Going Down in Flames (Going Down in Flames #1)(45)

“How’d you get mixed up with them?” Keegan asked.

“We met at Orientation.”

“You hang around the Wilderness guy, too. What’s his story?”

How could she explain Zavien? Best to keep it simple. “He set up my living arrangements.”

They moved forward in line.

“Why do you live with the Greens?”

“The school didn’t know where to place me. The Greens offered me accommodations because they were curious about me from a scientific standpoint.” Since they were playing twenty questions, she decided to ask one of her own. “Do you know any Reds who might be related to my dad?”

“McKennas?” Keegan paused. “None I can think of.”

“My dad was an only child, but I hoped there might be a distant cousin around here somewhere.”

“Your friend is on the podium.” Keegan pointed to Clint standing on the platform, facing off against Quentin.

“Watch Quentin. See how they fight. The Blues use their speed to outmaneuver you if they can.”

Clint swung first. Quentin ducked to the side and struck at Clint’s legs. The Black dragon wobbled, recovered, and swung again. Quentin took the blow and brought his jousting stick down on top of Clint’s weapon. Clint lurched forward. Quentin swung at the Black dragon’s hips and knocked him off the platform.

Clint uttered obscenities on his descent into the foam pit.

Bryn laughed.

Ivy climbed onto the podium next and held her own against a Green female. She toppled the other girl in five moves.

“Ivy’s good.”

“She did all right,” Keegan said.

Bryn studied the different fighting styles and strategies until it was her turn. When she climbed onto the podium, she faced Rhianna. The tall, slender girl held the jousting stick in a loose, easy grip.

“Here goes nothing.” She held the jousting stick in front of her at a diagonal angle and hoped she wouldn’t be humiliated.

Rhianna struck first, hitting Bryn’s right shoulder. It didn’t hurt, but it did knock her off-balance. After widening her stance for better balance, Bryn swung low at Rhianna’s hips. The tall blonde moved fluidly out of the way. Bryn took a blow to the hips, but didn’t budge. They were getting nowhere fast. In an imitation of Quentin, she brought her stick down hard on Rhianna’s. When Rhianna leaned forward to maintain her grasp, Bryn swung low and knocked her off the podium.

Clint and Ivy cheered.

At the base of the podium, she was surprised to find Quentin.

“You copied my move,” he said.

“It works. She’s too fast for anything else.”

Rhianna came up next to the other Blue. “I’m a dancer. It’s easier to move out of the way than to deflect the attack.”

“What do you two think you’re doing?” Jaxon looked ready to pop a blood vessel.

“We were having a civil conversation,” Bryn said. “But I guess that’s over, since you’re here.”

Jaxon ignored her and spoke to Rhianna. “I don’t want you to associate with her.”

Bryn pointed at Quentin. “Does he pull that lord and master routine on you?”

“He’s tried,” Quentin said. “It doesn’t work.”

Rhianna stepped away from Jaxon. “It doesn’t work on me, either. Don’t confuse the title ‘future husband’ with ‘king’. They don’t mean the same thing.”

“I bet they do at his house,” Bryn muttered.

Jaxon turned to Bryn with fury on his face. “Never speak of my family.”

Bryn pointed her finger at him like it was a weapon. “I don’t give a rat’s ass who your father is or how much money you have. You don’t give me orders.”

Mrs. Anderson appeared next to Rhianna. “Is there a problem here?”

Jaxon growled under his breath.

Smoke shot from Bryn’s nostrils.

“Hit the showers and go to class.” Mrs. Anderson waved them toward the locker rooms.

Bryn stalked away. Clint and Ivy fell into step beside her.

“That was great,” Clint said. “I thought Jaxon was going to have an aneurysm.”

Ivy shook her head. “Poor Rhianna. Can you imagine living with him?”

“I’d poison his food,” Bryn said.

“I’d shift, bite his head off while he slept, and be done with it.” Ivy stated this like she was talking about the weather.

Clint stopped in his tracks. “I’m in love with a scary woman.”

Ivy patted his chest. “It’s simple. Don’t piss me off. I won’t kill you.”

Bryn chuckled as Clint veered left to the appropriate door. She followed Ivy into the girls’ locker room where she was relieved to discover the showers were curtained off for privacy.

Once she was back in her real clothes, she raked her fingers through her hair. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Wet hair may work for you, but I need a blow-dryer.”

“Do we have time to go to your room?”

Ivy led her to an unmarked door. “Through this door, you’ll find everything a female could ever need to look fabulous.”

Bryn walked into the room and gaped. Countertops and mirrors ran the length of all four walls. Girls made use of the blow-dryers and flat irons, which were plugged in every few feet. Other girls rummaged in baskets containing sample size packets of makeup and lotion from Bath and Beauty. There were even spare clothes hanging on a rod in the corner. A small sign said, Please clean and return what you borrow.