Gasping for air, I struggled to my feet. The giant cracked his knuckles in anticipation. There was a howl of pain and I glanced over to see one of Angus’s green orbs smack into the other giant’s chest. He fell backwards and Angus wasted no time in swerving round him and running off. It didn’t look like I was going to win this challenge after all.
My distraction served my opponent well and he took full advantage of the opportunity, punching out again and this time catching me full on the chest. Yet again I was almost unable to breathe. I wheezed and spluttered but managed to stay on my feet. Just.
I looked to my left. I could avoid my opponent by going towards the loch. I might even get lucky and the ice would hold my weight but somehow I doubted it ‒ and there was no way that I was going to brave those waters again. To my right, the banks were steep and covered with ice and snow. I was agile but I knew my limits. If I tried to leap up there, I’d slide back down again and that would lead me to my doom.
The giant grinned vacantly. His left flank was completely open and I could have attacked him there and made my move. I was aware of distant footsteps behind me; it wouldn’t be long before I was overtaken by more than just Angus. I gritted my teeth and ran forward full pelt.
At the very last minute, as the giant’s huge arms swirled in my direction, I ducked and threw my body into a rolling dive. I skidded through the gap in his legs, closing my eyes to avoid the unsavoury temptation to peek under his heavy kilt. While the giant heaved in frustration and tried to turn, I was already on my feet.
‘Run!’ Angus yelled.
I faltered. Angus had stopped right in front of the flags. Why hadn’t he already passed the finish line? What was he waiting for?
I picked up speed, skidding to a halt next to him. ‘What are you doing?’ I shrieked. ‘You could have won by now!’
One corner of his mouth curved up in a disarming smile. ‘I’m under orders from my Chieftain,’ he said. ‘He’s been called away on business so he can’t meet with you like he planned. Between you and me, he’s thrilled to have the excuse to avoid the rest of the Games but he’s disappointed not to be able to do this himself. I think that he’ll appreciate my timing though.’ His smile grew. ‘Clan MacQuarrie is prepared to pledge allegiance to Clan Adair and we will prove our loyalty in any way necessary.’
I stared at him. ‘There is no Clan Adair. There’s only me.’
Angus’s smile grew. ‘The Kincaids might be the only Gifted with foresight,’ he said, ‘but my allegiance to you is about more than what happened with Lily. We haven’t forgotten the prophecy.’ I frowned. There was that prophecy palaver again. What did he mean? Before I could ask, he glanced towards the sky and noted the drone above us. He knelt down and for a bizarre moment I thought he was about to propose. ‘On behalf of Clan MacQuarrie,’ he intoned, ‘I swear fealty.’
It was a bold, public move that made no sense. My mind spun. Was it really to do with the mysterious prophecy? I didn’t believe in mumbo-jumbo like that any more than I thought I’d one day perform my own comedy routine on stage. I continued to gape at him, like a guppy on its slowest setting.
‘You should get a move on,’ Angus said. ‘Tipsania and Byron have just reached the giants.’
I finally found my voice. ‘Get up,’ I muttered.
He did as I bade. ‘My lady.’
I pointed at the finish line, glittering ahead of us less than twenty feet away. ‘Go.’
He frowned. ‘No.’
‘You won this fair and square, Angus,’ I said firmly. ‘If these Games are supposed to be about honour then you need to show everyone that you’ve come first.’
‘You need the win,’ he argued.
‘I’m already in the lead. Coming second won’t change that. Besides, the staggered start might still work in my favour.’ I grinned. ‘I might still beat you even if I wander in after you.’
‘But…’
‘You swore fealty to me,’ I reminded him. ‘You should do as I say.’
He gazed at me then gave me an easy grin and a sloppy salute. ‘As you command.’ He took off and jogged to the finishing line. As soon as he passed it, there was an explosion of fireworks that lit up the night sky with multi-coloured flowers and sparkles. I waited for as long as I dared. I really did think he deserved first place.
When I finally heard footsteps pounding behind me, I ran after Angus. Byron was hot on my heels and Tipsania came right after him. Both of them were soaking wet. I couldn’t help noticing how Byron’s clothes clung to his body so that every muscle and bulge was clearly delineated. When I caught his look and glanced down, I realised I was in the same state.
