The Column Racer (20 page)

Talon finished piling his belongings into a leather bag, making sure to compartmentalize everything. The smoked foods in one section, clean dry clothes in another. He slung his quiver of arrows over his back and flexed his hands. Testing them. Making sure they’re ready to kill if they had to. He placed his sword back into its sheath. He had sharpened it the night before. He had sharpened it every night. It was the only way for him to distract his thoughts from the one he loved. The one he cared for deeply. He wondered about her every day.

He was grateful for the variety of exercises that Mr. Roberts had given him, or he was sure he would have gone mad laying in that bed the entire day. He buckled his belt around his waist and grabbed three bags from beneath the bed, leaving the rest there. It was the sorting competition for Oroin Hall, as it was for every column racing hall except for Abhi. It was also the first time that the new inhabitants of the home would all be gone, as well as most of the servants and guards. He walked over to the ladder and pulled the cord.

“You take care of yourself, Talon,” said Areli’s previous maid, as he finished pushing the dresser back over the secret room, “and promise me you’ll find her.”

“I promise,” said Talon with a wry smile, “but I can’t promise you how she’ll take the news.”

“Just promise to tell her,” said the maid, “leave the rest up to her. As long as she knows, then you have done as much as you can do until she gives you a response.”

“I will take your advice.”

“You know,” said the maid, “it would have been a whole lot easier if you would have told her from the beginning.”

“I didn’t know then,” said Talon, “I know now. I was a fool to listen to my head instead of my heart.”

“You men!” said the maid, “you’re exhausting, truly exhausting! You know that, don’t you?”

“I only hope I’m not too late.”

“Just get to her as soon as you can,” said the maid, “and may the stars watch over you on your way.” Talon nodded his head. “Oh, give me a hug before you go.” Talon walked over to her and hugged her, thanking her for her kindness and generosity. He then slipped two bags of coins into her hands. “What’s this for?”

“For you hospitality.”

“I can’t accept this,” said the maid, “families are in need of these!”

“I need to get back,” said Talon, “I can’t carry them with me. Once I scale those walls, I’m going to need to make it off the private lands before the sorting competitions are over. The battle dragons will be making their rounds then. And carrying those bags would make travel difficult. Besides, I won’t have time to drop off any more. Take them. Hand out bags to each of the servants. Hand them out to families that you know of that are desperate. And retire. You know, try to get away from all this.”

“But this is my life.”

“Now, you have the money to decide what kind of life you want for yourself. Take it. I won’t accept it back.” With that Talon walked through the drawing room and headed towards the foyer.

“Talon!” said the maid, “Degendhard. Will you see him in Abhi?” Talon looked at her. Gave a quick look around, and then gave a slight nod of his head.

“Tell him thank you,” said the maid, “tell him we believe in what he’s done, what he’s doing. And we’re behind him all the way. It’s about time the Emperor had his ass kicked for a change.” Talon gave a laugh, and then nodded his head again.

“I’ll be sure and tell him.” He turned to walk into the foyer, pausing to look behind. The maid had followed and was leaning against the doorway into the drawing room. He thanked her one last time . . . and then he was gone.

The day following the dinner was a day of no school and just practice, a day in which sorting competitions were happening in every column racing community, except for Abhi. Areli was only focused on finding Fides. Areli looked at her from the entrance of her locker. Fides gave her a knowing smile and a nod of the head that said
you’re welcome.
But for Areli . . . she didn’t know if she was thankful or regretful for what had happened the other night.

When she looked over at Fides, she seemed happy. Areli wondered if she knew about the kiss. Areli wondered if Fides thought the dinner was something Areli actually wanted. During the morning meeting, Areli whispered to Fides, “we really need to talk.”

“What’s wrong, Areli? I thought you would have been . . . well – happy . . . about . . . you know.”

“I just need to talk to you, okay. Later?”

“Did something happen, Areli?” asked Fides concerned.

“No . . . nothing bad. I just really need to talk to you after practice.” Fides grabbed her hand, looked around her, and then told Areli they would talk after practice and she expected to hear everything that happened – and that she had some news of her own. Fides didn’t tell Areli any more than that, and she continued to give Areli concerned glances through the morning meeting.

That day was one of the worst practices of Areli’s life. She felt like everything was falling apart, and the criticism from Aubrie poured on her like a heavy rain. Areli told her all about the evening before. Even though Aubrie clung to every word, she didn’t allow it to be an excuse to perform so poorly during private instruction.

“You need to center you mind, Areli,” pleaded Aubrie, “once you’re in the arena . . . you’re in the arena. Don’t let the outside world distract from what you need to accomplish here. Not every day in your life is going to be perfect. But
when
you’re here. When you’re training. Perfection isn’t just important. It’s everything.”

After practice, Fides was waiting for Areli outside her house. Areli ran to her and hugged her as if they hadn’t seen each other for years.

“I take it that it didn’t go well,” said Fides, “tell me about it.”

“Not here . . . in my room.”

