Kingmakers, Year Two

25. Zoe

25

ZOE

A fter several grueling hours, when our palms are hamburger and it feels like all of us are about to have our arms pulled out of our sockets like Dean, the Sophomores finally manage to drag the line of flags into our end zone.

We’re too exhausted to even cheer.

The crowd of watching students and teachers is equally tired of sitting in the blazing sun, and can barely muster a response as Professor Howell hoists Leo’s arm in the air, declaring his team the winners of the Quartum Bellum for the second year in a row.

Leo, at least, retains a little enthusiasm. Sweat-soaked and reeling, he still flashes a bright grin, handing out fist bumps and ba ckslaps to as many teammates as he can reach, while pulling Anna tight against his side with his free arm.

Miles passes me a bottle of miraculously cold water, retrieved from god knows where.

“Can we be friends again, now that we’re no longer mortal enemies?” he grins.

I gulp the water down and pour it over my face in blessed relief.

“I’ll be your best friend forever just for that water,” I promise him.

“I’m gonna hold you to that,” Miles says, sweeping me up in his arms and kissing me, not giving a shit how filthy and sweaty we’ve both become.

I can’t get over the fact that he can kiss me on the field now, not caring who might see us.

His lips burn hot from the sun and exertion. I feel limp and weak in his arms, and not just because I’m exhausted.

“What do I have to do to get you away from all these people?” Miles growls, setting me down gently on the churned-up grass, but not letting go of me.

“I would love to sneak off together,” I tell him. “I should check on Cat, though. That was a nasty cut this morning, I don’t know why the knives are so goddamn sharp at this place?— ”

“I think she’s right over there,” Miles says, nodding his head toward the stands, where the students lethargically descend, joining the crowd heading back toward the castle.

I spot Cat walking with her roommate Rakel. Cat obviously visited Dr. Cross because her left forearm is wrapped in a fresh white bandage, but she still looks pale and shaky.

I jog over to join her, Miles following after me.

“Hey! How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” Cat says, her voice wobbly. “How are you guys? Congratulations, by the way.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?” I ask, brushing the hair back from Cat’s cheek to see her face more clearly. “You look a little?—”

“I told you, I’m fine!” Cat cries, shaking me off.

It’s unlike her to snap at me, but after all, Cat’s grown up a lot this year. I shouldn’t baby her, especially not in front of her roommate. I know Cat wants Rakel to respect her.

And indeed, the two girls look quite friendly as we pass through the stone gates into the school grounds, Rakel saying, “I hope they have lunch ready. You gonna come eat with me, Cat, or will you wait for this lot to take a shower?”

“I need a shower,” Miles agrees, “and I better get in there before all the hot water runs out. ”

“No! You should eat first,” Cat says, abruptly. “We should all stay together.”

“Sure, if you like,” Miles shrugs. “I’m fucking starving.”

“Did you see Dean at the infirmary?” I ask Cat. “Silas Gray almost pulled his arm off.”

“He came in right as I was leaving,” Cat nods. “He?—”

“What’s the hold-up?” Miles says, annoyed with the crowd of students clogging the bottleneck between the Armory and the dining hall.

The students ahead appear to be looking up at something. Sure enough, as we push our way forward, I see a flock of noisy sea birds circling in the air above the north wall. The white birds wheel and caw, diving down to squabble on the rocks below.

“What are they doing?” Miles says.

“Why’s there so many of them?” Rakel asks.

Cat stares up at the birds, silent.

I have the oddest sense of foreboding. Maybe it’s because I watched The Birds with my Abuelita. That strange, sharp call of gulls has had a sinister sound to me ever since.

“Who knows why birds do what they do,” I say.

“There must be something down there,” Miles says .

“Who cares, let’s go eat,” I say, dismissively.

I don’t want to think about that particular cliff, having had too close a view of it myself.

Understanding me at once, Miles takes my hand and turns toward the dining hall, saying, “Hope they have fresh bread.”

“I’m not feeling well,” Cat says, in a small voice.

“All the more reason to eat,” Miles says, taking Cat’s arm as well.

Rakel is still gazing up at the wall.

“Somebody climbed up,” she says.

Irresistibly, I turn back. Someone has indeed scaled the stairs, and now they’re bending over the parapet, peering down. Silhouetted by the sun, I can’t be sure who it is, but by the lanky frame and the uncut hair, I think it might be that Senior Spy—Saul-something.

He shouts down to the students at the base of the wall.

“What’s he saying?” I ask Miles, unable to hear.

“I think . . . I think he said there’s someone down there,” Miles says.

Cat turns and vomits on the grass.