Chapter 7

Cassia

Cassia laid in bed, dagger in hand like a lucky token, and she spun it around in her fingers, her eyes on the gleaming metal and the dark hilt. Astra was still reading a romance book. Even though Cassia had yelled at her and told her Romance like that doesn't exist, Astra had waved her off and told Cassia to stop being so cynical at eighteen.

Cassia jolted when someone rapped against the cabin door. Astra frowned and sprung up, and went to the door and opened it, and Cassia frowned when she bowed towards whoever was there. And when she stepped back and her father came in, Cassia's jaw dropped.

"Father?" Cassia jumped out of bed and made her way towards him. "You're here! I didn't expect to see you so soon."

Cassia halted in front of him and they gazed at each other awkwardly before her father held out a hand to shake hers. They were never affectionate with each other - Cassia couldn't remember a time they embraced, so she awkwardly took his hand in hers and shook it.

"Nice to see you," her father said. "I just came here to check up on you. How have you been?"

"Good. This camp isn't as dreary as I expected."

Some parts were horrible, but Cassia didn't mind the camp for the most part. As long as she focused on the contests and beating Hunter, she had a purpose, which was something she lacked before Camp Trillion.

"Are you learning to be obedient?" her father asked.

Her eyes narrowed. Her father wore a serious expression, his eyes probing, and Cassia glared at him.

"You know I won't change," Cassia said. "There's no point in trying to change me because I never will."

Her father sighed heavily. His gold crown glimmered as he touched it - as if to remind himself that his delinquent daughter would one day be Queen.

"Why must you be so difficult all the time?" her father asked.

Astra strolled away and Cassia's heart sunk. It anchored her to her spot and she could feel herself sinking. Into oblivion, into a darkness that constantly loomed over her, threatening to take her down. She tried her best to stay afloat and she grasped for something to say to save her.

"Did you know we have a competition at this camp?" Cassia asked.

"Competition?"

"It's one where there are a bunch of events and we earn scores for whatever place we get in each contest. And by the end of camp, the one with the most points wins a grand prize."

Her father's eyes sparked with interest. A small smile tugged at his lips and Cassia beamed. Because for once, her father didn't look revolted by her.

"Interesting," her father said. "What a clever way to encourage campers to work hard."

"Right! We have a contest today actually. And it would mean a lot if you came."

Her father smiled. The corner of his eyes crinkled, exposing the genuineness of his smile.

"Of course," her father said. "I would love to root you on."

Cassia grinned. For once, joy blossomed within her heart, blooming to fill her soul with merriment.

*****

Cassia and Astra stood on the field within the white borders set up for the contestants to stay within. Logs surrounded the borders and campers dressed in light armour either sat down on them or stood around, and Cassia's heart hammered against her chest. It was a free for all competition. All of them were to fight until one of them remained within the white lines Dawson had painted along the ground. Cassia had never experienced such a duel.

Her eyes sailed to her father who sat on a log, his eyes examining his subjects who would shoot him looks of curiosity. Cassia's heart jerked at the sight of him. He stayed. Because she asked, he stayed and she had to impress him.

Cassia took in her setting, thinking about how no one stood a chance against her. After the tournament, she was sure she could beat most of them.

Everyone, but Hunter.

Her eyes darted to him and he was with Liana and Chase, who were laughing and shoving each other, their eyes lit with joy. Hunter was smiling and shaking his head, holding his sword by his hips, and Cassia's heart sunk.

She lost twice to Hunter. And she feared, she would lose again.

Cassia shook her head. She could do this. She had to beat Hunter for her father to think she was worthy.

Soon, Dawson finished setting up the borders - which was merely a white line across the ground to enclose the space in a circle, and he straightened up and his voice bellowed out to silence them. They all stopped speaking and their eyes drifted to where Dawson eyed them all.

"Hello everyone," Dawson said. "Today is the day of the free for all, which means everyone will be within the borders duelling against each other until one of you remain. And like the tournament, no one can draw blood. Disarm and knock people out of the borders to make them lose, but no wounds can be inflicted. Understood?"

They nodded. Cassia's sword shimmered in the sunlight, reflecting iridescent lights across the grass.

"Well, come on up then," Dawson said.

They went towards the area that was circled with a line of white to indicate where they must remain. They all settled in the vast field, some people far away and others close by, and Cassia stood with Astra, who was holding the hilt of the sword in her belt.

"There is no time limit," Dawson said, leaving the enclosed spaced. "So keep fighting until one of you remain."

They nodded and Cassia's heart pounded, drumming in her ears in a rhythm she would fight to - like a dance where her and her blade would be a formidable pair. She glanced around, noticing that Hunter and his friends were on the other side of the closing.

"Ready?" Dawson said. "Begin!"

Cassia burst forward and shoved Astra out of the clearing. Astra cursed at her and Cassia bowed towards Astra before whirling around and knocking into another camper, who she sent stumbling out of bounds.

