My lips parted in disbelief. Around us, gentle coos echoed.
I looked at Xyla in complete awe, surprised that she actually picked me.
“Oh, dear,” I placed one hand on my chest as I took her small hand in mine. “Thank you for giving me the honour.”
As I approached the stage with her, my eyes inevitably darted to Marta. Her jaw twisted from side to side, her expression sour. She looked like she wanted to strangle someone.
Well, I didn’t ask for it.
My eyes fell on Jaris as Xyla and I rescued the stage. Xylon had chosen him, so they were both standing beside us. “Good pick, damsel. You chose your daddy’s mate,” the MC commended.
The rules of the game were communicated to us.
It was a silly game about inflating balloons with the mouth. Jaris and I would be given separate bowls of six balloons. We were to blow air into each of them to inflate them and pass it to the kids who were to run and keep it in a basket across from us. Winning depended on how fast we could inflate the balloons, and how fast the kids could run each time to drop it in the basket.
“You could just give up, you know? It’d be sad to win you in front of all these people,” Jaris said with a cocky smile, his voice low enough for only me and the kids to hear.
I snorted. “With all due respect, this isn’t the Alpha’s trial where you showcase muscles and all. Do you know how many times I played this game when I was a kid? I’m sure you can’t relate because you were too busy growing into a grumpy man.” He lowered his head and chuckled, the sound rolling deeply in my belly.
“How about this,” he seemed to think for a moment. “If you get to win, I owe you a gift. But if I get to win,” he tsked, shaking his head. “Trust me, you wouldn’t like the outcome, Lyric.”
Hm. A smile spread on my lips, warmth spreading all over my heart.
“It’s a deal, then.”
“Are you ready?!” The MC called out.
“Aunty Lyric, we can do it. I’m a fast runner!” Xyla beamed with joy.
“Liar!” Xylon huffed at her.
The MC blew a whistle, indicating the start of the game. Separate bowls with balloons were brought to Jaris and I. Without wasting any time, I picked the first one and blew as hard as I could. When it was inflated, I knotted the tip and I handed it to Xyla who ran s fast as she could.
As she did, I picked up the second balloon and blew again. I avoided looking at Jaris and Xylon, deciding to focus on my own task.
Before I knew it, I was on the last balloon. I knotted the tip and handed it to Xyla.
That was when I looked at Jaris. He was still blowing air into his balloon with Xylon waiting in front of him. I couldn’t see into his bowl to know if it was the last one or not, but at least Xyla was already ahead.
“Come on, Xyla!” I cheered.
By the time Jaris finished with the balloon in his hand and handed it to Xylon, Xyla was already dropping her last one in the
basket.
“Yes!” I screamed as everyone cheered and clapped around us.
“We have a winner!” The MC declared.
Xyla ran to me, almost making me stumble back she she crashed into me.
“We did it, aunty Lyric! We did it!” She squealed with happiness, her tiny arms wrapped around me as she placed her head on my waist.
I laughed so hard, my stomach bubbling with joy.
I winked at Jaris who shook his head in defeat.
Successfully unlocked!
I felt a little worried as I looked at Xylon, expecting to find him sad or something. But to my surprise, he was actually laughing.
Such maturity for a kid his age. He didn’t pick offense at losing.
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“You see? I told you we’ll win!” Xyla poked her tongue at him.
“Just lucky,” he told her.
I moved closer to Jaris. “You better start thinking of something nice, Alpha Jaris,” I whispered in his ear just before the MC came to pull Xyla and I away to properly declare us winners.
The party containers smoothly. There was a lot to eat and drink, plus unlimited entertainment on stage
Maddy was trying to blend in with the crowd. People kept complimenting and welcoming her, and I liked how happy she
was.
Everything was going fine. Until it wasn’t. Until my eyes ran into someone I wished I hadn’t seen.
My stomach churned, everything I just ate at the party threatening to spill out.
Standing across from me, lost in the guests was the Executioner from the previous day. The one I’d seen at the mall. My feet wobbled as fear so deep ran through me. It was a kind of fear I hadn’t felt before.
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