Forged in Frost and Fire (Book 1 in the Chronicles of Kings trilogy)

Chapter Eighteen

"Something bad. Something that would result in you getting injured and feeling like you can't talk about it." My hands stilled on my laces. He really had seen through my shit. I forced my trembling fingers to finish lacing up my boots.

"Of course I'd tell you," I said, finishing up and standing. Him and I were at eye level now. "But there's nothing to tell. I just...I fell down the stairs. You know how clumsy I am." I nudged his elbow with mine and forced a grin on my mouth even though it made my split lip nearly crack again. He eyed the gesture, his thick brows pinching together.

"You can trust me, Eira," he said, placing a hand on my arm. "If someone hurt you-"

"No," I said, taking a step away from him. I can't trust anyone, I wanted to say. "Nobody did. I fell." He opened his mouth to speak, distrust swirling in his eyes. "Now I have to go, excuse me." I turned away from him, leaving him shocked and fumbling for words behind me. I pushed through throngs of initiates all chatting excitedly. I wished I could've taken their happiness, clustered it into a ball, and drop-kicked it into the nearest body of water.

I glanced around for Mason or any of the boys that had attacked me last night, but found none. Foley also wasn't in the barracks, thank the gods. I didn't think I could ever face him again. My stupid heart still ached at how he had wanted to...use me, as if I was nothing more than an object. And everything beyond my heart wanted to send a million ice bullets into his stupid, stupid body.

I trudged through the camp and past workers all preparing for the agility course. It was a big deal here, everyone took the day off of work to watch the proceedings. People could make bets on who they thought would win, something I found rather objectifying...

People eyed me as I walked past, all nudging each other and whispering as they saw my new uniform that meant I'd be facing the agility course today. I felt like a celebrity...and not in a good way. Not with the way some of them were eyeing me almost...hungrily.

I got to the infirmary and banged open the door, not even bothering to knock. I closed the door behind me and walked through the rows of beds on either side of me. There was a woman in one of the beds towards the end, she had bloody wrappings around her arm and was groaning out in her sleep. Muttering about the heat. I wondered what had happened to her.

Glancing around, I quickly sent off a quick breeze of cold air towards her, letting it swirl over her sweating skin. She sighed and her groans quieted. I let out a breath of relief, glad she was feeling a little better, before I walked into Lason's office.

The novice medic was in his chair at his desk, swirling around and around while playing with a pen. He stopped when he saw me, flinching and dropping the pen so that it fell to the ground, ink splattering. "Gods above, Eira, a little warning next time!" he said, bending over to pick up the tool. "Shouldn't you be preparing for the agility course?"

"I am," I said, I walked over and sat myself down on the table he had at the corner of the room, my body weight making the paper on top crinkle. "I need your help."

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Are you hurt?" He finished cleaning up the pen and was now wiping access ink off of his long digits.

"Yeah," I said quietly. Concern flashed in his light brown eyes and I sighed, hanging my head. I wished I could've told him the truth too. Of course...I couldn't. "I fell down the stairs last night trying to get water, my body is bruised and sore and I was wondering if there was anything you could do to help the pain." Might as well keep the lie the same, had to stay consistent.

Lason adjusted the wire spectacles on his nose, rolling up his sleeves as he walked over to me. He pulled out his signature pen and pad and began to jot down notes. "How would you rate your pain?"