Chapter 129


    I sigh, shaking my head and moving on with it. “Neumann told all of my ssmates that they were


    all being shitty people, that they were jealous, and that they were kidding themselves if they thought


    that trying to knock me out of the running because I’m physically the smallest and weakest was ever


    going to do them any favors, because they’re next on that list.”


    Rafe works hard to keep from bursting intougher, so I do it for him. My brother and cousin join in,


    even as I shake my head.


    my


    “I mean,” I say with a shrug, “it was good to have him stand up for me but it’s all stuff I’ve been


    thinking this whole time, isn’t it? That I don’t belong here, that I’m too small, that I’ve literally only


    passed both the candidacy test and the examination because Jackson helped me with both. And it


    sucked to have my ssmates say it out loud, to suggest that I shouldn’t even be allowed to take


    the Chem final.”


    “They just knew you were going to kick their ass in that too,” Jesse says, leaning forward to put a


    hand on my knee. “They are just jealous, Ari. This whole time they’ve been patting themselves on


    the back, telling themselves that they’re tougher than you, sneering at you saying you’d be the first


    to go. And here you fucking are, thriving.”


    “I know,” I sigh, looking between them. “But…I mean, I wouldn’t be thriving without Jackson. Or you


    two. I’d be dead.”


    “Neumann’s right,” Rafe says, sitting down in his chair and considering it. “There’s nothing in the


    rulebook that says you can’t rely on your friends to help you. Everyone just assumes you have to


    muscle through it all alone. When in fact, the best n is probably to gather a strong group of


    people with a lot of broad skills.” He smirks at Jesse and me.” Which is…kind of what we did. Which


    is cool, I think.”


    “Oh yeah, I’ve been so helpful to you two,” I say, sitting back with a sigh, still feeling kind


    crap about it all.


    of


    dia


    “You did help, Ari,” Jesse says, leaning forward with a warm smile. “You are the reason we met


    Daphne, the love of my life, who is obsessed with Rafe. So, thank you for my burgeoning


    heartbreak.”


    Iugh at my cousin, sensing his joke and his sarcasm. “Yeah, I introduced her, and then she


    poisoned us,” I groan, covering my face with my hands.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    “Yeah, we’re going to have to…see what else you can bring to the group, Ari,” Rafe says,


    obviously kidding andughing along with us.


    The door opens, and Benes through, moaning in the same way I was. “I’m dead,” he mutters,


    shaking his head and leaving the door open behind him as hees and slumps down on the


    couch next to me. “I am death, and I’ve departed my body, and now I’m a ghost. Can you see me?


    Am I corporeal?”


    Jesse grins at Ben and pats his knee too. “Your finals go as bad as Ari’s did?”


    Ben frowns and turns to look at me, considering. “Worse, by the looks of it.”


    “Did you fail?” I ask, anxious. He barely skirted through the Examination, I know, and my mom had


    to wound a broken wrist and a twisted ankle before sending him back here. That,bined with a


    failure…


    God, it could be close.


    “No way of knowing,” Ben sighs, resting his head back on the couch. “Hey, do we have any more of


    that wine that knocks you out for twenty–four hours? I could really use some of that


    now.”


    “Yes, can we get Daphne back up here?” I ask, looking longingly at the door, kind of wishing that


    she woulde. I haven’t seen her yet since I’ve been back and I know she’s upset about her role


    in the Examination, that she thinks I’m mad at her. The two of us really need to take a minute to


    chat and renew our friendship.


    “Why don’t you go get her, Ari?” Rafe says, stretching his hands over his head. “Bring her up – tell


    her to bring real wine this time. Finals are over, after all, and it’s ourst night here. We could use a


    little celebration.”


    “Go and get her,” I murmur in confusion, frowning at my big brother. And then my i mind shes to


    the fact that I just walked back from my Chemistry final alone. Though it didn’t bother me at the


    time…I mean, why was I allowed to do that, when my brother and my cousin have basically been


    nking me the entire time we’ve been here? And considering that someone just tried really hard to


    murder me in the Examination? “Wait, what’s going on?” I ask, looking around at them. “Why is…


    why am I suddenly allowed to walk around alone?”