Page 14 of Honour Bound
‘No – but you can use a variation of it as long as it’s not the original thing.’
I shook my head. I shouldn’t have felt disgusted because I’d never been an Adair by name; when I ran away from the Sidhe and their damned Clans, I took Taylor’s name as my own. But banning my own Clan’s tartan seemed like spitting in my face. ‘They’re really going all out to wipe any trace of the Adairs off the planet.’
Speck gave an uncomfortable smile. ‘Sorry.’
‘It’s hardly your fault.’ I sighed. ‘Is that all?’
This time his grin was wider. ‘No. I managed to hack into the Cruaich’s system.’ He held up his palms. ‘Before you say anything, I didn’t go near any of the secrets ? I think the Carnegies are keeping those to themselves. But I did access all the information which the other Clans have already received and which the Carnegies neglected to send to you.’
‘I don’t think they’re expecting me to turn up and resurrect the Adairs. In fact, they’re probably hoping that I’ll crawl back beneath the rock they found me under so they can pretend I don’t exist. They certainly won’t want me at the Games.’
‘Byron Moncrieffe seemed to expect you to attend.’
I ignored the slight flutter I felt and focused on what was important. ‘What did you find out?’
‘The opening ceremony will take place on the tenth. It’s the second new moon after the Winter Solstice. It’s also…’
‘Chinese New Year,’ I finished. ‘Is there a link to the Zupu?’ I asked, referring to the Chinese version of our Clans.
‘Not as far as I can tell. I think the ceremony’s always been then. With a new challenge starting every two days and time allowed for the opening ceremony and the prize giving, the Games last for a week. You receive points for how highly you’re placed in each challenge. There’s a sort of league table displayed at the Cruaich’s main door which keeps the tally. Each Clan can field up to five Sidhe but each challenge is a competition for individuals so only one person can win.’
‘No prizes for the runner-up then,’ I said drily. ‘And the challenges themselves?’
‘Taylor was right: Artistry, Adventure and Acumen. You’re allowed to bring one object into the arena for each one. Details of the Artistry challenge have already been sent out so the competitors can prepare.’
He lapsed into silence. Lexie and I stared at him.
‘Well?’ she demanded.
‘Well what?’
‘What is the Artistry challenge?’ I asked. ‘If the others are preparing for it then I need to get ready too.’
Speck dropped his head. ‘You understand that if you do poorly in one challenge you can still make up points in the others. You don’t have to come first in everything. No one ever does.’
‘Speck,’ I said, using my best warning tone, ‘what is the challenge?’
Taylor appeared in the doorway and watched us with interest. Speck looked at him for help but he’d already been rescued once today; it wasn’t going to happen again.
Speck sighed. ‘The Artistry challenge will involve music.’ He crossed his arms defensively. ‘Don’t shoot the messenger.’
I paled. ‘Music? Oh, shite.’
Lexie gazed at me in dismay. ‘You’re screwed.’
‘With time to prepare, I might manage it. Taylor can sing, he could teach me.’ I turned to him.
His eyes were wide with alarm. ‘No, no, no, no, no. We’ve been down that road before. My ears are still bleeding.’
I frowned at him. ‘That was eight years ago, Taylor. I was only a teenager.’ He gestured to his ears, wincing as if in terrible pain. ‘You’re a crappy actor,’ I told him.
‘And you’re tone deaf. A block of wood has more rhythm than you.’
Brochan wandered into the kitchen, oblivious to our glares, and slumped shoulders. He filled a glass with water before realising anything was wrong. ‘What’s up?’
‘Artistry,’ Speck said glumly. ‘It’s the first challenge. Tegs is supposed to prepare something musical.’
Brochan went pale too. ‘Ah.’ He put the glass down carefully. ‘The Adair lands aren’t really that important to you, are they, Tegs? I mean, they’re covered in salt and they’re right next to the Veil. They’ll be more trouble than they’re worth. I vote we all stay here and have a party instead.’
