Loclen rolled the smoky gray stone in between her fingers before looking up at me and Prevna. Her expression had become more suspicious than relieved and excited. “Why me?”
Prevna settled back onto her cushion on the landing above the library. “You’re tall, so you could have accidentally run into or seen where the stone was hidden. You’ve already found two stones so it wouldn’t be odd for you to find another one and you go to the library more than the rest of us, other than Gimley.”
“You think that no one will suspect me of hiding the stone unlike you.” Loclen glanced toward me.
I drew in a calming breath. “If they do it’ll be a lot easier to dissuade them from the idea than if I claimed finding the stone.”
“But you did.”
“Yes.”
Loclen rolled the stone between her hands some more, considering our proposal. By the time Prevna arrived on my side of the Seed Landing to deliver my next meal I had determined she was the best target. Ulo and her group would likely still suspect something if I asked Prevna, Dera, or Wren to pass off the stone’s discovery as their own. The others would think I could strong arm them into accepting the deal and they didn’t spend enough time in or around the library to make the discovery realistic. The amount of time they came to eat with me though would make the connection pretty easy to draw.
Choosing Loclen also had that same trouble, but it wasn’t a secret that she seemed to feel a kind of rivalry with me. That could be leveraged to point towards the fact that she wouldn’t agree to a deal with me. I thought she still would, however, because she was ambitious and smart enough to recognize the importance of becoming Sprouts and gaining our first boon as soon as possible.
I decided against Breck because she didn’t seem like the type who would take well to being asked to take credit for someone else’s accomplishment. Juniper and her group weren’t in the running either because the younger girl always seemed to have her own secret plan that I couldn’t trust and, even if I did trust her, I couldn’t trust that Idra wouldn’t get it in her head to be difficult and spill the truth. Ento was another unknown quantity. They were together enough that the risk wasn’t worth it.
Loclen reached out and dropped the stone in space between us. It bounced once and then rolled a little before coming to rest. “No.”
My eyebrows drew together in consternation. “But—”
She cut me off. “I’m not going to place myself in a position again where you can shove me out of the playing field only for you to run out a short while later. I don’t need the threat of someone finding out the truth hanging over my head or to be at your mercy. I’m not so lacking in accomplishments that I need to take credit for yours.”
Frustration boiled in my stomach but what I couldn’t shove down I used to bolster my focus. If I had learned anything in my childhood when it came persuasion it was that words did nothing if you flung them around without any concern for who you were talking to. Everyone had their hooks; you just had pay close enough attention to use them. I wasn’t always the best at keeping my temper in check to pick my words, but sometimes twisting a hook enough to hurt was just as good as using it to pull someone to your side of an argument.
Loclen was still bitter about how the first game of Hunter’s Quarry had played out and she didn’t want to owe me anything. She didn’t want to be thought of as incompetent.
I could understand that. I could use it.
The words hurt to say but I made myself say them anyway. “I would owe the favor, not you. You’re the one who can pull this off the best that’s why I decided to approach you. Don’t you want to reach the next stage of training as soon as possible?”
Loclen paused from where she had been starting to rise to glare at me. “Your favors aren’t worth much.” I don’t think she meant to add the next part because it came out with a venom that even seemed to surprise her. “And you still aren’t taking me seriously. If I see anyone else claiming credit for the stone I’ll let everyone know the truth. Deal with this yourself.”
“What happened to the importance of working together to become better whisper women?” I spat.
She finished standing up. “I thought you could take care of yourself? We can work together when you stop looking down your nose at everybody as tools you can use.” Loclen turned to Prevna. “I don’t know why you hang around her so much. It can’t be pleasant.”
Prevna shrugged and smiled wryly. “She’s an acquired taste.”
Loclen let out a derisive snort and swept away back toward to the garden.
I growled down at the offending stone. “Why’d she even come eat with us so much if that’s what she thought?”
Prevna gave me a look somewhere between concern and amusement. “You’re not the only one at those meals.” She let that small, needling point sink in before adding, “I think she did want to be your friend though. She spent a while looking for you that time you missed morning practice. Probably why it hurt more each it time you dismissed her.”
I crossed my arms, feeling stubborn. “I didn’t dismiss her.”
Prevna burst out laughing. More loudly than I thought was strictly necessary. “You dismiss everyone.”