Campbell Carnegie appeared from nowhere. ‘Angus MacQuarrie wins the Adventure challenge!’ He grabbed Angus’s hand and held it aloft.
‘You let him win,’ Byron said in my ear. ‘Why?’
‘It was the right thing to do,’ I murmured.
‘You bitch! You did that deliberately so I would come fourth!’ Tipsania shrieked.
I flicked her a puzzled look. ‘Eh?’
‘That’s not even a word! You have the manners of an oik!’
Thoroughly confused, I looked at Byron. ‘I managed to get past the giant on my side easily enough because Angus had already used up most of its energy. You didn’t fight your giant so…’
Oh. ‘So Tipsania had to do it.’
‘You’re goddamn right I did!’ she yelled.
I glanced past her. The giant was flat on his back, although his chest was still rising and falling. Streams of competitors were racing past him to reach the finishing line and get a decent placing. I shrugged. ‘Is he okay?’
‘Who cares?’ Tipsania flounced.
The Carnegie MC, obviously upset that the attention wasn’t on him, cleared his throat. ‘In second place, we have Byron Moncrieffe.’
Our heads snapped towards him. Byron frowned. ‘Integrity Adair was second,’ he said evenly.
‘Unfortunately,’ Carnegie purred with an evil smirk, ‘Integrity Adair has had marks deducted for dishonourable behaviour.’
‘What? What did I do?’
Carnegie’s thin nose twitched. He was really enjoying this. ‘You brought a genie with you. This is meant to be a solo event.’
Anger spurted up through me. I should have known.
‘That’s not fair,’ Byron said, aware that I was about to say something that I would regret.
Carnegie inclined his head deferentially. ‘The decision has been taken.’
Tipsania crossed her arms. ‘I think it’s fair. These Games are based on honour, after all.’
Angus looked at me helplessly as I cursed under my breath. ‘The genie didn’t help me win,’ I said. ‘And besides, at the beginning of the Hunt I was left in the wrong place. I wasn’t dropped at the start line like everyone else.’
‘Rubbish,’ Carnegie blustered. My veins buzzed as the lie tripped out of his mouth. So, the slimy master of ceremonies was in on the plot.
‘It’s true,’ I said calmly. Byron’s interruption had given me the breathing space I required. They wanted me to get worked up; acting sensibly and appearing unperturbed was the only way I had a chance.
Cheers sounded from behind as, one by one, the other competitors crossed the line. I didn’t look at them; my attention was wholly on Carnegie.
‘Not only that,’ I added, ‘but I made what I was bringing very clear. I didn’t try to hide it. You can check the footage from the waiting room. I was asked whether I wanted to bring a bottle of water or this.’ I pulled out the letter opener and shrugged. ‘I chose this.’
Carnegie’s eyes narrowed. I might not have been open about the fact that Bob lived inside the blade but I hadn’t concealed what I was taking into the challenge. That had to count for something.
‘There you have it,’ Byron said, sounding bored. ‘Integrity comes second.’
‘Byron!’ Tipsania complained. He didn’t look at her.
Carnegie sniffed. ‘I shal
l take this information to the judges to consider. Final places will be announced tomorrow.’ He pulled back his shoulders and marched off.
‘Were you really dropped off in the wrong place?’ Byron asked.
I opened my mouth to answer but Angus walked over looking troubled. ‘You should never have let me win, Integrity,’ he said miserably.
‘It’s done now. Let’s get back to the Cruaich.’ My clothes were still dripping wet and I could feel a deep chill settling in my bones. ‘I really need a hot bath.’
*
‘It’s absolutely ridiculous,’ Brochan blustered the next day when the final decision was handed down. ‘Ten points deducted! That means you’re placed fifth on the league table when you should be first!’
‘I suppose we should be grateful I’ve not been thrown out of the competition,’ I said. No doubt Byron’s intervention had something to do with that. I’d have to thank him later. ‘At least they took the mitigating circumstances that Bob didn’t help me win into consideration.’
‘Pffft!’ Lexie said. ‘And after all that trouble I went to with the drones.’
I raised my eyebrows. ‘You mean when they lit up the ice for me?’
