Read Online Saga of Menyoral: The Service by M.A. Ray - Free Book Online

felt sick of the subject, even more so when Arkady strutted up behind her and Francine.
    She gave him a watery smile. “Ready to tell the story yet?”
    “No.”
    “Maybe someday you’ll tell me,” she said.
    “I don’t think so.” He tried not to sound mean. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings or piss her off. He could tell Wallace a little, sure, but a girl? A girl he didn’t know?
    “Don’t mind him, Gemma.”  Arkady leaned in, draping an arm around her shoulders. “Boys don’t like to talk about thei r defeats.” He glanced up at Dingus, smirking.
    Dingus inhaled slowly, taking in the smoke smell of the fire, the weak alcohol in the cider, the confused body smells of everyone around. He wouldn’t rise to the bait.
    “Stop being a dick,” Francine snapped, and Dingus shut his eyes, pained. Please don’t defend me , he thought, but she kept on. “What reason do you have to be horrible to him? You don’t even know him.”
    Arkady snorted eloquently through his mustache, all the answer he needed to give. This was exactly why Dingus hadn’t wanted to come.
    “So!” Wallace put on that infectious grin. “Who’s standing Trials, then?”
    “I am,” Arkady said.
    Gemma sniffled. “So am I.”
    “I don’t know why they’re even having t hem this year,” said Bangles. “It’s stupid! Like any of us is going to be able to concentrate. Besides, there’s barely anyone left who’s old enough.”
    “Waived that, though, didn’t they?” Wallace said. “I’m standing, and I’m only seventeen last month.” For some reason, Dingus had thought Wallace was older than he was. Must have been the beard.
    Arkady snorted. “They shouldn’t let anyone stand who hasn’t done six years,” he said, and Bangles nodded.
    “Well, I have. I was eleven,” Wallace said.
    “If you can do it, you can do it, so who cares how long you been in?” Tony waved his hand dismissively. “I’m eighteen, but so what? I’m not threatened.”
    Francine rolled her eyes. “Nobody’s a threat. It doesn’t matter how anybody else does, just you.”
    “Unless you got money on it,” Tony said, grinning, and everyone laughed except for Bangles. Even Gemma wiped the tears off her face.
    Bangles shook her head, earrings flashing inside the mass of hair, her mouth a pinched purse. “How can you guys be so callous? They shouldn’t even have Trials this year! There’s no way I can focus. There’s no way anyone could do as well as they should.”
    “Why don’t you just ask Adeon to keep you back?” Francine asked her, sounding a little annoyed. Ding us didn’t much care for the idea of Trials being cancelled, either. He’d worked hard for this—hadn’t everybody else? Didn’t she see how much it mattered?
    She folded her arms under her breasts. “I did. He said no.”
    “Yeah, well, Adeon’s a hardass. You didn’t think he’d say yes anyway,” Tony said.
    “I didn’t think he’d be that callous!” she snapped. “You’d think he was Vandis the way he yelled at me! Well, I hope he’s happy when I flunk!”
    “You can’t do that,” Dingus blurted. “If your Master thinks—”
    “What would you know? You’re not even standing Trials,” she said, looking him over, her eyes lingering on kid face, knobby knees.
    He bristled. “Yes, I am.”
    “Sure you are. Are you even growing a beard yet? Listen, why don’t you go over by the little kids? This doesn’t concern you anyway.”
    “I’m standing,” he bit off. “I’m seventeen.” Not that it’s any of your business.
    “They shouldn’t let anyone stand who hasn’t done their six,” Arkady said again.
    “If Vandis wanted me to wait, I’d wait! He asked me to stand. They need us to take the Oath. We need more Knights.”
    “See?” Tony pointed at him; Dingus’s face burned. “See what I mean? Doesn’t matter how long you been in, if you get it. Forty-eight people I knew have not shown up yet, but you know what? I’m getting my