He turned to address Chiquita. “Not a bad idea. Any dissent from the leaders?”
Chiquita shot me a quick closed look then shook her head. Monroe said, “Not a problem.”
I was the last voice. I didn’t trust myself to look at Dyslexia, or Stone for that matter. Why was he giving the message that if things became tough you got to bail? At least that’s the message I was hearing loud and clear. But if Dyslexia wanted out I wasn’t going to stand in her way.
I stepped back with a shrug, giving Dyslexia room to brush past me to join Monroe’s team. I didn’t even snarl as she patted her new teammates on the shoulder as if she’d found her right niche at last.
Only problem was one of Monroe’s team had to now move out of the winning clique if the three teams were to be even.
It was like being in one of those nightmares where you keep thinking you’re on stage with no clothes. That sinking chest feeling as I waited for someone from the winning team to choose to be on the losing team.
I kept my chin high, a smile plastered on my face and my gaze straight ahead, thus able to ignore most but not all of the averted gazes, small whispers, and shifting body language as the women from Monroe’s team had to break up after they’d just bonded.
Maybe this is what Stone had wanted all along. Not to see who could work together but who could be flexible and take one for the team. Not an easy thing to do, especially for women. We loved our comfort circle of friends, even if twenty minutes ago we hadn’t identified ourselves as a cohesive group. Once we did though, watch out.
It was Vaughn who broke the impasse, earning a brow raise from Stone. “Rena,” Vaughn signaled out a woman near her, “You’re a strong teammate. Why don’t you change places and learn from Alex.”
Smooth move. She patted Rena on the back with public acknowledgement, gave her a proactive reason for leaving, a positive stroke for me, and kudos for doing the right thing. Damn, pampered Princess had some wicked leadership skills. Forget Dyslexia changing groups; I wanted to learn from Vaughn.
With a true smile that made it easier for Rena to release the hands of her teammates and enter the Noziak circle, I made sure I caught Vaughn Monroe’s gaze and gave her a nod.
That’s all the time I had as Stone barked out the next team building assignment.
Thank the Great Spirits it didn’t include more hand holding. But it did give me an idea, one I mumbled to Vaughn at the end of the day when we trooped, cold and tired, back inside at last.
“The day we’re given the option to create our own team bonding games I’ve got me a good one,” I said, as Vaughn drew next to me.
“What?”
“We’ll see which team can take down M.T. Stone the fastest.”
Her snort earned a sharp look and frown from Stone as we passed him. But that didn’t stop Vaughn from grinning in my direction and adding, “I’m in. I’m so in.”
Oh, yeah, I’d follow this one to fight non-humans.
Lead the way.
CHAPTER 9
The next three days were more of the same. Martial arts, the beginning of weaponry training and lots of team building with the leaders changing out, but more often than not we ended up with Vaughn, myself, or Chiquita leading a squad.
Stone was trying his damnedest to cull recruits until we were down to two teams of seven each. I wasn’t always sure why someone was cut or quit but was surprised to notice that Dyslexia hung in there, regardless of her continuing grumbles. But then maybe she only groused around her fellow recruits and played suck up when she got to Stone.
The good news for me was there hadn’t been any more magic attacks directed against me. I still smelled a whiff of magic now and then but not enough to pinpoint who was using.
It was the afternoon of the third day that things changed up. Instead of shuffling outside for our team building exercises, Stone had us rally in the gym, slightly warmer than outside but not by
Chiquita shot me a quick closed look then shook her head. Monroe said, “Not a problem.”
I was the last voice. I didn’t trust myself to look at Dyslexia, or Stone for that matter. Why was he giving the message that if things became tough you got to bail? At least that’s the message I was hearing loud and clear. But if Dyslexia wanted out I wasn’t going to stand in her way.
I stepped back with a shrug, giving Dyslexia room to brush past me to join Monroe’s team. I didn’t even snarl as she patted her new teammates on the shoulder as if she’d found her right niche at last.
Only problem was one of Monroe’s team had to now move out of the winning clique if the three teams were to be even.
It was like being in one of those nightmares where you keep thinking you’re on stage with no clothes. That sinking chest feeling as I waited for someone from the winning team to choose to be on the losing team.
I kept my chin high, a smile plastered on my face and my gaze straight ahead, thus able to ignore most but not all of the averted gazes, small whispers, and shifting body language as the women from Monroe’s team had to break up after they’d just bonded.
Maybe this is what Stone had wanted all along. Not to see who could work together but who could be flexible and take one for the team. Not an easy thing to do, especially for women. We loved our comfort circle of friends, even if twenty minutes ago we hadn’t identified ourselves as a cohesive group. Once we did though, watch out.
It was Vaughn who broke the impasse, earning a brow raise from Stone. “Rena,” Vaughn signaled out a woman near her, “You’re a strong teammate. Why don’t you change places and learn from Alex.”
Smooth move. She patted Rena on the back with public acknowledgement, gave her a proactive reason for leaving, a positive stroke for me, and kudos for doing the right thing. Damn, pampered Princess had some wicked leadership skills. Forget Dyslexia changing groups; I wanted to learn from Vaughn.
With a true smile that made it easier for Rena to release the hands of her teammates and enter the Noziak circle, I made sure I caught Vaughn Monroe’s gaze and gave her a nod.
That’s all the time I had as Stone barked out the next team building assignment.
Thank the Great Spirits it didn’t include more hand holding. But it did give me an idea, one I mumbled to Vaughn at the end of the day when we trooped, cold and tired, back inside at last.
“The day we’re given the option to create our own team bonding games I’ve got me a good one,” I said, as Vaughn drew next to me.
“What?”
“We’ll see which team can take down M.T. Stone the fastest.”
Her snort earned a sharp look and frown from Stone as we passed him. But that didn’t stop Vaughn from grinning in my direction and adding, “I’m in. I’m so in.”
Oh, yeah, I’d follow this one to fight non-humans.
Lead the way.
CHAPTER 9
The next three days were more of the same. Martial arts, the beginning of weaponry training and lots of team building with the leaders changing out, but more often than not we ended up with Vaughn, myself, or Chiquita leading a squad.
Stone was trying his damnedest to cull recruits until we were down to two teams of seven each. I wasn’t always sure why someone was cut or quit but was surprised to notice that Dyslexia hung in there, regardless of her continuing grumbles. But then maybe she only groused around her fellow recruits and played suck up when she got to Stone.
The good news for me was there hadn’t been any more magic attacks directed against me. I still smelled a whiff of magic now and then but not enough to pinpoint who was using.
It was the afternoon of the third day that things changed up. Instead of shuffling outside for our team building exercises, Stone had us rally in the gym, slightly warmer than outside but not by
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