“You keep coming back.”
Prevna just gave me a look that said we both knew that she shouldn’t be used as an example of typical behavior.
After a short silence I accused, “You’re the one who said I should have someone else take credit for the stone.”
“I didn’t think you’d picked Loclen.”
“You didn’t say anything before you went to go get her.”
“Didn’t think she’d react that badly either.”
I rubbed my forehead. “So what now?”
Prevna shrugged again. “Take credit. Things’ll only go worse if you don’t.”
“They’ll think I hid it.”
Prevna bumped my shoulder with her own. “So convince them that you didn’t. Or that it doesn’t matter or challenge Ulo to some competition and beat her. Nii and Andhi will probably follow her lead and she’s too honor bound to go against a promise.”
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I picked up the gray stone and glared at it. “This isn’t going to go well.”
Prevna rolled her eyes and got up. “Positive thoughts.”
“Do you think Ulo would agree to a contest to see who can recite a story more accurately?”
“You should probably work on your spearwork.”
I sighed and got up as well, knowing she was right.
- -
Wren and Prevna spread the word that the last stone had been found and got everyone gathered together on the wide landing above the library the next day during their lunch break. Apparently, Ulo had tried to push for having the meeting at the usual tiered seating spot so I wouldn’t be included, but enough of the others thought that it was more practical to have the meeting closer to where we would need to go that the new location won out.
We all stood or sat in our own separate groups. Ulo, Nii and Andhi kept close to the path leading back to the rest of the Seed Landing. All standing. Juniper, Ento, and Idra were off to their right keeping a close counsel but all seated on cushions. Breck stood near them, but not quite close enough enough to be counted among their group. Wren, Loclen, and Dera sat across from them.
Loclen was purposefully ignoring me while Dera kept shooting me uncertain glances. Chirp twittered from Wren’s shoulder and she rubbed his head. Prevna and I kept near the hidden path down to the library. She was lounging on a cushion while I couldn’t quite bring myself to sit down despite the fact that I knew it would make me look more relaxed and confident.
Once everyone was a settled as they were going to get, and had finished eating the quick meal they had brought from the cooking area, Wren took center stage.
When she spoke, she did her best not to keep her back on anyone for too long. “We all know why we are gathered here. The last stone has been found, so now we just have to agree to work together so that we can see what is hidden on the other side of the staircase wall.” She shot a pointed look at me and then Ulo as she talked about working together before she continued on, “If you have a stone show it now so we can confirm that we have the right number.”
I pulled out the clear stone that Juniper had given me and the gray stone with as much indifference as I could muster. Andhi pulled out her stone across the way at the same time. It glinted a bright magenta in the sunlight. Breck got her onyx stone out and held it out proudly. It took Wren, Dera, and Loclen longer to get their hoard where everyone could see them.
Twelve stones and twelve of us. The numbers were on point if their theory was correct.
“Why does she have two?” Ulo’s voice snapped out across the platform.
Juniper tilted her head slightly to the side. “She earned the one we found. The better question might be why you have none?”
I blinked. I hadn’t expected Juniper to start the argument off.
Ulo crossed her arms. “We were diligent with our training.”
Idra snickered. “Funny that wouldn’t have been worth much without the stones everyone else found.”
Ulo glared her. Idra pretended not to notice.
Wren quickly drew everyone’s attention again as she and Dera started handing stones out.
“There’s no point in fighting. Everyone needs to hold a stone in place for this to work and we all want to earn our first boon right?”
I handed the clear stone to Prevna who took it with a nod of recognition to Juniper. Ulo stood stiffly with the stone that Wren had made her take. “We don’t know if that’s what this is for.”
Prevna grinned at her. “Find another puzzle spanning the landing and not tell us about it?”
Nii stepped forward. “No, but that doesn’t mean this is for that.”
I held back my comment that it certainly narrowed down the possibilities while Prevna kept up her casual air. “Only one way to find out.”
Ulo pointed at me. “I’m not doing anything that involves her. She probably hid the last stone until now.”
“For what?” The question burst from my lips. “Why I would waste my time hiding a stone when I couldn’t move on without all of them being found? Why would I wait until yesterday to reveal it?”
