Petal tried to remain calm and impassive as he watched from the prime seating reserved for the Sect leaders directly in front of the tower but high enough to watch the crowds below. Once the Champions had entered, the Servants outside the tower had returned to their roles of serving the others who all watched in excitement as the Champions prepared.

  Observing the selection that Salman had chosen simply made him sick to his stomach. Picking elders and children that were deemed too much of a burden for the man to deal with was both an affront to the concept of Champions and simply a vile disregard for anything resembling compassion. If nothing else came from the crazy rebellious pns he was privy to, he hoped he could argue for the removal of Salman as the Servants’ Sect leader after this obvious disregard for the lives he sent in.

  He was relieved that the theme of tools was a more reliable one for survival than st Season’s, but he was still nervous about the oncoming sughter. Petal had joined the Pleasure Sect to escape the cruel brutality of the Pain Sect in the first pce and being forced to smile and watch that same sentiment unfold before him as entertainment felt like a twisted form of torture.

  As leader of his Sect, though, he understood how important it was for him to py the role of devotee to the gods and their precious tower. That didn’t stop him from making moves in the shadows to undermine it all, however.

  Already, he knew they had achieved a minor victory by getting a few rebels seeded into the Champions. Petal hoped the one from his own Sect survived long enough to be of help, but there was never any guarantee in the tower of tributions. He was just gd they were well aware of the risk and hadn’t made him feel guilty for potentially condemning them to death.

  “Is my pretty petal enjoying the festivities so far?” Aina said almost seductively as she slid over to sit in his p.

  “Of course, my dark temptress,” he replied, easily slipping his arms around her leather-cd waist. It was convenient for them to put on this familiar show in public. Pretending to be Aina’s frequent night companion, kept anyone from questioning too deeply why they spent time together so often.

  They knew better than to use the Whisper signs here to communicate more, but they could still speak in double-meanings and subtle gnces. “I know it’s going to get much more exciting once those gates open and the competition truly begins, but I always found this preparation stage fascinating,” he said, adjusting himself slightly to pull her closer. “I like listening to them debate and wonder what’s going through their minds as they ponder the best choice for survival.”

  “Not all of them make the smart choice, do they?” she replied, gncing over at the rge floating illusions in the sky dispying the various preparation rooms as each team finished selecting their first Aspects.

  “No, but some of them might turn out surprising,” he answered, nodding towards the Servants. “Who would have guessed that perfume would have granted such a coveted healing capability?”

  She trilled a ugh, nuzzling into his neck as she pyfully whispered, “Or that the Worker’s little cheater would choose glue for her first Aspect. Though, she did strike me as smart earlier when she nervously asked for survival tips from my little shadow.”

  Petal’s eyes went wide for only a brief moment at that revetion. Having a Worker’s Champion actually fighting for their cause was fantastic news. Any help they could gain from inside a Sect meant greater chances for helping the unexpected addition survive and reach the top.

  “I was slightly surprised you offered up your little shadow as a Champion, but I’m sure it’s all part of your meticulous pnning.”

  She gently brushed her lips against his as she gave a slight moan and whispered, “You know me so well. Is it still too early for us to retire for the night?”

  “Tiger’s balls, girl,” Buster loudly grunted from the seat nearby. “Keep it in your pants until at least the Midnight Tally. I want you to see how my Champion wipes the floor with all of yours. I’d even bet on it and wager my favorite sword.”

  Aina gave the other woman a pyful pout. “Quit ruining my fun mood, Busty.”

  “I’ve told you not to call me that,” the Fighter grumbled, gring daggers at her.

  “But that’s what you are!” she teased, grabbing her own armored breasts for emphasis. “Yours are so much bigger than mine! It’s not fair at all that you get to be so busty and I’m left to beg for attention from our lovely flower here.”

  Buster merely rolled her eyes. “Oh, grow up, you lusty tart. We both know you don’t beg for anything.”

  Petal ughed at that. “That she doesn’t. I’ll happily offer the pleasure she craves. Don’t tell me you don’t want Lavender to come visit you ter tonight, though. You do pn to celebrate after your boy got Blessed by the Lion today, yes?”

  A faint blush crossed the rough woman’s cheeks, but she nodded. “Getting all of our Champions Blessed was an unforeseen boon for us. I look forward to celebrating with Lavender ter in private. She’s busy dancing below for the crowds though.”

  Petal leaned forward across Aina to look further down where he had scheduled various dancers, jugglers, and acrobats to perform for the crowd during what most people considered the boring preparation time. Once the gates opened and the bloodshed began, they would reduce their numbers down to a minimum and take shifts for the next week.

  “Should I have scheduled her in here for you instead? I can likely rearrange a few things for tomorrow if you desire it,” he offered to the surly woman.

  Buster seemed to contempte it for a moment before waving her hand dismissively. “It’s fine. You gave me her nights, so I’ll leave it at that. I’m not as desperate as some others that I need a tryst in the middle of the day,” she added with a pointed look at Aina.

  The Whisper just stuck her nose in the air and haughtily retorted, “A girl has needs and it’s boring at the moment so I’m going to steal Petal for a few minutes and you can have him back as your conversational partner ter.”

