Read Fantasy of Flight for Free Online

explodes. “Slay is the best fighter in the comp. What did you think was going to happen?”
    Shard scowls at Blizzard. At least, I think he’s scowling. Blizzard doesn’t notice. “It was a stupid bet. You lost coin because you got cocky. Again.”
    Ice pipes up. “Yeah, and Hale would have told Slay to do a number on our barracks because Frost kicked Crush’s butt.”
    She glowers at them all for a moment, but she’s too happy with the overall result to snap at them as she usually would. I’m glad someone’s pleased. I’m exhausted. The fight was exhilarating. It was a rush, a shock, an overload of my senses. It was survival. It was seeing your life as a tiny speck in the palm of a giant. All of that could make a woman tired. I don’t know how the others live like this. Week to week. It’s one thing to fight a few times, another entirely to do it for life. And I get the feeling the others have been in this game for a long time, never knowing if they would make it out of the ring each time they walked down those five steps.
    I’m…happy to see the barracks. I never thought I would say it. All I want to do is wash the thick layer of sweaty grime from my body. Even using the tiny tub in the washroom doesn’t discourage me. And bed! That sounds perfect. I start down the hall, but pull up short as an arm shoots across the doorway to the mess room.
    “Where you think you’re going, girly?” I look up into the angular face of Ice and then over my shoulder at the rest of the men, who are all just as serious. Alzona and Crystal ignore them, plonking down onto seats around the table.
    “To my room?” I ask, stomach sinking.
    Ice clicks his tongue and remains in my way. “You think because you kicked ass in the rings today, you’re part of the crew?”
    I shrug. The thought hadn’t crossed my mind. Well, maybe a little.
    “Let me tell you something, girly. You’ll never be one of us.” He says, watching for my reaction. I scowl up at him, ignoring the stab of hurt.
    “That is,” he pauses and looks down his nose at me for a long moment. “Until you drink with us!” He shouts and erupts into laughter. The men echo the sounds of his amusement behind me.
    “You shoulda seen your face!” He cackles. He turns around, arms spread wide in a dramatic gesture. “Seriously, I thought she was gonna kill me.”
    “You’re such a dick, Ice,” Alzona calls out, not taking her eyes off the papers in front of her. It looks like she’s counting.
    Ice drags me to the table and the men surround me. Shard reaches beneath the station where Crystal prepares our meals and pulls out several bottles. I swallow my rising apprehension. I have an idea what this is.
    Blizzard takes one and pulls off the stopper with his teeth. “Now, when we thought you were twelve, this didn’t cross our minds. But Shard has informed us you’re nineteen.” He mumbles around the stopper with some difficulty. I raise an eyebrow at Shard, who shrugs and grins.
    “You’re nineteen?” Crystal interrupts.
    I nod.
    “Shh, girly. Fighters only,” Ice says. I’ve only ever heard people from the Outer Rings use the term girly. Ice must be from around here. From Blizzard’s and Shard’s speech, I guess they are more educated. If Glacium is like Osolis, the poor will not receive schooling.
    Crystal rolls her eyes and turns away.
    “I don’t see how you can be nineteen,” Blizzard continues. “But it doesn’t matter. What does matter is your initiation into our…”
    “Snow pack?” Flurry offers.
    “No, that’s stupid,” Blizzard says.
    “What about the cold crew?” Ice asks.
    Shard clears his throat. “I think we’re getting off topic. How about we just use the pack?” Murmurs of agreement meet his words.
    I feel my heart begin to thud. I’m more afraid now than when I stepped into the pit today. I look across the table at Flurry for some hint; his face is usually the most expressive. He blushes and looks away. He’s started