Page 24 of Red King
Maggie elbows me. “I can’t wait to see them shift,” she whispers. “I’m so excited.”
“They shouldn’t be doing this. Not now,” I whisper back, finally breaking my stare-off with the king.
“It’ll be fine. The Tributes will be fine. It’ll all be fine. You’ll see.” Maggie grins.
“I hope you’re right.”
“Do you think they’re going to strip down?” Maggie nudges me again; her eyes are wide.
“I don’t know. I hope not.” My cheeks start to heat at the thought. Surely not. That would be…plain wrong.
“Please understand…” Thorn goes on, and I realize I’ve just missed some of what he is saying. I refocus my attention to where it belongs. “You are in control. You can decide who you speak with, who you interact with, and who you end up dating.”
“I don’t want to date a monster,” someone screams.
It’s a little offensive. I get it. I do, but that’s pretty harsh. I glance over at Arctic. He is watching Thorn. His expression is unreadable.
“You will be expected to attend the various events. To meet and talk with the candidates, but that’s where it ends. Should you decide that you want to spend more time with someone, alone time with them, it is up to you. Any intimacy would need to be initiated by you. Sex isnota prerequisite. It is encouraged. You may sleep with as many of the candidates as you choose.”
“That’s disgusting,” Jacki shouts.
“What? Are you kidding?” one of the others yells.
I scrub a hand over my face. A human really needs to vet these little speeches. I don’t think he means to be insulting, but he is. I think they’re just quite straight. They shoot from the hip. No beating around any bushes. In short, they don’t sugarcoat things like we humans do. I like it, but most of the Tributes won’t. Not in their current state of mind.
“I don’t mean to be offensive.” Thorn puts up his hands.
Too late, buddy.
“Well, you are!” Jacki shouts.
“Apologies. I really don’t mean to be. What I’m trying to say is that you’re in charge. Nothing is expected of you.”
“We have to stay for three months,” someone yells.
“That is the only expectation. That you stay and that you take part in the general interactions with the candidates.” He gestures to where the large group of intimidating men is standing. “I think we should start the demonstration,” Thorn quickly adds before anyone can say anything more. He scratches his jaw. There are beads of sweat on his brow.
The candidates move back and start to spread out.
“What is this?” one of the women yells.
“What are you going to do?” I think it’s Jacki.
“They’re shifting,” someone shouts, sounding excited.
“They’re going to show us their dragons.”
“Yes! Shift! Do it!”
“I don’t like it!” I’m pretty sure that was Lauren. The blonde from earlier who couldn’t stop crying. She sounds panicked.
“The candidates are going to shift into their dragon forms,” Thorn shouts over the Tributes. “They will show their beast side. They will prove to you that you are safe. That—”
Thorn keeps talking, but I don’t hear him anymore. I only hear the thundering of my own heart.
Crap!
The men have started to take their clothes off. They’re all wearing leather. I think it might be a uniform of some kind because they’re all in it, but not for long.
