Chapter 22
FRANKIE
I t’s done. The challenge has been reversed and I’m surprised at how heavy my heart is right now. It wasn’t an easy decision but a necessary one and the fact Cassie hates me is a lot to process.
I have broken us.
It was always going to happen because I have thought long and hard about this and always came to the same conclusion.
I will deal with her hatred, her anger and her disdain because it’s a necessary evil to bring the truth to light.
I watch Kennedy and Amos take our places, and as they kneel before Santi, their fingers remain firmly clasped.
He repeats the same words and I’m amused when they both decide to stick.
The fact Kennedy hated Amos and regretted even entering the challenge shows me that I was right to resurrect it.
Kennedy always did judge people on face value and would never have given Amos a second glance, but he revealed a side to him that she loved and I’m happy for them.
As they join us against the wall, her venomous glare is directed firmly at me, and then she switches it up and stands beside Cassie, resting a comforting hand on her arm. They will all hate me - I’m expecting that and with a deep sigh, I watch Autumn and River replace them at the altar.
I don’t miss the hand River places on Autumn’s back, almost a warning not to step out of line. Along with most of the chamber, I hold my breath as Santi—ever the drama queen—turns to River for his decision first.
“I decide to stick.” He says gruffly, and I note the increased pressure on Autumn’s back as Santi turns to her. She appears nervous, her tongue finding her lower lip several times before she falters as he asks her the question.
“I–” She takes a deep breath and frantically glances at Kennedy, who nods solemnly. River pats her back reassuringly, urging her to stick and with a husky whisper she says softly, “I decide to twist.”
“What the fuck!”
River turns and glares at her and reaches out, grabbing her wrist in a show of dominance that will not be tolerated in the chamber.
“Fuck, Autumn, what are you thinking? Are you fucking delirious?”
Luca and Jesse step forward and pull an angry River away from a cowering Autumn, who flinches as River’s hand poises close to her face. Kennedy runs forward and grabs her friend’s hand and pulls her to safety between her and Amos.
River yells, “You fucking whore! I should have known.”
Before he can say anything else, I step away from the wall and hiss, “Take him to the cells to cool down.”
“Fuck you, Frankie. I’m going nowhere until that bitch tells me what she’s thinking of.”
Luca whispers something in his ear and I’m kind of surprised when River nods, hanging his head and allowing the two centurion guards to lead him meekly away. He doesn’t even look back and I stare after them in surprise as I wonder what Luca said to cause such an immediate transformation.
Autumn is sobbing into her hands as Kennedy attempts to comfort her and Cassie pushes away her own problems and attempts to do the same, pulling her into her arms and murmuring words of encouragement.
The final couple of our challenge takes to their knees and I don’t miss the hatred flaring from Jack’s eyes as he cuts me dead with one angry glare. I resume my position, my attention now firmly focused on him because this will be an interesting question to answer.
Santi yells, “Silence!”
We all fall back against the wall as Luca and Jesse head back into the chamber and take their positions at the back of the room.
As Jack and Siri kneel, Cassie tenses beside me and can’t tear her eyes away from the scene. It’s as if she is frozen to the spot and I wait with curiosity because the game has now changed and I wonder if that will affect Jack’s decision.
Santi repeats his words and Siri’s voice wobbles a little as she whispers, “I choose to stick.”
She doesn’t sound confident and I’m not surprised because Jack now has a choice that he didn’t have the last time.
Twist and be free to hook up with his bestie.
I am still convinced they haven’t resolved their attraction to one another.
Or do the honorable thing and stick with my cousin, because Jack is the good guy and I’d be surprised if he backs down from his word.
He isn’t happy. It’s obvious from the defeated slant to his shoulders and his concerned glance at Cassie. She is rigid beside me, almost hanging off his words as he nods and turns to Siri, a flicker of doubt crossing his expression.
Santi asks him for his decision and Jack says loudly, “My decision is–” Once again, he turns to Cassie and then turns back and stares hard at Santi as he delivers his decision.
‘To stick.”
I can breathe again.
I wasn’t aware I was holding my breath, but it’s as if I watched the entire delivery from far away.
It may be my imagination but Cassie relaxes beside me and as Santi declares the ceremony over and instructs us to leave, I note Cassie moves at speed toward the door, creating distance between us as I knew she would.
It cuts me deep knowing I can’t go after her to explain my decision and bring her around to my way of thinking – but I can’t.
Business comes first and this night will be a long one as the rest of the challengers from every Claiming ceremony that took place here last semester, make their decisions known.
I walk out of the chamber alone. As I pass the cells, I notice River hunched on the floor, his head down and his face masked by the shadows. I will come back to him later. There is one person I must speak to first before I deal with the problem that goes by the name of River Callahan.
I step outside as the next set of challengers line up, ready to declare their fate in front of the place that determined it.
I don’t miss the sneers on the faces of the girls waiting. It’s obvious news travels fast around here and not one student will understand why I decided to twist. Outwardly, we are the perfect couple. Rockwell royalty if you like.
As the small group move inside, Ali whispers, “I wouldn’t want to be walking in your shoes for the next few days.”
“I can deal. It’s all good.”
He chuckles softly. “Tell that to Cassie. She tore out of here like a cyclone.”
“Where did she go?”
He points in the direction of the lake and I whisper, “Thanks.”
As I make to follow her, I turn and ask, “What about the others?”
When I say that, I mean only one person, and Ali’s conniving smile tells me he knows exactly who I mean.
He shakes his head. “They all went back to the house as arranged. She took off alone.”
I say nothing and head into the darkness, conscious I have a couple of hours at best before I must head back to deal with River.
As I walk, I consider what I’m about to find because Cassie will be pissed and I don’t blame her.
I made out I would stick. I was never going to. I told her she had better have no other answer than stick and she upheld her end of the deal. The trouble is, I never made the deal in the first place and she is about to discover why and it may not go well—for me.