GENTRY

22

"Is that Vieira Manfeld?" Artemis points upwards.

Briar nods, "she's a bit of a loner though. Doesn't like to chat very much."

"I can see Ellie too, and Luis," Artemis says. "Let's go sit with them."

Briar is about to protest, but he heads off. She trails after him.

He sits down next to Vieira, and the group tenses.

"This is Artemis," Briar says, introducing him to the others, her eyes wide and her lips pressed together. She looks for a sign from any of them, an acknowledgement.

Ez's eyes narrow, "Ezekiel Zagury, but Ez is fine."

He reaches a hand out, over Vieira and Evelyn. Artemis takes it.

Ez knows to listen for the things that people don't say. He's read his fair share of murder mysteries, before all of this. Artemis does not offer up his last name. Ez remembers Poppy's is short for Apolline. The name is French, derived from Apollo.

He doesn't know what it means, but he knows it's no coincidence.

The game begins, and Kai runs out on the field. In the blinding light, he doesn't see the others, nor the person who replaced them. Then, the opposing team comes out as well, and they begin the game.

The fans cheer on as Kai runs and passes the ball backwards. They score several times against the opposing team.

In the stands, Luis is whispering about Artemis to Ellie. Something about him feels incessantly familiar. It's something in the colour of his hair, or maybe the slope of his nose. He can't put his finger on it, but an artist knows a face. Luis has studied people and what makes them unique for so many years.

Artemis talks to Briar, Vieira and Evelyn. He discusses Vieira's art, asking her more about her inspiration. When he finds out about Evelyn's display, he asks her about it too. Evelyn gladly tells him all about her materials and her sewing techniques. Briar likes that he gets along with her friends.

Ez is too close to Artemis to whisper, but he looks at Felix. The dark-haired young man burns with heat, despite the icy breeze. Artemis keeps making Evelyn laugh, and though her laugh is beautiful, Felix wants to cause it. Another man is entertaining her, while he is stuck next to Roman and Jetta.

Jetta cheers and jumps up whenever Hawkwood's Silver Hawks get even close to scoring a try or a goal. Jetta doesn't understand the terms, and even Roman knows little, if they bothered speaking to Jetta. Instead, Roman feels cool air, decides that they have never breathed in such sharp air. They miss home. They miss knowing right from wrong. Maybe they will breathe in daggers and their heart shall stop. While Jetta whoops, they plummet.

Kai scores the last try. The Silver Hawks win, but not because of him. Rather, they win with him. The crowd is cheering, and Kai is living for the moment. He leaps in the air, and is practically tackled by his team just as the time runs out. He will remember their last game for years to come. Hopefully.

Since they are high up in the bleachers, it takes a while for them to come down.

Artemis looks over at Briar, "I have to go the bathroom. Meet me under the bleachers after?"

"Of course," Briar says.

Artemis squeezes her hand and runs down.

"He's so dreamy," Evelyn gushes. She loves love like nothing else she has ever known. "You are so lucky."

Vieira may think Artemis is charming, but he is too good for Briar. He is too good to be consorting with murderers. They are killers after all, though Briar doesn't dare say it.