She nodded. ‘We knew something was up when you weren’t filmed starting like everyone else. I got to know the control room guys well enough to point out that the drones shouldn’t miss any of the action when you went under the loch.’
‘Thank you,’ I said fervently. ‘Without that intervention I’m not sure I would have made it out of there.’
The pixie blushed slightly. ‘You’re welcome. It wasn’t much of a hardship, they’re a fun bunch of guys. Even if they are Sidhe.’
Speck scowled. ‘Let’s focus on the matter in hand. Integrity can still win the Games.’ He glanced at me. ‘I’ve been through all the permutations. It helped a lot that Angus MacQuarrie won that last challenge. He did too poorly in Artistry to win overall so we don’t have to worry about him. All you have to do is beat Byron Moncrieffe and Tipsania Scrymgeour and you’ll come out on top.’
A mental image of the last time I was on top of Byron floated into my mind. I coughed. ‘That’s great.’
‘What happened out there?’ Taylor asked. ‘There was a lot the drones didn’t capture.’
I took a breath and ran through the details, including Kirsty but omitting what happened in the forest with Byron. Taylor rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘So you took her entire Gift? She doesn’t have it any more?’
‘Nope.’
Speck brightened. ‘Maybe that’s the way to stop the Gifts you steal from running out. Take away every last trace from their original owner.’
I didn’t like the thought of that. ‘She could have died,’ I pointed out. ‘For a while I thought she was going to.’
‘But you can still tell when someone’s lying?’
I nodded. ‘It’s like my blood hums or something and I just … know.’
Speck whistled. ‘Cool. Lie detectors can be beaten but Truth Seeking as a Sidhe Gift? Just think about the applications it could have.’
‘Mm,’ I murmured non-committally.
‘For now, I’m more interested in this prophecy business,’ Taylor said.
I grimaced. ‘I was hoping you’d know something about it.’
He shook his head. ‘I’ve never heard of such a thing.’
‘I’ll have to talk to Angus about it,’ I mused. ‘I still can’t believe he swore fealty like that.’
Speck deepened his voice. ‘Clan Adair. The return of the Sidhe.’
‘I always preferred The Empire Strikes Back.’ We shared a grin.
‘As nerdy as that might be, you’ll have to watch for the Sidhe striking back,’ Brochan said. ‘They’ll be trying even harder now to make sure you don’t win.’
I sighed. Buzzkill. ‘I know but we can’t worry about that now.’ I nibbled my bottom lip. ‘I’ve got a promise I need to keep.’
He gazed at me quizzically but I didn’t elaborate. Instead I shooed them all out of the cabin before calling on Bob. The genie emerged in his usual flash of blinding light. He had a deliberately casual expression on his face and a shiny gold medal round his neck. I ignored both.
‘Well,’ I said, ‘I promised you a gold bikini.’
Bob frowned and leaned in. ‘What colour?’
‘Gold,’ I replied flatly.
He cupped his hand to his ear. ‘Pardon?’
‘If you don’t want me to…’
‘No, I do! I do! I just wanted to highlight what a pretty colour gold is. It’s the colour for winners, you know, Uh Integrity.’ He held up his medal.
‘So I hear. Can we get this over with before the others get bored and come back?’ Bob grinned and pointed to the medal. I sighed. ‘What?’
‘Medal. Gold.’
‘I see that.’
He beamed. ‘You know why I’m wearing it?’
‘Why don’t you just tell me?’
‘Because, Uh Integrity, I am a winner.’ He leaned forward and enunciated carefully. ‘Winner.’
I clearly wasn’t going to get anywhere until I played along. ‘What have you won, Bob?’
He pouted. ‘Isn’t it obvious? I have won the hearts and minds of the Sidhe. After all, I rescued them from certain death.’
‘You told the stupid ones to stop taking the long way across the frozen loch,’ I said. ‘And, I might add, at my behest.’
‘But,’ he said dramatically, ‘now everyone knows who I am. Forget Robert the Bruce. I am Bob the Brave!’
I wondered how bad things would get if I told him that no one had been interested in his name. ‘Yes,’ I said, ‘you did very well.’ I paused. ‘Who gave you the medal?’
He puffed out his chest. ‘I gave it to myself. It’s a shame you didn’t come to the medal ceremony. It was quite something.’
