Page 64 of Honour Bound
‘Fair enough.’
We fell silent as the first group – the Moncrieffes, Scrymgeours and Kincaids – stepped up. A Carnegie tied black masks around each person’s head. Byron turned to me just before the mask hid his eyes and I caught a flash of emerald before they were covered up and he was led away with the others to a waiting vehicle.
‘There go the winners,’ Angus said, without a trace of rancour. ‘I’m surprised they didn’t change the order after your showing in Artistry.’
I shrugged. ‘I’m surprised you’re not more bothered about your place. You got a decent score too.’
‘Not decent enough. No one expects me to win and I know I’m not going to.’
‘So why take part?’
‘You know the answer to that already.’ He raised his voice. ‘Honour, darling. It’s all about honour.’
I was really starting to hate that word.
Enjoyable as Angus’s company was, it wasn’t easy waiting around before we were called to go. With twenty minutes between each group setting off, I regretted not staying behind in the cabin so I could snooze. The fact that everyone was called up in groups of three also worried me. When the MacQuarries were called along with Angus, and I was the only person left standing, those worries were confirmed: the Carnegies were making up for their failure to keep me at the bottom of the league table the day before. Whether I wanted to team up with others or not, they were making the choice for me. I tried to keep my expression blank; I wouldn’t let them see how much their decision to separate me from everyone else rankled.
By the time I was motioned forward, my veins were buzzing with the need to get started. Let them do what they wanted, I decided. I submitted to the blindfold, although the official who tied it made the bindings uncomfortably tight. Roughly, he led me outside. I heard an engine running and I was pushed unceremoniously into a vehicle. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought I was being kidnapped.
I concentrated as the car moved off, listening to the sounds and trying to note the twists and turns but the journey was too long and, without my sight, I was soon lost. I estimated that well over an hour passed by the time we came to a halt.
The same rough hands hauled me out. I felt the crunch of snow beneath my feet and I shivered.
‘Count to twenty,’ a gruff voice said. ‘Then remove the mask.’
I wrapped my arms around my body and started to count. A bitterly cold wind assailed the exposed parts of my skin. I listened hard as the car drove away, gears squealing, then there was nothing but me and the elements. That was odd: I’d expected to hear some noise from the other competitors.
The moment I reached twenty, I tugged at the blindfold. With the brilliant white of the landscape, it was difficult at first to adjust my vision. When I finally looked around, my heart sank. Bugger those Sidhe.
It was clear that I was in a bad situation. There was no sign of the three hills which I’d seen on the map and neither were there any tracks from previous competitors or drones. The only signs of life were the tracks from the car which had just left. Uneasiness trickled through me as I scanned the barren landscape, searching around in case this ended up being an ambush rather than a competition. It appeared, however, that I was completely alone.
‘Bob!’ I hissed. He didn’t answer. I drew out the letter opener and shook it. ‘Bob!’
There was the familiar flash of light and he appeared, blinking and yawning. ‘What is it?’
‘Haven’t you been paying attention? The second challenge has started. I need you alert in case I have to make a wish.’
He shook himself. ‘Are you going to make a wish?’
‘Not yet.’
‘Well then,’ he huffed. ‘I’m going back to my beauty sleep.’ He looked me up and down. ‘Something you should consider too.’
‘Bob, this isn’t the time. Pay attention. Where are we exactly?’
‘Unless you say the magic words, Uh Integrity, I’m not going to tell you.’
I counted to ten in my head. ‘Really? Because if you take a look around, you’ll see that we’re smack bang in the middle of a frozen wasteland. Just me and you. If I die of hypothermia, how long do you think you’ll lie here before someone picks you up? One year? Five? Maybe,’ I said with an evil grin, ‘it’ll be decades.’
‘Uh Integrity,’ Bob said petulantly, ‘I don’t know why you feel the need to torment me. I have done nothing but help you. Without me, you would be nothing.’
‘An ugly nothing.’
He nodded. ‘Exactly. Although if you’d take my beauty tips we could sort out the ugly part.’
‘Thanks,’ I said.
He peered at me. ‘Are you being sarcastic?’
