BooksBarbecue
Back The Wishing Game Save as PDF
Chapters (66)
  1. PREFACE
  2. Full Page Image
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. One week ago
  6. THREE
  7. Present day
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. EIGHTEEN
  23. NINETEEN
  24. TWENTY
  25. TWENTY-ONE
  26. TWENTY-TWO
  27. TWENTY-THREE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR
  29. TWENTY-FIVE
  30. TWENTY-SIX
  31. TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. TWENTY-NINE
  34. THIRTY
  35. THIRTY-ONE
  36. THIRTY-TWO
  37. THIRTY-THREE
  38. THIRTY-FOUR
  39. THIRTY-FIVE
  40. THIRTY-SIX
  41. THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. THIRTY-NINE
  44. FORTY
  45. FORTY-ONE
  46. FORTY-TWO
  47. FORTY-THREE
  48. FORTY-FOUR
  49. FORTY-FIVE
  50. FORTY-SIX
  51. FORTY-SEVEN
  52. FORTY-EIGHT
  53. FORTY-NINE
  54. FIFTY
  55. FIFTY-ONE
  56. FIFTY-TWO
  57. FIFTY-THREE
  58. FIFTY-FOUR
  59. FIFTY-FIVE
  60. FIFTY-SIX
  61. FIFTY-SEVEN
  62. FIFTY-EIGHT
  63. FIFTY-NINE
  64. SIXTY
  65. SIXTY-ONE
  66. SIXTY-TWO

"Because it was not a good lie in the first place," he shoots back. "Harpies," he snorts. "It is little wonder that you have failed your exams five times already."

Thea's eyes widen with hurt. She blinks slowly as she nibbles at her lip.

"Ze! That was uncalled for." Cer shoots him a look—the first time he's been anything but deferential with him.

"Stop bullying my friend, Ze," I intervene in a stern tone. "You are being mean for no reason."

"I am only speaking the truth," he points out matter-of-factly.

"Sometimes it's better to be silent than be so insensitive."

He looks down at me, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"You think I am insensitive?" he asks in a low voice.

"That's an understatement." I roll my eyes. "You've been behaving abysmally the entire morning. What's gotten into you?" I ask, exasperated with his behavior. In the past, I might have seen his cluelessness about the world as cute. But this is straight-up mean.

He blinks slowly.

"I see. I shall attempt to be more sensitive, then." He nods, pursing his lips.

"I think you owe us an apology."

TWENTY-EIGHT

He looks at Thea, a soft warning in his gaze. Turning back to me, he simply stares at me for moments on end, his mouth opening and closing as if it's physically hurting him to say the words.

"I," he starts, swallowing in discomfort. I lean into him, ready to hear the magic words. "I—" He clears his throat, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"Welcome to P'davi," a voice resounds from the stage, saving Ze from having to swallow his pride and, God forbid, apologize!

Shaking my head at him, I turn my attention to the stage. I should have known he wouldn't be capable of an apology—he who wastes no time in pointing out how inferior the rest of us are compared to him. I blow out an annoyed breath as I try to calm myself down. It's not worth it to get so incensed over him. Not when I have more pressing things to focus on—like getting ready for the second trial.

Ze puts his hands on my back, his big body a barrier between me and the rest of the crowd. In an unprecedented gesture, he leans down, placing his chin on my shoulder, his mouth angled toward my ear.

"I apologize," he whispers in a barely audible voice. The crowd is so raucous that for a moment I think I'm imagining things. "Will you forgive me?"

I swallow, the heat of his body seeping into mine.

Never did I expect him to actually apologize.

"Do you promise to try to be nicer?" I murmur, looking straight ahead and ignoring his proximity.

There's a pause as he breathes deeply, blowing hot air into my ear.

"For you." He sighs, his voice low and gravelly.