55
I enter the main shared resort dining and relaxation area to find it half-empty.
It’s late afternoon and I’m awake, which is unusual for me, but I’ve been told to move out of the hospital tent and back in with my fellow competitors. Only I have no idea which tent I’m supposed to set up in, and nobody’s bothered to guide me.
Looking around now I’m surprised at how quiet it is.
The sound of the crashing waves nearby is prevalent and soothing, the air-conditioner more so.
It’s hellishly hot outside. I expected, given how cool it is inside, to find the usual gaggle of women talking in small groups, bitching, drinking, laughing, plotting.
But there’s hardly anyone around. Those who are lolling about are talking in subdued tones.
I can’t even hear any of the predictable over-the-top protestations or arguments about who has the biggest connection with the bachelor.
Scanning the room for a familiar face, I head towards where Sona’s sitting by herself, sipping a glass of gin and silently watching the others.
“Sona, where is everyone?”
“Oh, you’re back. How are you feeling?”
“Better, although I’m tired. I need to rest but I don’t know where our tent is.”
“Yeah, we’re all resting because there was the trial last night, and another tonight.”
“Oh, God. Tell me I’m not on the list for tonight.”
“You are. We all are.”
“What? Not another cocktail party?”
“No. I don’t think so, although that would be better than last night’s challenge. I wasn’t on it, but Valérie said it was horrendous.”
“What happened? Who won?”
“It was some kind of ocean challenge, swimming, diving, then hunting or something. Valérie said she had an immediate advantage because of her hobbies. The twins tried to target her at one point, but she managed to evade them. The Romanian, Dana, wasn’t so lucky.
Valérie won, although you’ll have to ask her the details.
The Cuban, Alondra, came last and was eliminated by the bachelor. ”
I shudder knowing that it was actually Clyde Starlen who would have bitten the Cuban to death. At least the Romanian didn’t suffer that fate.
“Dana? That’s a shame. And strange, I had a feeling the twins were relying or aligned with her in some way. She’s a member of MENSA, or was.”
“Yes she was smart. Strategic, too,” Sona shrugs, “but I guess the twins just went for the weakest link. And Evelyn joined in too, from what Valérie said, although I don’t know if that’s true.”
‘So, Evelyn’s secret alliance with the twins is not so secret now. Interesting.’
“I would have said that Valérie was the easiest target too, if I didn’t know she was a deep-sea diver,” I muse. “If there are only twelve of us now I’m not surprised we’re all going on the next trial. What are our instructions for tonight?”
“We were just sent a letter telling us to ‘do what we need to do to find our prince,’ whatever that might mean.
“Kissing frogs,” Valérie laughs as she passes through the room in her bikini. “Thorun said the pool was the most likely place to find some, although I think it’s too hot for frogs. And before you say it, I’ve heard all the French frog jokes, so don’t bother,” she adds over her shoulder.
I shake my head.
I have no intention of swimming, frogs or no.
I can’t due to my stitches anyway, but also, the swimwear we’d been given was, again, uncomfortably revealing.
Bed and air conditioning are my plan this afternoon, especially if we have a challenge tonight.
I just hope it isn’t anything like the last one.
It’s going to be at least a few more days, possibly a week, before I can bend and stretch properly — and I definitely shouldn’t be in the sea.
Sighing, I plop down onto the couch opposite Sona, one hand in my pocket ensuring the scalpel I’d purloined doesn’t accidentally stab me.
“Can you show me where our tent is?”
“Yes,” she smiles, “but I don’t really want to go out yet. Can you wait?”
“No,” I scowl.
“Maybe Thorun can show you; she’s outside.”
“Sure. Thanks for all your help, Sona,” I add sarcastically.
“You’re welcome.”
“On second thought, you might not want to spend too much time with Thorun,” she adds as I gather myself ready to rise.
“What? Why?”
“Her date, her one-on-one. A few of the girls are thinking that the Viscount might be smitten by her naivety. In the past few days, with you out of the picture she’s become enemy number one.”
“Ridiculous,” I sigh, watching her sip her gin and wishing I could drink, but acknowledging that the antibiotics prescription won’t be complete for another week. “He’s too smart for that. I mean, I get it’s amusing being around her sometimes, but I think he needs someone a little harder.”
“Like you?” She asks, her tone sharper than I’ve heard before.
I shrug. “There are any number of women who know more than Thorun and would fit into his world better.”
We both look up as Valérie runs back into the room, her body slick with tanning oil, eyes wide.
“Cat!” She screams.
“Don’t fucking call me that,” I mutter, not bothering to become flustered at her dramatic entrance given that everything she does is dramatic.
“You have to come. You have to come quickly.”
“Where and why?” I sigh heavily.
“Outside. Evelyn’s killing Thorun.”
I shoot a hard look at Sona, who doesn’t seem surprised, and rise to follow the French woman as she grabs me by the arm and pulls me outdoors.