Page 187 of The Wishing Game

He grunts, seemingly not too pleased with the prospect.

"Of course you're invited to join us, Luce. My parents are wonderful, and you'll also get to meet our sister," Thea exclaims.

"You have another sister?"

"She's the youngest." She smiles fondly. "It's actually the first time I'm away from her for so long, so I can't wait to see her."

"I'd love to. Thank you," I tell her sincerely.

We don't get to talk for much longer as I announce that I'm going to sleep. The fatigue is starting to get to me, and I'll need all my strength for what's to come.

I bid them good night and plan to regroup in the morning. Thea surprises me by saying that I can have the room all to myself for tonight and she'll just sleep in the same room as Cer. I don't refuse since I've been craving some alone time from the beginning.

As I go to my room, I change and take a quick shower before getting between the sheets. Yet despite being so tired, sleep doesn't come so easily. Not after everything that happened today.

Ze and Cer are out of the competition, leaving Thea and me in a team of two to fend for ourselves. If before I was contemplating going into the third trial by myself, now I'm wondering if we'll manage just the two of us. It's a little jarring to realize just how much I was depending on the others to win. And if that's the case, what does that say about me?

That you're human, a voice inside my head whispers.

I might be human, but I need to rise above my condition if I am to pass the third trial. Who knows what they'll ask of us, and for that reason, I need to amass as much information as possible and to get myself in better physical shape.

There are only two weeks left until it starts—notenough time. But I must make do.

I nod to myself as my conviction grows stronger. I might not have any fancy abilities, but I shall win based on my sheer will alone. Besides, now I have one more reason to fight until the end. I trace the marks on my chest, thinking back to what Ze said—that these are marks made by a god. The only way to find out what they mean and why I have them is to get to the final trial and meet thesegods.

Curiosity brims inside of me as I wonder if, maybe, these marks I've so dreadfully abhorred my entire life might have another meaning. If they have a purpose that I may not be aware of.

A smile pulls at my lips as my mind strays into fanciful territory, imagining that the marks might make me special in some way.

I've never been special before.

But at the same time, I don't want to get my hopes up. This isn't a movie or a romance book where the heroine gets her happily ever after. This is the real world, with real challenges and dangers. If I let myself dream in vain, only I will be hurt in the end.

As I think about the way my marks lit up when Ze touched them, I can't stop my thoughts from straying to him and consequently remembering the deep disappointment I felt at his betrayal.

Itrustedhim, and he took advantage of that. And if what Thea's saying is true, he's been doing this from the beginning.

Just what was his goal with this competition?

Why was he so nice to me, only to turn around and be...not so nice?

I just cannot understand any of it. His behavior is contradictory, his words even more so.

"Why did you make me care for you, Ze?" I sigh to myself as I turn to the side, hugging the pillow to my chest.

My chest is heavy with hurt, my heart aching when I think of all the vile things he said to me.

I do not want to see you win.

Why? Why would he say something like that when he knows how important this game is to me? Why would he help me during this trial, saving me repeatedly if he didn't want me to win? I just cannot make sense of any of it.

"Ugh!" I cry out, banging my fist against my chest.

It's not worth it. Stop thinking about it, Luce. Just focus on Nikki.

Unfortunately, it's easier said than done. As I close my eyes and drift off to sleep, it's not Nikki that I dream about. It's Ze and those precious moments we shared on our trip.

FORTY

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