And if so, was I falling for my worst enemy?
12
Saffron
I wasgrumpy as hell when I arrived at the site of the second challenge. Not only did I barely sleep last night, but my spat with Rorik still plagued me. Just when I thought it was smooth sailing between us, he went and had an emotional aneurysm.
But it wasn’t all his fault. Rorik was confused, and our tumultuous relationship wasn’t helping.
Maybe it was immature of me to run away last night,I thought, feeling a pang of guilt.I wonder who was at the door?
A terrible thought struck me: what if it was Kaskian, picking another fight? He should’ve left by now, but if he stuck around to grief Rorik...
My protective instincts surged, along with a second slash of guilt. If Rorik had gotten injured because I ran away like a coward, I’d never forgive myself.
Energized, I ran towards Gaius. Before I could say anything, he flashed me a dazzling, too-white smile and asked, “Why the long face, my draconic friend?”
“Have you seen Rorik?” I demanded.
“Good morning, Saffron! It’s nice to see you, too. Wonderful weather, isn’t it?”
“I don’t have time for this,” I snapped. “Where’s Rorik?”
Gaius grinned, unbothered as usual. “Oh my. Not even two challenges in, and you’re so smitten that you even sound like him.” Before I plucked off all his feathers, he gestured at the crowd forming beneath the hill crest. “He’s right there, safe and sound. Can’t miss him.”
Relief washed over me when I glimpsed Rorik’s tall head among the contestants. He looked adorably cranky, but unharmed.
My heart swelled. Our argument was suddenly unimportant to me. What mattered was his happiness and safety.
“Sorry for freaking out,” I mumbled to Gaius. “Whatisthe challenge, anyway?”
“Looks like round two of a certain scavenger hunt,” Gaius explained.
I furrowed my brow, then realized what he meant. During Aurum’s season, one of the challenges was to differentiate us by scent. Mylo had no trouble, of course. But would Rorik? He didn’t even know Ihada twin at first. Could he tell Aurum and me apart? And if he couldn’t, wouldn’t that prove we weren’t fated mates?
I chewed the inside of my cheek, frazzled by doubt. Ugh, I’d been so excited for my season of the Dragonfate Games, but it wasn’t what I expected at all. Whose stupid idea was it to host a game show with challenges, anyway?
Oh.
Right.
It was mine.
I clenched my eyes shut, resisting the urge to bash my head into the nearest tree. None of my brothers struggled this badly. By challenge two, most of the pairs had hooked up, or hell, even gottenknockedup. All I’d shared with Rorik was a kiss, a blowjob, and a dumb argument.
What would make Rorik accept my love? I knew he was mine, but he was too guarded to let me in. I had to prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
But how?
Gaius cleared his throat and stepped forward onto the lip of the jagged rock, lifting his arms to summon everyone’s attention.
“Good morning, contestants! Gorgeous day for an outdoor activity, is it not? Your challenge today is… drum roll, please…” He slapped his thighs in a convincing imitation drum roll. “A scavenger hunt!”
The response from the crowd wasn’t pretty. I overheard a random omega mumble, “Didn’t they already do this two seasons ago?”
Another responded, “They must be running out of ideas…”
I could’ve died from secondhand embarrassment. The urge to smack my head against a tree grew stronger until I could barely resist.
