5
Chapter 5 Karly
Ben fellinto step next to me as I headed straight for Sly to find out what the hell he was doing here. He nudged me in the side, letting me know he was with me. I had to admit that was a relief. I was more than willing to face this asshole alone, but with my coworker by my side, it just gave me that extra strength. It also gave me a professional edge, especially because Todd was behind us with the camera. This was just going to be an interview, which was probably for the best. It kept everything under control. The rest of the room was silent, waiting expectantly for something to happen. As much as I wanted it to explode, because it would be a good story and also a way to show the Unaligned clan that they couldn’t just sweep in here and rule the roost, I knew that couldn’t happen.
“We’re going live,” Ben hissed to me once we reached the flag of the thirteenth clan. “Are you ready for this?” I nodded and waited for him to do the countdown. “Three, two, one…”
I forced myself into professional mode. Whatever feelings I had about Sly being here were overshadowed by what I had to do. I was Switzerland, an impartial commentator. Although I couldn’t seem to stop myself from glaring at the father-son duo.
“So, Drew, it’s good to speak with you,” Ben said with a professional smile. “How does it feel to be currently in first place? You are top of all the qualifiers.”
That was going to sting Alek. He sure as shit wasn’t going to like the constant reminder that he came in second. That wouldn’t suit Mr. Gemini at all. I wondered where the hell he was, and if he could hear this. I might have found him if my producer’s voice didn’t sizzle in my ear, reminding me that this was a huge interview and views were already sky rocketing. We needed to get this right because Sly’s appearance at the games was one hell of a scoop.
I refocused my attention on the conversation occurring in front of me, but it was hard for me to listen to Drew’s bullshit. He was giving straight forward, typical answers as if he was just another player. But he knew, didn’t he? He had to know that his appearance was causing a stir. Especially since he had his father by his side. This was all to cause drama. He might not come right out and admit to wanting to topple the zodiac system, but we all sensed that was part of his plan. If he won, the Unaligned clan would use their newfound power to change the world.
But he wasn’t giving that to Ben because he knew it would be unpopular with viewers. Well, that was fine, he could try to play it safe all he wanted, but I wasn’t going to leave it like that.
“Sly, what are you doing here?” I asked before Ben could slip in another question. “This reception is supposed to be for participants of the Astro Games only. No one else is supposed to be here.”
“But you are here.” If he meant this as a joke, it didn’t play well. No one made a noise, much less a laugh. “I am here to support my son, that is all.”
His lip curled up in an arrogant smile. My soul chilled at the sight of him. It was going to be even harder to keep this cordial than I thought it would be. I let the shudder of disgust run down my spine before I continued talking. He wanted to intimidate me, but I wasn’t about to let that shit happen. I wasn’t going to let someone like him take me down. That was clearly how he’d lived his life up until this point, intimidating everyone around him. He wouldn’t be able to do that with me.
“I think you came here in person.” That might have been a bit harsher than I intended. I didn’t mean to go at him in that manner, but it was too late now, the words were out there. I had to keep going with it. I was going to show him with my words that he couldn’t take me down, no matter how hard he tried. I wasn’t his normal crowd. “What’s your angle? What are you doing here when you shouldn’t be? I think everyone deserves an explanation.”
I could feel Ben’s eyes piercing through me. But what could he really do? Sly’s eyes were flickering over me as he desperately scanned his brain, trying to come up with an answer for me.
“I don’t think you should concern yourself with things that have nothing to do with you,” he settled on icily. He was facing me squarely, challenging me just as I was challenging him. “The games are the most important thing here, not these silly little parties.” He waved his hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter who is here and what happens. It will be out on that racetrack where the really important things happen. It’s who wins there that matters.”
Holy shit, that sounded like a horrible threat. I didn’t quite know what it meant, but it was surely something. I was relieved when Ben took the conversation back over with Drew to keep things under control. We both needed that. But Sly didn’t take his eyes off me. His gaze burned through me like he wished he could set me on fire right here and now. It was horrible, the worst look I’d ever received in my life, through my whole career, which was saying a lot. I’d been through many things, but this was the worst. What a weird day. If this was how the Astro Games were going to start, who the hell knew how it was going to go. It definitely promised to be insane. I had a feeling these Astro Games were going to be life changing. Just hopefully not in a bad way, hopefully not in the way that ruined the zodiac system forever.
