I remember two things I woke up to—one was Wyatt's screaming, and the other was Clive's gentle coaxing. He must've thought I was still asleep as he spoke.

"Nathan, I'll get a teacher first, I can't carry you there fast enough. Here, have my coat, and now we can put on gloves again. Stay here, it'll be fast..."

The next thing that supposedly happened from Clive's recounting was the teachers came and had me put on a stretcher. I was sent to the infirmary and the doctor said I had signs of a concussion, multiple slashes and cuts, a broken arm, but also might've fainted due to overworking myself and a lack of sleep. Or the concussion.

It was nothing serious but one should've been prepared enough to not fall on the battlefield. The other students didn't—real knights would be slaughtered for such weakness.

It was the most famous incident of the hunt. By the time I was resting with Clive bringing my food to our room for two days I already heard about it. Boys were loud in the hallway and they would laugh at Wyatt and immediately mimic how "Rottings fainted" after the fight.

When I went to the cafeteria with Clive but their was a blatant switch in those few days. Boys had found camaraderie with new boys, and partners either grew closer or further depending on if they won or lost.

I walked in feeling awkward with my cast around my arm, as did other boys with bandages limbs. The hunt really showed us what people would do for knighthood.

It felt like a whole different academy, but our old table was there.

Will and Wyatt were both short haired as half of the cafeteria boys were, buzzed to the scalp, but Will was dignified and calm as he sat at our table, asking me how I was. I lied I was fine.

Wyatt started his own group, and indeed, Wyatt snickered as I got my food. He had waited for me to get on and followed. He gestured to whatever boys he took in and they also made gestures of putting their hands delicately to their brow as they "fainted". Hilariously despicable.

I could've kill you. The thought repeated itself and my fist tightened.

"Oh, poor Rottings, did you finally manage to get up after the tousle?" Wyatt asked. I walked away from the line and sat down with my tray.

"How are you, Nathan?" Cory asked, coming with Hale in tow. Both were victorious and ate breakfast with vigor. The few days we starved really changed us.

"Clive took great care of me, he even wanted to feed me," I laughed.

"I heard you had a lot of major injuries?" Hale asked.

"Multiple knife wounds caused by Wyatt, a broken arm, and he tore a ligament or nerve around his neck," Clive listed. I hadn't even memorized them. "And a concussion also caused by Wyatt."

"Holy, are those on your hands also caused by him?" Cory pointed to my hands.

The time Wyatt clawed my hands away from his hair were deeper than I thought, which was a lot due to the pain. When I saw it I realized he had not only scratched skin off but flesh, too. Six or five lines were still red and raw and looked—unsightly.

"Yes, I had began to grow used to the pain. The head hit was a painful one so I would focus on the pain on my hands to stay awake enough to get his hair," I recounted. "How did it not get blown away?"

"You were clutching it," Will said, smiling.

"How was your fight?" I asked slowly. "Clive never told me."

Will snickered. "Clive was so scary I thought I saw real bloodlust. I thought luring him away from you would cause him to forget about you but I felt like if I hadn't ceased faster he would've just cut my head off."

"Knowing Clive he might!" Hale laughed.

"I'm so glad I didn't fight either of your groups," Cory added.

"Don't say that!" Hale whispered. "I feel bad making Samuel not sit with us anymore."

"Oh, I totally forgot—" Clive shut up mouth mid-sentence.

"But Wyatt really was something," I mused.

Thinking back on that day I knew why he chose to fight me and not Clive. Will wouldn't fight me with that sort of true hatred, chaotic and so overwhelming. He made no effort to reel in his morals.

My body was still sore and as I moved I began to feel it, holding the fork and spoon hurt, just as bad as when I turned my neck.

"Wyatt is a real wreck," Will said. "If I could I really would've changed partners..."

I thought about the two who might also be working for the Headmaster. Was this fight a competition for the best in our grade?

"The fight was brutal, I'm not proud of how I hurt you, William," Clive said apologetically.

"Oh, let bygones be bygones. It's the hunt after all." Will actually seemed to not care at all but I knew Wyatt probably blamed him for losing.