“Okay, but
tell me everything.
Don’t leave anything out.”

“Same goes for your news,” said Areli, to which Fides answered with a nod. The two girls quickly greeted Areli’s mother and Aria, making sure to hug her mother just before sprinting up the steps.

Areli fell onto her bed, exhausted and emotionally drained. Then she told Fides everything. Fides kept her eyes on Areli, grimacing at some parts, cringing at others.

“I
so
sorry, Areli,” said Fides, “I didn’t know. I mean I knew. I just thought . . . I was just trying to help. It’s just that . . . people can’t just come to Abhi. You are only allowed in at the Emperor’s request. I just thought Yats could maybe . . . Well, maybe Yats could help you get over Oroin boy.”

“I know,” said Areli, “and I thank you. I know you meant well. It’s just . . . I know I need to give Yats a chance. I know I will never see Oroin boy . . . ever again. But it’s hard, you know. Trying to get over someone you love.”

“He was someone
you
loved, Areli,” said Fides, “but he wasn’t someone that loved you. Don’t you want to be with someone who loves you back? Who loves you just as much as you love him?”

“Of course!” said Areli, “I mean . . . yes. I know I’m being a baby about it. It’s just . . . It’s just scary.”

“And racing dragons at enormous speeds isn’t.”

“No,” said Areli, “it’s exhilarating.”

“Exactly,” said Fides, “and that’s what love can do, Areli. Yes, it can be scary. But it can also be great. You just have to let it. Please, Areli. For me. Will you please give Yats a chance?”

“Okay,” said Areli, “I will. I will give him an honest chance. I swear to you, I’ll give him that.”

“Promise?”

“I promise, Fides.” Fides placed a hand over Areli’s, and the two laid there in silence for a moment. “Now, what about you? You said you had news.” Fides started to blush and looked down at the comforter on Areli’s bed, her hand touching one of the many dragons.

“I don’t know where to begin, actually,” said Fides.

“At the beginning of course!” Fides smile matched Areli’s, who was now starting to get comfortable with the idea of being with Yats. What did she have to lose?

“Well,” said Fides, “after practice yesterday, I thought to confront Amer.” Areli’s eyes were the size of grapefruits and her mouth fell open as if it weighed a million tons. She had tried this before. With Talon. The results
were not
good. She couldn’t even get out the words to prompt her friend to continue.

“I had to know,” said Fides, keeping a straight face, “I had to know what happened between us.”

“And?” That was the only word Areli’s mouth could materialize, because the rest of her was on edge in anticipation to the answer to that one word. She hoped it had a better resolve than the one that transpired between her and Talon.
It must have
, thought Areli, thinking at how happy Fides was this morning when she saw her.

“I went to the roping community,” said Fides, “and his mother agreed to let me in. She was so happy to see me. She sat with me in the living room as we awaited his arrival. I haven’t heard his voice for so long. My heart felt like it was inches from bursting, Areli. My lungs felt like someone poured boiling water into them. Anyway, his mother called him into the living room. The look in his eyes . . . I almost left. I didn’t know what I was thinking. But somehow I stayed. I thought maybe his eyes might burn holes through me.” Areli stayed quiet during Fides story, not wanting to speak a word until after she was done.

“He stood by the fireplace after his mother left us to talk, his back turned to me. He asked me what I was doing there. I told him I came to see him. He told me that we didn’t have anything to talk about. It hurt, Areli. It cut deep, deeper than any sword or any arrow. I told him what he did to me
deserved
an explanation. I told him I didn’t understand it, any of it. How we could have gone from inseparable – to nothing at all. I told him that he owed me that much.

“He said he did it for my best interest. I was taken aback by his response. Angry. Furious. I yelled at him. Scolded him. Told him that I’ve spent an entire year crying after he refused to see me. I was in tears. I couldn’t hold back all the hurt his decision had caused. He turned from the fireplace, his face was a mess of tears. His voice like thunder. He told me he had no other choice. I couldn’t take it anymore, Areli.

“I stood up and told him he had a choice. I asked him if he knew how I felt about him. Even back then, I still had this burning desire to be with him. He screamed again, this time not of anger, but of pain. He said of course he knew how I felt. That he has always loved me, but he didn’t deserve me.

“He caught me off guard. I had no words to answer him. I collapsed onto the floor. I told him that if he loved me, and knew that I felt the same, that he shouldn’t have run away. He collapsed next to me. Told me that he was trying to protect me. He is to become a general. He is to command armies, travel the world, and that I needed better than that. He told me that I needed someone to always be there. Someone to keep me warm when the night is cold. Someone to watch over me as I sleep to fend off any nightmares. Someone who would always be there to love me.

“I took his face into my hands. It was wet with tears, and I told him that I didn’t want that. That all I wanted was him. It didn’t matter what part of the world he was in. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t there at all hours of the day. I told him that I loved him, and that if he were to give me his love, it would be more than enough to keep me warm at night. Enough to fend off my nightmares. I told him his love would be enough to occupy the hours while he was away, because if I wasn’t with him, then I would be with nobody. Because I can’t love another, and I told him so. And he held me, Areli. He held me. And then . . . well, and then we kissed . . . and it was amazing, Areli. It was so amazing.” Areli was happy for her, but not even she, who loved Fides dearly, couldn’t help the jealousy rising within her.

