Could I still kill Saffron in his room with kits next door?
As much as I hated it, I shoved that concern aside. I blamed my omega biology for these sympathetic feelings. They were only a hindrance.
I would destroy the dragons. It was critical I complete my mission.
Otherwise, I could never return home.
I slept poorly,but I prepared for the first challenge with determination. I checked the paper slid under my door. It indicated today’s challenge would take place on the beach.
I groaned. The beach again? One look out the sun-streaked window told me everything I needed to know—it was hotter than hells outside. My polar bear form wouldn’t cut it today. I threw on a random outfit from the borrowed pile and trudged to the meeting spot.
Dozens of contestants stood crowded on the sand, waiting for the challenge to start. A tall net separated two halves of an empty rectangle. Was it some kind of game?
“Good morning, folks!”
A streak of terror shot through me. I recognized that upbeat voice. It belonged to the man with the blinding shirts—Gaius. As he strode towards us, I dared not look directly at him. From the corner of my eye, I saw him wearing an awful neon gold button-up. I didn’t know fabric couldbethat bright.
“Welcome to the first challenge of the Dragonfate Games! If you take a look over here and see our wonderful net, I’m sure you all know what we’re playing today,” Gaius said with a wink.
Not even the dragons and their cronies take this seriously, I thought.
“That’s right—volleyball!” Gaius announced.
I ground my teeth. What was volleyball? I wasn’t familiar with that game. I needed to learn the rules quickly if I wanted to win.
Then I paused. Why did I care? Winning the Dragonfate Games was never my goal. My mission was to kill dragons, not succeed at idiotic challenges.
Gaius’s booming voice cut into my thoughts: “The whole group will be divided into two teams.” He mimed slicing a hand through the crowd. “Like… so! All of you on the left, take the left court. Right side, do the same, if you please.”
I was assigned to the right. Pretending to know what was going on, I blended into the group on the right side of the court. It was easier in human form, but I still towered over all the rest of the omegas. No matter what form I took, I’d always stand out. It made me feel even more isolated.
I noticed my teammates taking distinct positions. Did they already know how to play this game?
“I assume everyone knows how to play volleyball,” Gaius said.
I bit my tongue. Years of intense training kept me from revealing any weakness. I couldn’t admit my ignorance, not in front of everybody.
“Wonderful!” Gaius chirped. He climbed up a tall chair beside the net and sat, gazing down at us.
My skin itched as I noticed the kobolds circling the court. They stood at a distance with large black machines in their hands. Cameras, maybe? That explained how Sheba had footage of the dragons. I didn’t like being a subject to record, but there was nothing I could do.
Just focus on winning this stupid game so you can continue your mission,I told myself.
Gaius tossed a ball to a tall brown-haired omega on the left court. It was Kaskian, the grizzly omega I’d met on the first day. He smirked, clearly pleased to be given the ball.
“Ready? Go!” Gaius called.
Kaskian threw the ball in the air, then smacked it with his fist. It flew into our court faster than I could blink. When I glanced over my shoulder, an omega on my side lunged for the ball and bumped it back with his forearm. The ball bounced back and forth over the net like a metronome.
This is ridiculous. What a waste of time…
Something hit me in the back of the head. Instinctively, I whirled around with a snarl. “Who did that?”
A short omega picked up the ball from the sand. “Sorry, man. It was an accident. You’re so tall that I couldn’t get the ball past your head.”
I huffed, turning around. I couldn’t even trust my own teammates in this game. I’d win on my own. But how?
Gaius blew a whistle. “You dropped the ball on that one,” he teased. “Left team gets to serve.”
