♘ Be Brave ♘

XCIII

The next day, I wake up with a pounding headache, and I feel like I'm going to throw up. Try as I might, I still can't get used to the hangovers that always seem to follow my alcohol binges. I head to the bathroom and dump water on my face, which seems to lessen the effect of my headache. I get dressed quickly afterward, feeling hungrier than ever.

As soon as I enter the Pit, almost everyone stops talking and turns to look at me. When I make eye contact, they look away, but I know what they're thinking. The leader's son. Better not mess with him.

I roll my eyes and go stand in line to get some food. Once my tray is laden with it, I walk back to one of the few empty tables. Lauren and Zeke motion for me to join them, but I ignore them and opt to sit alone. Both of them follow me to my table and take a seat beside me. "Good to see you, too," Lauren says.

"Sorry, I just thought you guys wouldn't want me near you either." Zeke smirks. "Are you crazy? The alcohol from last night must've killed your brain cells. Why wouldn't we want you to sit with us?" I shrug. "People seem to be avoiding me all of a sudden." Zeke bites into his toast. "Let them. They're just a bunch of pansycakes. But you'll always have us."

I smile. They're right.... What the others think shouldn't matter. We keep eating, and thankfully avoid talking any more about my newfound "status." After finishing our breakfast, we head to the training room, and Matthew comes in minutes later.

Unsurprisingly, everyone avoids looking directly at either of us. Matthew walks to the center of the room, and after a moment of total silence, starts talking. "I suspect all of you were present at my... interrogation yesterday."

A few initiates mumble, "yes, sir," and Matthew nods. "Everything I said there was true. Yes, I killed Robin. Yes, it was in self-defense. And yes, Four is my son." The others start talking, but Matthew holds up a hand to silence them.

"However, I am here to let you know that this discovery will not in any way alter Four's evaluation. His ranking was and always will be based solely on his knowledge and-" Someone behind me snickers, and Matthew frowns. "Pray tell, Eric, what's so funny? We'd all love to laugh with you instead of at you for once." I turn in time to see Eric turning beet red, and can't help but smirk.

"Nothing." Matthew raises an eyebrow. "What was that?" Eric looks away. "Nothing!" I can see Matthew is struggling not to laugh. "Nothing, what?"

Eric appears so angry it's almost hilarious. "Nothing, sir." Matthew nods. "Good. As I was saying, the rules will not change simply because one of the initiates is my son. Four's performance will be taken into consideration along with yours, and he will receive no special treatment. Is that understood?"

Everyone concurs. "Very well. It's fear landscape day today, so follow me."