Talking and eating with them gave me a sense of comfort. The lonely beginning of school was long gone, and the people at that table were my friends in that moment. Clive, at that time, too, was the best partner I could have asked for. Nothing was going to change, I thought naively.

***

The tests were over, the hunt was over, and a lot of the boys were going home around then. It was a break and celebration of some sorts and so our school had a day we donned our coats and played in the snow unless injured, like me. I walked around with Clive and Will.

"Where are you two headed to this winter?" Will asked.

"Back to the Rottings house," I mumbled.

"I'll be in the academy, I am a vagrant after all." The tone in which Clive stated this was so casual I felt sorry then ashamed.

"There are always twisted people out there who only use us for their status. Do you have friends to stay with instead?" Will asked.

I knew they all thought of me and I swallowed, not knowing what to say.

I couldn't do it. Clive and I had been making love and I knew once I healed we'd both be like rabbits in heat. I couldn't do that in my house even if there was only Daniel and Richie.

"Wait," I said slowly. "Why don't we go to your place, Will? Will your family allow it? I can host for us, too, and maybe invite Hale and Cory."

"I will ask my parents," Will said with a smile. "I want them to see I've finally made friends, and you two can see my siblings."

"This is great!" Clive grinned. "Are you sure? I do feel bad for coming, with me being a refuge and all."

"My siblings and I were refuges too, but they adopted us even though I wasn't a knight. I knew they didn't care, they only wanted children. Mother and father never asked for my grades and standing in school, their letters only asked for my well-being...I'm sorry, I'm rambling again."

Will had on a smile and he seemed so young again.

I was envious, anyone had to be. I thought of the Crawfords in their big house and great name, but parents that wrote their children! My father never would, he would just have someone pick me up by carriage to go home.

Not that he was home often, anyways.

"I'll ask my parents about it then, I'll get the letter delivered fast," Will promised.

Clive smiled at me in only what I could imagine was teasing me.

"We are hanging out even during break," Clive poked fun at me.

"It's nice, having a partner who's a friend," Will said with a smile.

And secret lover.

"No, it's good but—stop grinning, Clive!" I picked up some snow and it stung my skin. It was cold so without thinking I threw it at Clive.

I hadn't pressed the snow tightly enough so upon hitting Clive's coat it fell down soundlessly.

Clive and Will both laughed at me this time.

"Nathan, you never fought with snow?" Clive reached down and as he packed the snow into a ball I ran in front and behind the trees.

"You can't hit an injured person!" I shouted.

"Watch this!" Clive ran at me and as I stood behind the trunk of tree.

There was loud rustling and before I knew it the snow fell from the tree and onto my head. It was freezing!

"Hey!" I shouted like a sore loser.

Clive and Will were both packing snowballs at the tree I was under, making me run out and try my best to make a snowball. I ducked as they aimed my way, not sparing me at all.

"I need to rest!" I shouted at them.

"We're helping you practice dodging!" Will said innocently.

"More like barely dodge them—"

I fell silent when one hit my leg. I turned to Clive who couldn't hide his triumphant smile.

"Clive!" I cried.

"Sorry, but I guess it's twenty-four points wins against nineteen now!" he teased loudly, making me blush.

"You two count wins?" Will heard.

"It's supposed to be our secret! And it's not nineteen points, it's twenty!" I corrected, and we now idly stood making snowballs, our hands pink but still tossing at each other. Clive tossed at me, I tossed at Will, and Will tossed at Clive.

"I don't know, before the hunt it was nineteen," Clive said with a frown.

"The hunt gives me a point," I said. "Getting smashed around by Wyatt and still being alive is already a feat."

"But we were a team. Then it's twenty five against twenty," Clive said.

"That makes no sense, don't count the hunt," Will suggested. "I guess you are still nineteen."

"Ehhh," I groaned. The bell rang and it was time for dinner.

We headed inside and changed in our rooms, but there was already letters on our desks. One for Five, one for Nell.

It was the Headmaster.