Chapter 2 #3
Maybe, unless Lolita compensated for her size by being more cunning than the others.
When Rune and Stone played wolfish games that meant they had to use their strength, she sometimes beat him with feints, like playing tug-of-war with a vine.
She would wait for him to get a better grip on the vine.
She could sense the tension ease up, and she would yank as hard as she could, causing him to lose the vine to her.
So she knew it could be done. And she already didn’t like Maeve. No one told her she would lose when she hadn’t even seen Rune take on any challenges yet. Just like she had no idea how well Maeve would do.
“Did they mix up the pack members with the other pack for room assignments?” Rune asked, wondering if they would have as much friction as she was having with Maeve. She hoped so.
“How would I know that? I got stuck with you because I was a fifth wheel, but the others might have been separated too.”
“So I might be a better roommate than you having to share the room with one of your enemies.” But Rune figured Maeve didn’t see it that way. As far as Maeve was concerned, Rune was just as much an enemy because she was an unknown.
Maeve scoffed. “Like you would ever have been my choice.”
Rune smiled. On her bed was a sword with a silver blade and a dark golden handle with light gold stars embedded in the hilt. She picked it up and admired its beauty.
“Anyone who participates in the games gets a sword or other weapon of their choice. Mine were the throwing stars.” Maeve motioned to her throwing stars on her bedside table. “You must have asked for a sword.”
“I didn’t. I didn’t have any idea that I was going to be here or where here was.”
Maeve frowned at her. “Then how did you get a sword?”
Rune shrugged, put on the sword belt that came with it, and sheathed her sword.
It was just beautiful. Then she left the room, and the Room Coordinator ran into her and led her to an office that was furnished with two couches and a desk.
“This is your advisor, Ondine. She’ll explain all about your sponsorship. ” Then the Room Coordinator left.
“As Bernice said, I’m Ondine. Come in, sit down. I was asked to be your advisor, Rune.”
“Who asked that of you?”
“Star Gazer. She said you’re a special case, a lone wolf, and she wanted someone who understood fae who are unique.”
“A lone wolf.”
“In your case, yes. Though we’ve never had a lone wolf at the games before, so this is new to all of us.”
“So you really don’t understand how I’m unique.”
A pretty, middle-aged, golden-haired fae, much taller than Rune, Ondine smiled. Her eyes were golden, glittering in the light in the room like crystal gems, and Rune wondered what kind of fae she was.
“I don’t know everything about how you are unique, but some things, yes.
I’m not a wolf, but a dragon shifter fae.
When the dragon fae king, who was not a shifter, had many of our families killed, I lived alone for several years.
Granted, I won’t know all that you went through, but I’ve been through something similar. ”
Rune’s jaw dropped and she wanted to apologize. “I’m sorry that happened to you. At least you knew them before they were murdered. I never knew my family.”
“You were dead when Star Gazer brought you back to life and nursed you until you could take care of yourself.”
Rune closed her gaping mouth. “The goddess?”
“Yes. You would have gone to the great beyond otherwise.”
She couldn’t have been more shocked to learn the news. “What about Stone?” Had he had a similar situation?
“The same, only he was from a different pack, and Moon Gazer saved his life.”
Rune just stared at Ondine. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Not from the wolf packs that are represented here, right?” That would be bizarre if they competed against brothers and sisters they didn’t know they had.
And if Stone and she were from warring wolf packs.
Then again, if the wolves were related and doing individual challenges, they would be competing against each other.
“Uh, yes. Other wolf packs exist in other parts of our world, but these two are the only ones at war. Though they’ve had a ceasefire during the games. They said they would accept whatever decision was made as to who would lead the packs after this.”
Rune shook her head.
“I want to explain to you about changelings.”
“A what?”
“It’s when a fae steals an unattended human baby and takes it to our fae world. The person who does this becomes responsible for raising the fae and turning it into a changeling.”
Rune raised her brows. That was something she would never do.
“As to sponsorships, different fae kingdoms will have individuals or royals who will come forth to support their choices to win the challenges, though this isn’t a given. Word will be sent to each of the kingdoms as to who wins which challenges and how.”
“What do sponsorships entail?”
“You’ll receive gifts that you might need in the challenges.
Some are small, some are big, but it just depends on who ends up sponsoring you.
Some participants never have any sponsorships.
But if you falter—they will drop you like will-o’-the-wisps fading off into the darkness.
They have riches galore, but no tolerance for losing. ”
“I don’t need them.”
“You do.”
Rune figured she wouldn’t have a sponsor. She wasn’t playing for the audience; she was doing what she needed to do so she could return to her glen.