My phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with Wafi’s contact name alter ego -  Max. I frowned in confusion as I accepted the call.

"Hey Max." I greeted easily. "What's up?"

Wafi laughed. "I really like it when you pick up the phone like that. Makes me feel like a friend and not like the nuisance you make me sound like."

"You are a friend, but you’re still a nuisance." I casually glanced around the bus, checking is anyone's listening in. "Why'd you call? I told you I'll be busy for a week or so."

"That's exactly why I called. Where are you guys?"

I shrugged, glancing out the window. "We're definitely heading downhill but apart from that, I have no idea."

"Did you pack enough clothes?"

"Yes, mom. I did." I rolled my eyes. "You know I have enough clothes for warm places."

"I know, but did you pack decent enough clothes?"

I was quiet for a few moment. "Depends on what you mean by decent." I replied, mind on the shirts, shorts, cropped tops, and tanks in my rucksack.

He was quiet for a while too. "I knew I should've shown up to help you pack."

I scowled at my phone. "Shut up. I've packed good enough clothes. We weren't told if the field trip is for relaxation or training, so I've packed clothes which can double as both."

"What about swimsuits?"

"What abou-" I cut myself off as I realised what he'd asked. "Why... Why swimsuits?" Wafi was quiet. "Max, do you know where we're going?" No reply. "Max, answer me."

Wafi laughed easily. "See you later, Fi."

"See m-Max, I swear..." I trailed off realising that he'd hung up on me

Suspicion intermingled with irritation in my belly as I rose from my seat and made my way to the front. Pushing some very rowdy classmates aside without a single apology, I plopped myself on the empty seat beside Rhaeya.

She looked me up and down in confusion and surprise. "Hey...?"

"Hey, Rhaeya." I gave her a momentary smile before getting straight to the point. "Where are we going?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "Why the sudden interest?"

"I'm bored." I lied easily as I slid down in the seat. "And I don't exactly run in Christine's circle."

Rhaeya chuckled, getting more comfortable with me. "I don't think anybody who still has hearing runs in Christine's circle."

I laughed with her. "So why did you assign her to me?"

"You never listen to me, so I figured foisting Christine on you would make everyone happy." I rolled my eyes as she laughed again. "Just kidding. It was a random draw. You're just unlucky."

"Really? You and your dad decide partners through random draws? How old are you two again?"

Rhaeya turned slightly red, whacking me on the knee. "I'm only twenty-seven!"

"Tell me where we're going!"I whined, getting back to the topic.

Rhaeya shook her head. "My lips are sealed."

I kept my eyes on her face as I spoke, crossing out options by watching her reaction. "A beachside resort? No... Cottage rentals? No... Hiking? Camping? Definitely no to that..." I was quiet for a while, staring at Rhaeya's smug expression as I tried to find any connections between the Royals and a field trip. "... Fire Regent's property?"

Rhaeya stiffened immediately, turning to glare at me. "Keep your voice down!" She hissed, eyes wandering over the bus. "How do you know?"

I shrugged. "You don't usually miss an opportunity to train us. And since we can't train in public in the human dimension atleast, I figured it might be a private place. But who apart from the Regent would lend their property for something like this? Simple."

She scowled. "You had some clue beforehand. Who was it?" I cocked an eyebrow, making her lean in threateningly. "Spill it, Sherlock."

I held up my hands. "I can't reveal my sources." Rhaeya glared at me for a moment or two, before she turned away with a huff.

I watched her sulk for a while before I pulled a box out of my bag. "Aah, seems like I'll have to eat this box of brownies by myself. If only someone sitting beside me would help me."

Rhaeya caved as soon as I opened the box, a glare still on me as she tried to speak through a full mouth. "I'mb stibb angby."

"Sure, you are."

It wasn't long after that the bus entered a narrow road off the highway. It had a huge wall along both sides of it with warnings for trespassers to stay away. We slowed down to a stop after what seemed like miles of white, threatening walls. Security with the Fire element patches on their arms hovered around the bus as we waited outside a non-descript wrought iron gate..

I glanced at Rhaeya who was seriously cringing, clearly not having expected this. The security nodded us through, and about a few more miles of woods later, we actually emerged into a parking lot by a pristine white beach and sparkling blue waters. There was a huge villa right off the parking lot but I was too busy staring at the beach. Would this all be mine once I was a Royal? Pretty convenient, if I do say so myself.

I heard girlish titters rise up behind me and I turned my head to look at the villa again. Villa itself felt like an understatement. It had huge windows facing the beach, and atleast four floors. All cream and bare stone on one side, it seemed like a historical building reconverted to suit the needs of the rich. Or in this case, the Royalty.

