The Culling Trials (Shadowspell Academy #2)(17)

“We did it together,” Wally said, “especially you and Wild, except he’s not supposed to win, since the Sandman and his really hot sidekick said so, so you need to be the frontman. You were the second most valuable player, not including the cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.”

“Shut up about the cheating,” I grumbled through the side of my mouth as I fell back behind Wally and next to Orin.

Two other people, thin and slightly taller, flanked the lead figure as they all walked slowly through the door. The lead figure’s large, slightly glassy brown eyes took us all in, shrewd and calculating. His gaze paused on me for a fraction of a second longer than the others, before flicking to Ethan getting up from the floor.

Busted.

Whatever. Knocking someone over wouldn’t draw the same notice as claiming an enormous stack of gold from someone else’s house.

“I am impressed,” the lead figure said, stepping forward on his spindly legs. His clothes had to be made special—not even a master tailor could transform a regular suit to fit this creature’s oddly shaped body with the long, swinging arms, and bowed legs. Was this what Gregory would eventually morph into? “No winner in our history has ever stood before us with their group intact, let alone with so many of you. You do realize that larger groups have a harder time going through? We rarely, if ever, see six team members.”

Wally preened, and Pete looked up at me, chittering.

I’d really like to change back into my human form, but this would be an awkward time to stand around naked.

I suppressed a grin as Ethan threw back his wide shoulders and sauntered to the front of the group with Gregory. He clapped his hand on Gregory’s shoulder, making the smaller guy jump.

“Gregory was integral to helping me find the hidden gemstones and solve the final puzzle. He really did our group proud.”

Though he didn’t say it outright, it was clear from Ethan’s tone and manner that he was claiming the leadership role. He was magnanimously patting Gregory on the back for his role, while at the same time calling him a spoke in the wheel turned by Ethan.

I ground my teeth, and Pete growled.

Wally didn’t seem troubled. “Yes, without Gregory, none of us would’ve gotten up that wall,” she said. “Ethan had the right idea. I should’ve climbed straight up, away from the danger, like he did. It would’ve saved my arms. Gregory handled the danger like a pro. I believe he did his house rather proud.”

I couldn’t suppress a smile at Wally’s less-than-subtle jab at Ethan. Pete’s growl cut off and turned into a funny little snicker.

The authorities came to a stop behind the gold. No one else rushed in to congratulate us like they had in the last trial.

“We certainly saw some great leadership in this trial,” the lead figure said, though he didn’t look at any one person when he said it. “But you have claimed champion of the trial as a group, and therefore, the proceeds will be divided accordingly.”

“Oh yes, of course,” Ethan said, all ease and bravado. “It was a group win. That’s the right thing to do.”

The lead figure stared at Ethan silently for a moment. “Do any of you need healing?”

“I’ll live,” I said quickly, putting a hand to my throbbing arm where the gargoyle had slashed me. Maybe I could go to the healers later. Right now, I didn’t want to chance a meeting with Sideburns and his lying jackass of a sidekick. I didn’t want to upset Wally, who thought he was dreamy, when I had to rearrange Mr. Tall Drink of Water’s face. “I’ll just head back.”

Through the door and beyond another of those strange, nondescript, white rooms, we found ourselves in a small, closed-in corridor that angled upward. At the end, the circular metal handle clunked after a quarter turn. The metal door swung inward.

“How the hell are we at ground level?” I asked as my mind dizzied again. “We just spent the last few minutes walking up a hill.”

“Magic,” Wally said as Ethan veered left, toward the back of the massive mansion hunkering in the distance. Shapes dotted the way, idly walking and occasionally limping. “That’s why we’re so close, too. We don’t need the bus to bring us back.”

Ethan didn’t veer off to the portables or the healer tents. Instead, he kept on straight, unperturbed by the fact that we’d popped out of the ground like daisies. His destination appeared to be one of the grand, well-lit rear entrances of the mansion.

“Where are we going?” I asked, picking up speed to close the distance between Ethan and the group.

“You’ve lost your mind if you think I am going to stay in that hovel for another night.” Ethan didn’t notice the limpid, doe-eyed looks darted at him by a couple of girls. Nor did he notice a group of three guys puff up their chests and attempt to look important as he passed. The whole campus clearly knew Ethan by sight, and they were all trying to get into his good graces.

The whole thing irritated me. Ethan was the last person I wanted on my team.

“We don’t get to choose where we stay.” I followed him closely as we neared the back entrance, not sure if I should just break away now, maybe circle back to the healers, or see where this was going.

“You don’t get to choose where we stay,” he said, yanking the door open and shoving past someone trying to make their way out. He didn’t apologize and the skinny boy with thick-rimmed glasses didn’t seem to expect him to.