Page 119 of A Whisper of Cinders

We all stand and shout, applauding even though he probably can’t hear it. Yet, he searches the tribune until his eyes land on where we sit, and he winks. I bite my lip, trying to contain my smile, but fail miserably.

For how I see it, most of the game is like regular football with an occasionally magical diversion when needed. Conláed launches into the air from where he is standing, passing the ball to Enver, who catches it with ease before he runs to the goal and scores.

The other team scores once too, right before a signal calls the break. Although the temperature is indeed pretty constant and pleasantly warm, the sky is changing. The clouds turn from their normal grey to a near black colour.

“A storm is coming,” I state. Siri hears me and looks up to the sky as well.

“I think you’re right, though it does not feel like a regular snowstorm.”

The same uneasy feeling stirs inside me, but we should be fine here, right?

“No need to worry,” Ami reassures. “We’re safe and protected by the dome that Mrs Delalune created.”

“Is she here?”

“Of course, she never misses a game.” Ami turns to me. “Do you want to go down?”

“Go down?” I ask, Ami pointing to where her brother stands. “Is that allowed?”

“It’s not like they are going to send us away if it isn’t. I’m his sister, it’s totally fine.”

A lot of fans — mostly female — lean over the railing to be able to talk to the players. Games like this make the social barrier thinner and make it easier to talk to someone you wouldn’t normally talk to.

But as soon as Aramis sees us, he walks to the side and pulls himself up on the balustrade, balancing on one of his shadow discs so he can meet us. “Hey gorgeous, are you enjoying the game?”

“You’ve played better before, brother, I must say, but I am enjoying myself, thank you for asking.”

“I wasn’t talking to you, dork.”

“Huh, I was completely unaware of that.”

I grin, loving the dynamic between the two of them. “I do. You’re all very fast. Sometimes I can’t even see the ball.”

Arlo joins us, clapping Aramis on his back. “You haven’t seen this one at top speed yet, Mai. No one can beat him.”

“Oh, but I think she does, she has already rid —”

My face burns and I slam my hand across her mouth, pulling her away from the railing.

“We should head back, good luck in the second half.”

I pull her along and remove my hand as soon as we’re in a safe zone. Tears roll down Ami’s cheeks from laughing so hard. “Come on babes, don’t be so prudish. We all know Aramis can shift into an animal, how you’ve ridden him is of none importance.”

“Amira, please!” I beg her, pulling my shoulders high so I can hide between them.

She opens her mouth to say something that will probably only deepen my embarrassment, when the signal sounds that the game will begin again.

The players get a little more competitive as the game proceeds. Random obstacles appear. Conláed nearly sets another player on fire because he was playing dirty, which earns him a card.

“Earning three cards can disqualify a player. Although Conláed is the captain, he can be a real dick on the field. Besides it as well, but even more so out there. But playing fair is his number one priority. If someone on the other team doesn’t share that opinion, he changes his priorities.”

I search for him on the field, and as soon as I do, something shifts, an uneasy feeling settles inside of my stomach. A rumbling sound in the sky draws my attention, but since no one else looks up, I must have imagined it.

Yet there is this urge inside me to get up and walk towards Conláed. He has my full attention, even when he doesn’t have the ball. I think they score again. My eyes keep going back to him. He somehow notices, finding my gaze and tilting his head to the side only for a split second as if to say ‘what’s up?’, before the ball is passed to him. He nearly misses it because of me, and he draws his attention back to the game.

Something’s wrong, but I can’t put my finger on it. The sky grows even darker and goosebumps erupt on the back of my neck.

Screw it. When your instinct tells you to act, you should listen.