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