  With that she stood and tugged on Petal’s arms, making him follow after her. He turned back with a wink at Buster. “Duty calls. I’ll be back but hopefully it’ll st more than a few minutes.”

  That did elicit a ugh from the gruff Fighter as the older woman turned back to watch the dispys before her gaze inevitably trailed downward to feast on the lovely dancer below.

  When Aina pulled him into a rather small Servant’s closet filled with shelves of cleaning supplies, she began unbuttoning her clothing while she talked. “I got my shadow in, but he has very explicit orders, and he won’t be able to survive outside of the tower again if things don’t change by the end of it.”

  “Gods, Aina, are you serious?” Petal replied, working on removing the skirt he had been wearing as part of his costume. “You would risk him like that?”

  “It’s our best chance and the list I gave him needs to be taken out while he’s in there.”

  “But who—”

  “Not all of the Whispers are loyal to me,” she cut off, undoing her belt. “As soon as he takes one of his own out, you know I can’t keep him in the Sect. He’ll be branded a traitor and this pn is his only hope.”

  “This pn is barely a pn!” he retorted. “A handful of Mundane children banding together to survive the Tower and somehow ignite the fmes of a full on coup is not something we should be staking peoples lives on Aina!”

  “He knows the risks! They all do,” she snapped, and then pulled him into a harsh kiss, smearing both of their lipsticks on the other. “Gods, I wish you wouldn’t wear that kind. It tastes dreadful,” she muttered as she licked her lips.

  “I know, but regretfully the orange you like more would csh terribly with this outfit.” He paused for a moment after running a hand through his hair. “Do you think this is enough or should we actually copute for the scent?”

  She rolled her eyes at him. “You know I hate when you call it that. Just fuck me quickly and call it good. I’m in a generous mood with everything going well so far, so I’ll even let you finish this time.”

  “How gracious,” he tersely replied with a ft look, running his hands through her hair as well to make it look even more disheveled.

  She tore some of his clothing at the colr, pnting a kiss mark on his neck before gncing up and asking, “Hey, Petal. When this is all over and we don’t have to pretend we’re sneaking around to fuck any more, are you actually pnning to settle down with someone? I remember you mentioning something like that before, and I’ve noticed the looks you give the older couples.”

  He gave her a curious look as he finished loosening his own undershorts and frowned. “Why do you ask?”

  “Curiosity is in my nature,” she replied with a shrug.

  Petal softly sighed as he closed the distance between them and gave her a softer kiss than normal. “I don’t have anyone in mind, but yes, that is something I crave. I want the freedom to choose who I love and create a family with. We both know I’ll never get it here. What is it you desire, my dark temptress?”

  “I just want to stop seeing our people die for no good reason,” she whispered, and kissed him harder as they embraced in the dark.

  Rabbit giggled as they watched the deceptive non-couple in their mind’s eye. “Look at them hiding in a closet and breeding like… Well, Hen you must be so proud of how often they try to create new life.”

  The chicken goddess cocked her head at them. “They never succeed with the potions they drink. It is an affront.”

  “Well surely, Penguin enjoys the dispy of love.”

  “That’s not love,” the god huffed, waddling closer to the lovely pond at the top of the tower where they all convened. “Yes, they care about each other, but that activity isn’t being used for that purpose, and you know it.”

  “They’re obviously pying!” Fox happily replied, bounding over to tackle Rabbit with a ugh. “Clever games in dark spaces! So much fun to watch and wager!”

  “At least they are passionate in their ruse,” Horse added and he moved nearer, lowering himself to y in the soft grass by the water’s edge. “Seeing them commit with fervor is enjoyable. Even if it is to further Chameleon’s purpose rather than for my own sake.”

  “It has been a good pre-Season for me so far,” the smaller god conceded, blending into the boughs of the rge tree providing shade from above. “I’m sure it will come to an end soon, but I can enjoy this time while it sts. I am gd that they don’t give up their deceptions despite knowing we are always watching them.”

  “That’s because they are hopeful fools,” interjected the hateful crocodile with a snarl. “Mindless fools, the whole lot of them.”

  “I think you’re just mad the Wayfarer rejected your offer,” Fox teased, jumping near but just out of reach of the god’s massive chompers. “She has been so much fun so far! Rejecting all of you was hirious to watch!”

  Their giggles died down as Swan sadly said from the pond, “Too bad she’s going to die soon.”

  “She might still live,” Firefly said. “Those two sent friends to help her in the climb. There is always hope they prevail.”

  “No,” Lions voice stated with surprising finality. “She will not survive the tower. My Chosen Fighter won’t allow for it. He will sughter her before the end. Any hope she may have, is a false one.”

  “Do you want to bet on it?” Fox said with a grin. “I’ll bet she makes it to the top at least. I got a feeling she’s not like the other Servants. She’s got that look in her eye that says she’s not afraid of death.”

  “That will just get her killed quicker if she’s too reckless,” Owl said from a tree bough, but the Eagle next to him retorted.

  “No, it will allow her to make the bold choices needed to keep the others alive. I will wager she’s not the only Servant that will make it to the top.”

  “Definitely not all of them, though,” the Owl replied. “There are too many who want to see them all dead. The Wayfarer cannot protect them all alone.”

  “You are forgetting, oh wise Owl,” the small beautiful Butterfly softly chimed. “She is not alone.”