“And who do you think will win?” Sly might not have been able to sense the pure desperation in Ben’s tone of voice, but I felt it there none the less. He could probably see me spiralling and wanted to keep things on the right track.
Sly smirked. “I’m betting on my son. No one has seen a bear quite like my boy before. He’s going to surprise you all. I don’t think he’s being underestimated anymore, but there is a lot more you haven’t seen from him.”
He hooked his arm around Drew’s shoulders and shoved him into view, trying to point the attention in the right direction. As soon as Ben started talking with him once more, the big fake smile fell off of Sly’s face and his eyes burned through me yet again. Fuck, if looks could kill, I would be dead here where I stood. I had to admit, the confidence I was wearing like a thick fur coat before was now melting away little by little. I almost wanted to back away from him and toward some form of protection. Alek had to be back there somewhere, didn’t he? He wasn’t in love with me or anything, not like I was with him, but he would protect me if I needed it. I could be sure of that. After all, I was a member of his Gemini clan and he wouldn’t let me suffer.
But I didn’t back away, I remained right where I was, staring at the man in front of me, wondering what the hell was going through his mind. Much as I didn’t want Alek to marry Azariyah, even though that was all he wanted, I didn’t want the Unaligned clan to win more. They screamed danger, and it wouldn’t be good for anyone, I was sure of it. The whole idea made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. So much so that it was hard for me not to scream the house down about it. But Ben was here, thank God, and he was keeping things well and truly under control. He and Drew were having the sort of conversation we would have with the other players we had plans to interview. He talked about the games and the upcoming race, and to be fair to Drew, he didn’t seem quite as bad as his father. Not that anyone could be quite that terrible.
“Well, thank you very much for talking to us, Drew. We look forward to seeing you out there.” Ben turned back to face the camera. “And we will be getting the scoop from the other Astro Games players soon.”
We froze until the transmission ended and Todd turned the camera off. That was when Ben sent me a strangled look. I knew he was about to kick my ass for what had just happened, and the truth was I would totally deserve it. I couldn’t act like that and expect everything to be fine. That wasn’t professionalism, that wasn’t how journalism worked. But much to my shock, he didn’t say a thing as we walked away from Drew and Sly. At least, he didn’t say anything about me.
“I know that this might be a little controversial,” he half whispered, “but I think Drew is actually kinda cute. Did you see how rugged and muscular he was? Wow.”
I stared at him in horror, unable to process the words that came out of his mouth. “Are you joking? You are joking, right? You did not just say that.”
He offered me a one-shouldered shrug. “I don’t know what it is, but there is something very sexy about a bad boy, don’t you think? Someone so unhinged and wild. You would never know what he was going to do next.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. At least Ben and I would never fall for the same guys! “There are bad boys, and then the members of the Unaligned clan. Don’t get them mixed up! And what you described is dangerous. Horrible. Toxic.”
I couldn’t stop myself from glancing back, though, just to see what we had left behind. It didn’t escape my notice that Sly still had those horrible, icy eyes of his on me. What the hell was his problem? And worst of all, why was no one kicking him out? He really wasn’t supposed to be here, there was no reason for him to be here, and anyone else would be out on their ass. Was the whole world so freaked out by Sly and what he threatened to do that they couldn’t confront him? It seemed like madness to me.
“You cannot really like Drew,” I warned Ben, even though I knew my best friend wasn’t actually planning to chase after him or anything. “His whole family and clan are bad news.”
But Ben wasn’t really listening to me anymore. No one was focused on me. I suddenly picked up on the fact that everyone had turned their attention to the stage. The crew was hurriedly setting up all over again. I guess it was time for us to get on with what we really came here for, and it wasn’t to antagonize Sly and the Unaligned clan. It was to see what the Bear King, Mobius, had to say, and to see his daughter, Azariyah, as well. For a moment, I wondered what it must feel like to be her. Paraded around, used as a prize. Weird to think that while she was one of the most powerful women in the zodiac alliance, she also had no control. She couldn’t pick who she married. Love didn’t even come into it; it was all a political strategy.
She had the sort of beauty that could make any woman jealous. I could completely understand why she was viewed as someone who had everything, but for the first time ever, I felt really sorry for her.
The announcement was made, a voice announcing over the PA system that the king and princess were finally coming. There was a different silence in the room now, a much more relaxed one. I suppose because nothing could happen now, not in front of the king. Drew and Sly would have to behave themselves. At least until we heard what the king had to say. I turned to face them and waited for the next camera ready moment to start.