It seemed perfect by this view. Like something that was meant to be there. A very long strip of beach stretched out on either side with a pier on one end, sporting a very, very big yacht. I cocked an eyebrow. It didn't take a lot more searching once I got off the bus to spot a helipad right by the parking lot but a overshadowed by trees. It was empty. What a shame. I wanted to see the chopper.

I finally turned to the thing that was truly capturing all the girls eyes, and hearts. My brother. He looked like a model. Tanned, toned, waiting in front of the villa he owned with an easy air wearing a simple white button-down and black knee-length shorts. Nothing turns the taps on faster than wealth.

I met his eyes, mine narrowed in irritation, and his crinkled at the edges with pure glee. I turned away from him to pick up my rucksack.

"Whoo." Rhaeya whistled lowly as I turned back to her with my rucksack dangling off my shoulder. "He is one tall drink of water."

Disgust passed through me. "You get married in three months!"

She smirked at me. "Doesn't mean I can't appreciate the view."

"He's younger than you!"

"Technicalities."

I walked away from her before I gagged. It was going to be tough not to puke my guts out considering I'm going to be rooming with Christine, who I doubt is going to shut up about him.

"Welcome everyone!" Wafi boomed as soon as everyone had picked up their luggage and gathered in front of them. I purposely lingered towards the back of my class as he spoke. I wasn't interested in listening to him, I was more interested in the place.

It seemed like a beautiful dream. There was no garden. I always enjoyed a garden... but with a huge tropical forest as a backyard, that would just feel overkill. A patch of organisation offsetting the chaos. My eyes wandered over to the jungle as I thought about it. Thick tree trunks seemingly decades old adorned with vines. The forest floors was littered with dry leaves and barely any vegetation because the tree cover was so thick. I looked up, half expecting to see monkeys there but ended up staring into the eye of a very colourful bird.

It cocked its head as it stared back, holding my eye for a few seconds before letting out a loud caw that made me jump. Feeling slightly embarrassed that I'd been scared by a bird, I turned my attention back in front as it flapped away.

Wafi was just winding up, I could see a slight furrow in his brow I recognised as irritation. What had happened while I was spaced out?

"Alright, enough droning on." His brow eased out a bit. "I'll leave you guys with the staff so you and your... partners?" He turned to look at Rhaeya to confirm he was right. She nodded boredly and he continued. "Your partners will be led to your rooms by the staff. There will be an activity in the evening, but that's about it. You're all free till then!"

Our entire class cheered and I couldn't help a couple of whoops as well. The water looked seriously inviting, and the only reason the sun was bearable was due to the fading winter. The girls and boys were separated, amidst protests, into opposite sides of the mansion.

At best, we were a class of barely thirty. And with two in each room... I think we'd only occupied about half the villa. It's size was even more impressive on the inside. Huge, vaulted ceilings everywhere. There was impressively stitched tapestry everywhere we were led to alongside paintings that were probably very antique, very exclusive and very expensive. The walls glowed with soft light from carefully placed lighting fixtures.

It made me marvel at how Wafi grew up. Amidst all this? Surroundings like this? It might just be the way I might've grown up, but the decor felt almost... stifling to me. I preferred a more minimalistic style, usually decorating my own room out in no more than three, or maximum, four shades. My art tastes were also a bit more... modern, I'd like to say but some of these paintings were actually amazing to behold.

Rhaeya called out names, and assigned each pair of girls a room. I'd have to share a bed with Christine. One glance at her face told me she wasn't too pleased about the prospect either. Or it might've just been the redness of her face after having lugged her suitcase up three flights of stairs. Almost all the girls looked like that right now.

I dumped my rucksack to the side of the room, beginning to unpack it. Christine cleared her throat behind me to catch my attention. I pretended to ignore it. Only when it got worse enough so sound like she might possibly choke on the fresh, tropical air, I twisted around and threw a cough lozenge at her.

She yelped as it hit her smack in the centre of her head, and I turned smugly back to my unpacking.

Lunch was served buffet style. People picked up plates, their favourite food and stood around chatting or sitting on the several antique pieces of furniture littering the huge mansion. I wasn't feeling particularly hungry, so I didn't linger around for long, especially when Wafi made an appearance and started to mingle with my peers. I gobbled up whatever was on my plate, took my dessert and hurried back up into my room.

The best thing about having your brother own the place meant being the only one having the password to the super-speedy WiFi with none of the twenty-something others you've travelled with slowing it down.

