Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Placing second meant they didn't have to face the Jackals again, fortunately. Up until the semifinals, spring games ran in even and odd brackets. The odd-ranked teams would play on Friday nights, and the evens would play on Saturdays.
Nicky spoke up right on cue. "Thank god we're not playing the odds again. We might actually have a chance this year."
"We'll make it," Dan said. "We have to. We owe the Ravens a rematch."
The Hornets exchanged pitying looks but didn't comment. Caterers piled the tables high with food and the teams dug in. Dinner conversation was loud and excited. Kevin joined in if the conversation veered toward Exy, stayed out of it when it didn't, and kept sending furtive looks at the Ravens' table. Neil didn't speak unless spoken to and kept most of his attention on Kevin. He was halfway through dinner before he realized he had yet to speak to Renee.
"Sorry," he said.
Renee sent him a curious look. "Why?"
"I'm not trying to ignore you."
"It's all right if you do," Renee said. "Kevin needs you more than I do."
Neil nodded gratitude for her understanding. Renee smiled and struck up a conversation with the Hornets across from them. Neil finally let himself look across the room at the Ravens, the first time he'd sought them out since they first stepped onto the court. The Ravens were up to their usual tricks, it seemed: all of them had come single and in matching black outfits. The women wore identical garnet necklaces and the men wore blood-red ties. That was as festive as the Ravens got, Neil guessed.
Dinner gave way to games so they could digest, and then every table but one was carted off the court. The caterers returned laden with punch bowls and plastic cups. Pounding music replaced Christmas carols and the court became a dance floor. The teams broke apart to party. For most of them the season was over, and they obviously wanted to go out with a bang.
Aaron and Katelyn were the first to disappear into the crowd. Nicky hesitated, but he'd brought a date and wouldn't really be much good if Riko stirred up trouble, so Neil waved off his concern. When Nicky left, so did Allison, and Allison dragged Renee with her. Matt and Dan were the last to leave and they stuck to the outskirts of the crowd where they could keep an eye on Kevin and Neil. Neil was amused by their protective streak and wondered if they'd do the same if Andrew was still here. Somehow he doubted it.
Wymack didn't swing by this time to make them socialize, so Neil and Kevin kept away from the crowd. Kevin was in no mood to celebrate and Neil didn't want to be surrounded by so many people. He wouldn't see Riko coming and it'd be too easy to lose sight of Kevin. Instead they guarded the drinks table and nursed their punch.
It took half an hour before Riko caught up to them, but he came like they both knew he would. Jean wasn't far behind him. Kevin froze with his cup at his lips when he spotted the pair. Neil stepped forward to put himself between Riko and Kevin. Riko smiled at that bravado, but it wasn't a happy expression. It was more the look of a psychotic child who'd found a small animal to torture: one-quarter pleased and three-quarters hungry.
"Your lack of survival instincts is supremely distressing," Riko said. "Take that look off your face before I carve it off."
Neil hadn't realized he was smiling too, a cruel look he'd inherited from his father. Neil lowered his cup so Riko could get a better look at it. "I would love to see you try. You think I'm afraid of your knife? I'm the Butcher's son."
"That's three strikes." Riko dragged a finger across his throat and rolled his head against his gesture. "I am disappointed in you, Kevin. You promised the master you would take care of this. Obviously you have not, and I am very curious as to why."
"He tried," Neil said. "It didn't take."
Riko pressed a thumb to Neil's cheekbone, in the same spot where the three had their numbered tattoos. "Do us all a favor and do not speak again. Your insolence has already cost you two teammates. You cannot even imagine what is coming next."
Hearing Riko confirm he'd orchestrated Seth's death made Neil sick with anger. Andrew and Kevin had said it, but Wymack had written it off as paranoia. Neil hadn't believed Andrew because he hadn't wanted to, but that what-if had followed him all semester.
Neil held up his free hand and showed Riko his steady fingers. "I'm shaking with fear."
"You should be," Riko said. "You think you can defy me because I am not your father, but you are forgetting one very important fact: I am the family your father was afraid of. And yes, Nathaniel, he was very afraid."
Neil lowered his hand and leaned close. "Not of you," he said, with fierce emphasis. "You're not part of that family, remember? You're the cast-off."
He hoped it would hit, but he didn't realize how deep it would cut. He'd never seen that look on Riko's face but he knew he'd signed his death warrant.
"Jean," Riko said without looking away from Neil, "take Kevin and leave us."
"Go see Matt," Neil said when Kevin hesitated.
"Now," Riko insisted.
Jean gave Riko a wide berth and seized Kevin's arm. Neil watched Jean drag Kevin away as fast as they could go without attracting too much attention. Dan and Matt noticed, of course, and moved to intercept them. Jean went still at their approach but held onto Kevin like his life depended on it. Matt started for Neil and Riko, but Kevin clapped a hand to his shoulder to stop him. When Matt roughly shrugged him off, Neil waved at Matt to keep back. The look on Matt's face said he didn't approve of this plan at all, but he kept his distance.
Neil dragged his attention back to Riko's face. "I think I hit a nerve."