‘I’m sorry I missed it,’ I said drily.
‘You bet you are!’ He continued to admire the medal.
‘Bob?’
‘Call me Sir Bob. You’re my friend, after all.’
I counted to ten in my head. ‘Sir Bob. A promise is a promise and…’
‘And you promised me gold bikinis and ear-muff hair.’
‘Gold bikini singular. But yes.’ I gazed at him meaningfully. ‘I don’t of course own a gold bikini…’
‘That’s not a problem, Uh Integrity. Let Sir Bob perform his magic for you.’ He magicked up a tape measure from nowhere and held it up, squinting. ‘Say the magic word,’ he intoned.
Heavens above. ‘Please.’
Bob tsked. ‘Don’t be silly. Abracadabra.’ I rolled my eyes. ‘Uh Integrity…’ He wagged his finger.
‘Fine. Abracadabra.’
Bob grinned and snapped his fingers. A half second later I was bloody freezing all over again. I gazed down at my body. A gold bikini might have suited Carrie Fisher but I had milk-white skin. It was just as well no one else could see me.
There was a knock from outside and Bob shouted out. ‘Come in!’
The door opened before I could yelp a word of warning. Byron’s face went stiff when he caught sight of me. I could be embarrassed or I could brazen this out. No choice, really.
‘Hi honey!’ I said cheerily. ‘Pool party?’
He glanced past me into the cabin’s plush interior, which Bob hadn’t bothered to return to its spartan chill. ‘No wonder you didn’t want to move. The genie did all this?’
I nodded. ‘Yep.’
From one of the red velvet cushions, Bob waved enthusiastically. ‘Hi Byron!’ he gushed. ‘It’s great to finally meet you! Uh Integrity wouldn’t let me show myself before but now that the whole world knows my name, there’s no point in staying hidden.’
Byron ran a hand through his bronzed hair. ‘What is your name?’
Bob was suddenly crestfallen. ‘You don’t know? It must be because the sight of Uh Integrity in that bikini has surprised you into forgetting.’
Byron flicked a look at me. ‘No
thing Integrity does surprises me these days,’ he said. He kept his eyes firmly on my face. I was tempted to do a little jiggle, perhaps even a belly dance, but it probably wasn’t a good time. I cleared my throat.
‘It’s Bob the Brave!’ the genie interjected before I could speak. ‘That’s spelt B – O…’
Byron held up his hand. ‘I got it. Thanks.’ He paused, taking Bob’s measure. ‘You did a wonderful thing by helping everyone out of the loch and directing them away from the water.’
Bob folded his arms and smiled smugly. ‘I know.’
Byron stared at him for another moment. Finally he spoke again. ‘Do you think you could give us a moment or two so I can speak privately to Integrity?’
‘Your wish is my command!’ Bob swept a bow and vanished in a blinding flash of light before I could warn Byron to cover his eyes. He winced, blinking rapidly to clear his vision.
‘I didn’t make a wish,’ he said.
‘I know,’ I reassured him. ‘Bob knows too.’
‘Because using a genie and making wishes is incredibly dangerous, Integrity. Tempting as it may be, you would do better to get rid of the genie before something bad happens.’
Something bad like someone trying to kill me? I gave a tight smile. ‘I’m not an idiot.’ I tossed back my hair. At least I’d not yet put it up into those silly coils. ‘Is that why you’re here? To warn me about the risks that Bob poses?’ I grinned. ‘Why did the genie cross the road?’
He sighed. ‘Please don’t.’
‘Fine. If you’re not here for my keen wit, what are you here for?’
He met my eyes. ‘I’m sorry about what happened.’ Our kiss. It hadn’t taken him long to regret that little dalliance. ‘It wasn’t fair for those points to be deducted,’ he continued, surprising me yet again. ‘There are wards in place to prevent competitors from seeking outside help of a magical nature. I checked the list and genie magic is included. The Carnegies already knew you hadn’t cheated.’
I blinked. ‘Oh. Um, thanks.’
A tiny furrow marred his perfect brow. I dropped my gaze from his vivid eyes and focused on the little scar on his cheekbone. I needed something to distract me.
‘You don’t seem that bothered,’ he said.