Christine shook me awake a couple of hours later, distaste clear on her face. "Come on, it's activity time." I didn't even realise I'd fallen asleep.

I cocked an eyebrow as I slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eye. "I'm surprised you didn't just let me sleep in and get killed by Rhaeya."

Christine laughed as she fixed her top in the mirror. "She’d kill me too. I don't have a death wish. It's a fate I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy."

My eyes were on her outfit. A very interestingly ripped pair of jeans under a top which plunged very deeply in the front and back. I frowned. "We're going for an activity. I think you should wear something with more give." My eyes reached her feet. "And definitely not flats."

She threw me a scowl over her shoulder as she turned towards the door. "Just because you don't have to work for the Prince's attention, doesn't mean we don't have to either." She threw my entire body a disgusted look, a feat I wouldn't have considered possible till now. "Ugh." Was all she said as she left.

I looked down, remembering I'd put on a crop top and shorts before I'd left home in the morning. However, I was double-checking in case I'd slipped into a chic pair of garbage bags before napping. Nope, my clothes are still intact.

Since, Christine had not bothered to wait for me, I had to lock up. Atleast I could take my sweet time in the bathroom. I walked downstairs amidst a bunch of other girls, about a handful dressed to Christine's extent. They were smart enough to have worn leggings and a pair of trainers. Some others sported flats too.

Right as I was about to exit the house, I spotted Christine stomping back in with a pout on her face. I stopped her. "Why are you heading back?"

She scowled at me again for no reason. "To change!" She huffed out, walking away without another word.

I turned my eyes up, a prayer thrown to Rhaeya as I thanked her for protecting Christine from a possible broken neck.

The sky was bright orange, clear of any clouds. The sun was still visible as it descended towards the horizon. The reflection in the grey waters a perfect replica, marred here and there by frothing waves. I stood there for a while, enjoying the view and breathing in the clean, salty air before turning around and following my classmates towards the back.

We followed a very narrow path which opened up into a clearing filled students. As the last few of us trickled in, I turned my head up to what had caught the attention of several others. There were two ropes strung across two very tall trees. It was considerably darker in the trees because of the tree cover. H the lights fixed to the tops of the trees made everything clear. Each rope was pretty thick, and had about a metre and half distance between them. The lower one seemed a bit thicker than the other. I felt my heart sink as I spotted the harnesses and helmets to the side.

I knew this activity.

I frowned as I looked around for the instructor. He stood beside Wafi, chatting to him with the harnesses all gathered in one hand. This isn't a buddy activity. Unless they plan to make the buddy the anchor. Bad idea.

Christine was an entire foot shorter than me. There's no way she could support my weight. I'm not particularly heavy, but I'm pretty sure I'm heavier than her.

I was frowning at the idea as I accidentally made eye contact with Wafi. His eyes widened with happiness and I immediately looked away. It wasn't long before my phone pinged.

Why are you ignoring me?

I ignored the message to glare at him, a clear warning in my eyes. “Don't you dare.” I mouthed to him. He narrowed his eyes back, his expression switched instantaneously to a more jovial one as he turned to Rhaeya.

I felt my heart sink as Rhaeya seemed to agree to what he said— her eyes scanned the crowd and locked onto mine. I tried to keep a pleading expression in mine to appeal to Rhaeya's human side, but either she was blinded by Wafi's good looks, or she just wasn't in a humane mood.

"Fiera!" Rhaeya called out, her voice cut through the cacophony of my classmates chattering. "Come here! You'll go first."

I closed my eyes, exhaled harshly and muttered some choice words under my breath before walking over to them under the tree. Only to pause a few metres away, to bow to Wafi. "Prince Regent..."

"Please, Fiera." Wafi rolled his eyes as I straightened. "I think we've moved beyond formalities now."

I smoothly ignored him to hold my hand out to the instructor. A tattooed, bearded, short, adorable guy. He grinned at me as he took my hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Harrold Jenkins, you can call me Harry." His eyes flickered to Rhaeya. "Your trainer tells me you're the best in her class?"

Rhaeya scoffed. "She gets her ass kicked daily."

Harry cocked an eyebrow as she said that, letting go of my hand. Boy, did he have a grip. I stretched my hand at my side. "Despite that, you talk about her like she's your own daughter."

Rhaeya turned red before she met my surprised eyes and looking away. "Dream on, Fiera."

"Uh, thank you." I said, directed to Harry because I was sure if I said that to Rhaeya, she would truss me up like a pig with the bungee line in her hand. "I'm really not that good."