Ulo’s hand clenched around her stone. “You tell us. You’re life ridden, lazy degenerate who causes problems for everyone.”
Well, it hadn’t taken long to get to the heart of the problem. I glowered at her. “I’m not the one causing problems right now. I’m quite fine with placing my stone in the wall with everyone else.”
Ulo looked like she wanted to kill me. While that wasn’t possible, I couldn’t say that the possibility of knocking her out didn’t have a certain ring to it.
She said, “You’re hiding something. There’s something in it for you.”
I couldn’t help laughing at that. “There’s something in it for everyone. Unless you don’t want to move up the ranks? I’ll show you the way to the scroll for those who have failed out if you want to add your name to it.”
“I challenge you.” Ulo’s free hand was feeling for a spear that wasn’t there. “If I beat you in a fight then you have to the leave the Seedling Palace. You don’t deserve to be here.”
I was careful to make sure only flippant disrespect showed on my face. “As if you have the authority to make that happen.”
“Jin does.”
The storming bitch. “Fine. If I win you and your little cohort will place your stones in the wall without a word of complaint and you’ll get down on your hands and knees and apologize to me.”
It wasn’t anywhere near equal in terms of punishment but I knew Ulo was too proud take my demand calmly and I needed every advantage I could in a fight. I wasn’t terrible, but I doubted I had as much sheer practice as my opponent.
Ulo charged me.
Neither of us had spears. I had been careful to leave mine near the bench so that she couldn’t use it as an excuse to get hers. I tossed Prevna the gray stone and went low. I slammed into Ulo’s gut before she had a chance to punch me. The air went out of her as she was slammed a second time against the ground and I tried to gain control of her arms.
She had the advantage in reach and height and sheer dedication to physical activities. I had the advantage of surprise and initiative. I didn’t intend to lose it.
Ulo struggled to get out from under me. One of her elbows clipped me in the shoulder as I pinned her other arm against her side with my leg. She kneed me in the thigh. I headbutted her in face.
Her head lolled for a moment and I forced myself to ignore the blooming pain from my own forehead to flip her over with goal to pin her down with a knee in her back. She got me with her elbow again once she was on her side. Across the cheek this time.
I punched her back.
That gave her the time she needed to shove me off her and get up, panting. I got back to my feet a second later. Just in time for her to kick me in the side. I staggered but didn’t fall and went to grapple her again.
More punches, more elbows. She stomped on my foot. I got a hold of her hair. Yanking viciously to the side I took her back down to the ground. It might not have been fair but it was effective. I kneed her in the side and her defense crumpled further. I did it again before I managed to pin her to the ground. She struggled to get free, so I snatched at the hand she was trying to claw me with and wretched it back at an angle I knew would hurt.
“Give up or we see how far back your arm can go.”
She growled. She tried to twist free. I pressed her head further into the hard wood of the platform and pulled her hand closer towards me. We stayed like for several long moments as Ulo gritted her teeth against the pain. It was only when I started to pull further that she gave in.
“Stop. I give up. I—”
I let go of her and got up. I didn’t need to hear whatever else she had to say. My face and torso throbbed with pain from her blows but it was nowhere near as bad as when I had fallen from the thin paths. I could ignore it.
Ulo took longer getting up, Andhi rushing over to her. Ulo waved her off. She faced me, still on her knees before bowing her head in my direction. Ulo didn’t lower her eyes and they were furious but she still bit out the words. “I’m sorry.”
It sounded more like a threat than anything else but I didn’t press the situation further by making her do it again. She was likely too proud to bear that and we still needed to get the stones in place. The vindictive satisfaction from knowing I had won would have to be enough.
Really, I was little surprised at how well I had done. Granted, if Ulo had been thinking straight or considered me a bigger threat when it came to fighting, it likely wouldn’t have gone nearly so well, but I would take what I could get.
Prevna handed me my stone back.
I looked around the various groups then. “Ready to go? Or does someone else want to try their luck?”
Prevna stood next to me and slung an arm across my shoulders. “I think a boon from the goddess is more pressing than testing your fighting skills, Gimley.”
Breck looked over from where she was already heading toward the path that led to the stairs.
“Maybe next time.”
Everyone else followed her lead. Wren and Dera made sure that they, at least, were between me and Ulo’s group as we all headed toward the covered stairs.