This was too easy.

Cassia kept throwing herself at other campers. Their blades would collide and Cassia was a blur of blades and motion, and she would corner them into the edge of the field before knocking them out.

She was thriving as her blade struck against other blades. As people bounded at her and she parried away, she laughed and threw her head back, a smile plastered on her face as she took down camper after camper, either disarming them or shoving them out of bounds.

It was too easy.

One by one, contestants kept either being disarmed or shoved out of bounds, and the number of people in the enclosed space dwindled. Hunter was on the other side with his friends, who were fighting alongside him like a band of warriors.

She would deal with them last.

Cassia ducked as Locke appeared out of nowhere and swung his sword at her. She raised her blade and plunged it forward, and Locked yelped as he hopped back, nearing the edge of the clearing. She smirked as she struck forward again and Locke staggered out of bounds.

He scowled at her and picked himself up, and Cassia spun around to deal with her next foe - Chase.

She never fought Chase - he lost before she had the chance to at the tournament, but he was a lot bigger than her - even bigger than Hunter, who already towered over her. He had broad shoulders and a tall figure, and he slammed his blade down and she dropped to the ground to miss it, and she rolled away before he could kick her.

She scowled. Kicking was foul play.

"I'm not surprised to see you stooping to dirty tricks," Cassia spat.

Chase's eyes darkened and Cassia gasped as a sword whacked her back, slamming against her armour and she tumbled forward. She wheeled around and both Liana and Chase were advancing on her, pushing her closer and closer to the edge.

"You two must have known the only way you could win is to have two against one," Cassia said, smirking.

Liana snickered and lunged forward, and Cassia ducked below her sword, but not before Chase shoved her. She stumbled back and gasped, her feet nearly stepping out of bounds, and she vaulted forward and tackled Liana, who shouldered her away.

She was about to lose.

But then, Hunter appeared before her, towering above Liana and he knocked Chase's sword away before it hit Cassia. He was trembling and Cassia caught herself before she fell.

"Hunter!" Liana screamed. "We were about to beat Cassia."

Hunter scowled and Chase stormed out of the field, and Liana lunged at Hunter. He parried her blow, but with an expression of unease - as if he didn't want to fight against his friend, and Cassia slammed her blade against Liana's and she stumbled back.

Cassia unleashed a fury of blows. She struck again and again, furious about the way they tagged up on her and made her nearly lose, and she struck and struck, uncaring about the fear on Liana's face.

And soon, Liana tumbled out of bounds and Cassia whirled around.

She was breathing heavily and her eyes scanned the area, and she froze. It was just Hunter and her left. Everyone else had lost.

Hunter observed her, his eyes unreadable and Cassia gulped. She glanced at her father who was watching her intently, his eyes studious.

"Just us again," Hunter said.

Cassia scowled and threw herself forward, slamming her sword down and Hunter's blade collided with hers. He moved too fast. He did it so calmly and that made her all the more mad.

Cassia spun around, so she was away from the closing and she lunged forward and ducked beneath his sword, and tried to strike her sword against his side, but Hunter leapt away. His eyes were locked on hers, calculating her in a way that unnerved her.

She struck forward again and Hunter slammed his blade against hers and their blades rang out, and a cheer erupted from the crowd. Cassia snarled and jumped away, but then whirled to face him. But, she gasped as Hunter popped forward, bringing his face so close to hers she stumbled back.

She glowered. She hated when Hunter pulled tricks like that.

"Stop doing that!" she roared.

She dived forward and Hunter parried her blow again. And this time, with the hilt of his sword, he shoved her back and Cassia went tumbling. He loomed over her, his face a blank slate; his eyes devoid of emotions.

She gazed up at him, feeling helpless as Hunter slammed his sword against hers, sending her staggering back. She was wheeling backwards, out of balance now, and finally she fell out of bounds.

Cassia tumbled to the ground, falling to her knees and she gaped up at Hunter who stood there in the closing. His eyes were lowered to hers and he was still expressionless, and Cassia sat there, feeling her heart shatter as the crowd erupted with applause.

They screamed Hunter's name and Cassia's eyes shot to where her father was, and her heart shattered when he rose to leave, his eyes never meeting hers again. A flood of tears filled her eyes and her bottom lip quivered.

And she hated that feeling. She hated the way her father had ahold of her emotions.

She hated being weak.

Cassia sprung up and snarled at Hunter, who was still there, his eyes fastened on hers. She stalked towards him until they were merely inches apart. Her eyes were livid with an inferno of anger as she peered up at him.

"I hate you," Cassia spat. "I wish you didn't exist."

Hunter said nothing. He just viewed her as he had since the free for all began and it hurt all the more. So whirling around, Cassia stormed off, but not before tears began flood her eyes.

Weak. That was she was.