"Please, you don't just place second in the Trials on 'not that good'." Harry had an impressed look in his eyes. "I'm pretty sure you would've won if that Earth guy hadn't messed up your ankle."

Wafi laughed. "I told her the same thing." Ignore him.

"Uh..." I looked away. "... It's... It was probably a bit more than just the ankle."

"Pfft." Harry patted my shoulder, a dry note in his voice. "Sure, it was... Where's your partner?"

"Here!" I heard Christine's voice from behind me. I turned to see her slightly out of breath and better dressed in leggings and a normal shirt. "I'm... here." She exhaled harshly, pulling up her hair into a ponytail. "Sorry about that."

Rhaeya gave her a satisfied once-over before looking expectantly at Harry who had a contemplative look on his face. "Right..." He said slowly. He looked up at the ropes, and back down again. "Maybe Fiera should be the anchor in the beginning."

They took a few minutes explaining it to the others, and then another few minutes putting harnesses on the two of us. They were basic climbing harnesses, a rope around my waist through two loops, slack at my back and the other rope in my front leading up to a draggable pulley on the topmost rope. I could see Christine lose a couple of shades as she climbed up the planks nailed into the tree.

She reached the top, her friends yelled encouragements from the ground as she reached out to grab the upper rope...

... only to fall short of it.

Maybe I misjudged the distance between the ropes... Christine wasn't that short, but she was relieved she didn't have to go through that ordeal.

Our harnesses were switched as well as our roles. She had to go a considerable distance into the forest to balance my weight with her small stature. It was almost comical if not for the fact it that it was up to her to stop my very quick, and very swift, gravity-assisted, fall to the ground. I was about one and half stories off the ground. I glanced down, my heart pounded in my ears as I reached up to grab the rope. My feet slowly slid along the bottom one into a starting position of sorts.

"READY?" I yelled down at Christine as per instructions, hoping my shaky voice reached that far.

Wafi and Rhaeya stood under me, Harry was standing by Christine in the distance. Her friends were silent now that I was up on the bridge instead.

I sent up a short prayer to whatever was listening, Mich, Harry, and the dog I'd seen when I'd gone for a grocery run yesterday. It had been a Labrador. His name was Simba. And he'd licked my hand. Amen.

My right hand reached out first to grab onto the rope as I heard her resounding reply to my yell.

Below me, Rhaeya started to talk about the point of this activity. "The Burma Bridge is normally not a partner activity, but it's meant over here to encourage communication with a partner, or a teammate. Fiera, up there-" I gave a tight nod and smile to the silent audience that was my class. I got a solitary whoop in return. I vaguely wondered how many people down there wished I'd fall and break my neck.

The first few steps were easy. The rope closer to the tree was tighter and didn't sway a lot until you got farther away from it. I grunted on my fifth step, about a third of the way through, as I swayed dangerously. "Tighter!" I yelled down as I felt some slack in the rope. It tightened momentarily, but I swayed dangerously again as I took another step. "Tighter!" I yelled out again. "Make it tighter as I move forward!" I added, my left hand slid forward to grasp the rope.

"Thanks for the advice, fatass!" I heard Christine yell back, much to the amusement of my classmates.

I cocked an eyebrow, the insult bounced off of me. "Tighter, please!"

The line went tight as I requested. No ins—

"Like your clothes!" What.

My lips pressed together as I heard more laughter and hoots. This high up in the air, I shouldn't let it get to me...

But it was.

"Maybe you'd be doing much better if you take my advice, shorty!" Damn, I couldn't think of any other insult. All my blood was in my fingers as they kept me from fall—

"Wonderful, friendly banter." Wafi announced obliviously from below.

The rope tightened dangerously and I felt my toes lift slightly at her sudden show of strength. "I'm... I'M FOUR FOOT SEVEN!"

Wow... That got her? I barked out a laugh, breathless as my next insult spilled from my lips before I could stop it. "YOUR HEIGHT ARE AS IMAGINARY AS MY PARENTS!" The people underneath burst out laughing as I heard an audible gasp. Silence, no slack, no pulling. I think that go—

There was a sudden tug at my waist. I gritted my teeth as it lifted my feet dangerously from the lower rope. I yelped softly. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! I'LL FALL!"

"FALL AND BREAK YOUR NECK, YOU... YOU STUPID GIANT!" Nice. Might as well have called her a gno—

The pulley jerked with unexpected strength. It jerked at my waist, and I couldn't compensate for in time.

My hands tightened on the top rope as my toes were lifted off the lower rope and my body tilted. My toes skidded on the rough fabric, barely able to reach it until... I found my feet dangling in the air, unable to find the lower rope.