Areli didn’t know how to respond. Fides got something she wished she could have. Love gave her the one she wanted. Areli desperately wanted to confront Talon one more time. She wanted to know his reasons for not loving her. Areli quickly pulled her friend to her and held her. She was happy for her. She truly was. But she was also sad. Sad that she will never find out Talon’s reason’s for not loving her. It would forever be up in the air. It’s something she knew she would have to come to terms with and just move on. She was with Yats now. She hated that she had to continually remind herself.

The following day, the four of them got together at Flame. Fides arrived with Amer firmly by her side, and Areli knew this time, he wasn’t going anywhere. A small pit tugged Areli’s stomach. She was with Yats, she reminded herself. Areli wrapped her hand around Yats arms, smiling, as he whispered everything he liked about her. She felt light, being filled with his words. He was making the best out of this chance. This chance Areli promised Fides she would give.

The gawky stares started again as people craned their heads to see the two couples. Even though Areli initially regretted having made the promise to Fides, the next three days were the best three days of Areli’s life. She couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed so hard or had been surrounded by people her age she felt were as important to her as family. They just had fun. No talk of the murdering and burning beyond the mountain walls of the Valley. No discussions about Degendhard. Areli cherished these moments of just being able to be a teenager.

Yats, when not surrounded by his large group of friends, was actually sweet and not immature. She even found his charm a bit disarming. Amer’s coldness was gone. And Areli and Fides would look at each other knowing their friendship was more valuable than gold, and their eyes showed it, embraced it, and their hearts would hold on to each other beyond the bounds of forever. Areli thanked Fides repeatedly for making her promise to give Yats a chance. Her dreams and thoughts of Talon had begun to fade, making room for her new love . . . Yats.

During the week of the Sorting Competition, the four of them spent every evening together. Amer and Yats would clap after each performance of their girls choir song, in which they themselves could probably sing from memory after hearing it so many times. And during that week, Areli started to fall asleep in bed every night with a smile as she had started falling more and more in love with Yats. And on the final day of practice at the boarding facility, before the Fall Festival and the Sorting Competition, the riders were told they would have a special guest trainer. But no one thought it would be who it turned out to be.

Aquilina Hawkins walked into the locker room to gaped jaws and screams and applauses from every rider and trainer, all except Coach Sani. The rider with the most wins on the professional circuit, and the only rider to have gone professional after her tyro year, was actually standing in the middle of the room addressing the team.

She was everything Areli thought she would be. Her dark blonde hair was wrapped in a ponytail. She had lightly tanned skin and was the same height as Areli. Aquilina was beyond beautiful. Beyond elegant.

“Thank you, Coach Sani,” said Aquilina, “it’s an honor to be here today. I’ve been told Abhi has the best team that has ever been assembled. I’ve come to simply watch the final practice run you’ll take before the Sorting Competition. Afterwards, I will have a brief talk with each of you, telling you what I saw and some things you might improve upon before your final placement on the roster. Best of luck to each of you, ladies. I’ll see you in the arena.”

Aquilina took a quick look at each rider, and Areli’s breath got caught in her throat as Aquilina’s brown eyes rested on her. Aquilina nodded her head. Causing Areli to wonder if she was just seeing things. But she was sure it was real. She nodded back, her heart running sprints around her ribcage.

When Aquilina left the room, Areli looked back at Aubrie, her mouth open and her eyes wide. She looked over at Fides and made a gesture asking her if she saw that. Fides looked at Areli and tried to mimic the nod she received from Aquilina. Both girls had to cover their mouths from laughing hysterically.

Practice consisted only of a light routine in their individual arenas and then concluded with a run in the coliseum. Areli was the last to go. After her run, she had never been so excited. She knew she had a good run. She knew she did. Everything she and Aubrie worked on came through successfully. She never felt this good. For the first time since getting to Abhi, she knew, without a doubt, that she was one of the better riders on the team. If not the second best, after Fides.

She paced inside her locker as Aubrie stood watching her.

“No numbers!” said Areli for the hundredth time, “I didn’t use a
single
number, Aubrie! It’s like I knew what to do before I even got to it.” It was like racing in Oroin. Areli closed her eyes and then stretched out the fingers of her hands, as the adrenaline was causing her to shake. Areli was too excited to sit. She just wanted to keep flying. She wanted that feeling again. That feeling she was in absolute control. That she knew what to do, when she had to do it.

Aquilina was walking from room to room. Telling the other riders her comments about their run. It seemed like time was passing slowly as Areli kept looking at the door, wondering if Aquilina was going to come at all.
She has to come, Areli
, she thought,
after a run like that. She just has to.
Soon enough, there was a knock on the door.