Page 36 of Infala: The Bonding Games
Her new runes should have made her stronger. Faster. But they’d been dealt a bad hand by Chancellor Vinchi. One they couldn’t even say anything about. Sure, it might make the Chancellor look bad, but she would pay the price. No one would take the word of a glorified slave over the ruling elite. And, if what Dorrin said was correct, she could even face penalties far worse than indenture for the offense of incomplete runes despite it not being her doing.
Much as it sucked, she’d have to make do.
Dorrin, however, was looking at her with fresh eyes. Her shortcomings, significant as they were at times, had an explanation now. She was still an unskilled anchor dragging him down, but at least it wasn’t entirely her fault.
“Study the puzzles,” he said between bites, his hands solving them almost absent-mindedly.
While Ziana had never been great with spatial things, Dorrin was a natural. It was almost spooky how easy he made it look. Like a savant, but only with this one thing. Fortunately, after the physical strains of the prior day and night, today’s eventswould be tests of mental acuity and problem solving, rather than physical ones. They wouldn’t be easy though. That wouldn’t please the crowd. But where exciting action lacked, specialized betting pools were now available, and the ever-shifting odds kept the gambling masses thoroughly engaged.
“How is your mind?” he asked as she fumbled through one of the more difficult metal and wood puzzles.
“I’m fine. This is just not my thing.”
“I realize that, and even runes would not help you in this task. To our benefit, however, is the fact that even the elites cannot cheat at this series of events. A puzzle is a puzzle, and while they may be larger than what we practice with, the basics are the same.”
“Wait, larger?”
“Yes. I mentioned this before. These are practice sized. The actual items are as tall as you are.”
She felt a flare of panic. “I can’t lift a hunk of metal as tall as me!”
“Do not worry. They are hollow, and the metal is a very light alloy.”
“And the wood ones?”
“Hollow as well, and typically those pieces are smaller. They take into consideration physical limitations after yesterday’s events, believe me. Enough people dropped out that they cannot risk losing too many today. The games will be far more profitable if a greater number of teams remain until the end.”
“But they will still thin us out.”
“Oh, that they will. But today, at least, will be something of an easy day. Only the worst of us will be culled and eliminated from play. Typically, those who focus solely on physical tasks, ignoring training the mental.”
She didn’t exactly like the sound of what was in store for them, but Ziana supposed it was better than having to run,jump, and climb. Her skin was tender, her joints aching, and her muscles still recovering from all the exertion.
Ziana took a big swig of her smoothie and rolled her stiff shoulders. “Well, then. I guess we’re in for an interesting day.”
As it turned out, it was actually easier than she’d anticipated. The teams were allowed to select which partner would attempt which puzzle, so long as they each completed the same number by the end of the day. That meant they were able to have Dorrin take the difficult ones while Ziana was given the ones she actually knew how to do.
Hers still took some time and effort, but she was actually doing decently. Not setting any records by any means, but she was at least making it to completion, though just under the wire a few times.
Dorrin, on the other hand, was astounding. Sure, he’d shown aptitude for these spatial games while casually fiddling with them over breakfast, but now? Out here with the cheering crowds urging him on, he was absolutely on fire.
Figuratively, of course.
Ziana watched her partner in awe, moving with him to keep the slack in their connecting cable so he could solve the puzzle unhindered. Incredibly, she was almost getting winded by the sheer speed at which he worked. She had never imagined she’d be impressed by a guy solving a puzzle. Saying it out loud would have sounded ridiculous. But this? This was something entirely different. Something special. And the reactions from the crowd only reinforced her realization.
They’re going nuts, she marveled.Like,reallynuts.
Every time Dorrin was up for one of the many puzzles spread about the arena in blocked off sections, the crows shifted to watch him. She noted that the elites seemed particularly annoyed by that, to her great delight. It was when he apparently shattered a record for one of the more confusing puzzles thatshe’d never even gotten close to completing in their practice sessions, that she realized why. They were betting heavily on his performance. And it looked like he was making a lot of gamblers quite rich.
“Done!” he shouted, raising his arms victoriously and waving to the onlookers, a huge smile on his face. And unlike the prior days, this one actually looked real. Unforced. Dorrin was having the time of his life.
“That was impressive,” she said as they trotted off down the shielded pathway toward whatever the next puzzle would be.
“One of my favorites,” he replied with a grin. “But this is also problematic.”
“How so?”
“I’ve done the majority of the early ones as they have been quite difficult.”
