Page 192 of Wolf Roulette
“I see myself throwing everything into protecting the tribe against demons and witches. For those of us who dread the game ending, the new focus will bring comfort.”
Fighting demons and witches brought hercomfort. I wasn’t sure the tribe realised how resilient they were sometimes.
“Head Steward?”
I turned to Heather. “Hey.”
“How does this go on the oxygen display again? Ha!”
Pascal nearly dropped her tablet at the woman’s nervous, barking laugh.
I crouched by the steward’s oxygen tank and studied the full reading. “Got the sticker? It goes directly over top.”
Heather peeled off the back, and I held the tank as she placed the sticker. Now, it appeared as though her tank was nearly out of oxygen.
Sascha was the master at using such tactics against us. He put his wolves in the trees so we couldn’t shoot them without risking points. He sent them into water without tanks, so we had to divert huge numbers to ensure pack members didn’t drown.
It was beyond time we used a similar strategy against him.
Without killing my stewards.
Everyone would go in with a fake tank. They were under instructions to show any attacking Luthers the dial.
It wouldn’t stop the pack shooting us, but the trick would put them at the same disadvantage. Until they figured it out. Hopefully the guise would hold for half the game.
Heather lugged her tank away.
I opened my saxophone case.
“That was an ingenious addition to our strategy,” Pascal murmured.
How did she look at meandthe tablet? That’s what I wanted to know.
“The saxophone? Thanks, but Rhona gave me the idea.”
I assembled the instrument and held it by the bell.
Ready to play?Booker said.
Guess so. Are you ready to do your part?We’d both be forced out of our comfort zones in the next two hours.
I’d play the saxophone to deliver orders to the swimming Ni Tiaki tonight—something that would solve our massive communication problems in this grid.
After the talk with Rhona, picking up my sax felt easier. Because she was right.
I was only so angry at Ragna because I’d loved her so much.
Yes, an explanation would have helped me understand the gambling and low moods and her inability to care for me. Yet by keeping secrets, she’d attempted to protect me from a brother she strongly suspected of killing the love of her life.
Could I be sure that my actions would be any different in that situation?
She’d done her best while carrying the horrible burden after Murphy’s death. And when cancer appeared to take her away, she’d fought it. Forme.
I’d been the second love of her life.
Playing to potentially end the game that drove Ragna and Murphy from their home felt…right.
In another world, she’d be beside me now, clad in a wetsuit and placing a fake sticker on her tank. She would have supported me through everything in the last few months. Grey-streaked auburn hair flowing free. Emerald eyes filled with mischief and dreams.