Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Liliana
“You took too much time on the last word,” Damian said and I looked at him astonished.
“Says the one who failed the last word in his turn.” He flinched and I wondered whether I saw it wrong.
“It wasn’t an easy word”
Is that his defence?
“You could have said the last sentence a bit sooner, and we would have won it,” I said what I had been dying to since earlier, and he didn’t reply.
hat happened to accepting the challenge and acing it?
You are right.” his sombre acceptance left me in shock but I didn’t have time to mull over it because the stage was ready for the second round of the game but it still stayed in my head at a prominent place.
From where I could see and pick it up anytime I would be left alone to my thoughts although everything was heading towards the bold speculation I made before.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the second round of the game is very interesting. It’s a game where we will check our lovely couple’s coordination and camaraderie.” Jacob said excitedly making everyone’s ears perk.
There were more people than before in the crowd. This event became popular in seconds. Well, it ought to be thanks to its explosive theme.
“The name of the second round is, ‘Save the Princess! Both of our participants will act as the knights who can’t get separated from each other.” Elli announced spreading confusion before Jacob elaborated it further.
“Can you see the game course we have set up dear audience?” Jacob asked moving a little to the side, showing everyone long pathway full of different colourful obstacles they set up in a short time.
the
“Our couple will start from the beginning line with magical bracelets tied to their hands. These bracelets will ensure that there will be no use of any special powers in the game, like shifting, using your wolf’s instinct or any supernatural ability which might affect our fairness.
This game is to be played in pure human forms. Now, they will have to keep holding each other’s hands during the entire game right from the start. The first obstacle will be the kingdom of bubbles.
It’s a slippery path of soap and foam with rectangular safe green saplings provided for our knights. They have to jump on them and cross it without leaving each other’s hands!
You will have to restart right away if you end up touching the sea of foam instead of the sapling even once.” Jacob explained and I thought whether it was possible or not.
Do we have to jump on a slippery path together holding hands? I gulped watching the game course.
“Then after successfully crossing the kingdom of bubbles, they will have to cross the kingdom of blocks to get to the princess. In the middle of both the kingdoms lay a flying small ball.
They will have to grab that ball between their cheeks and cross the kingdom of blocks which moves untimely, ready to hit
who comes in their way.
anyone
1/4
Onen
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Chapter 26
You have to be extremely careful with the ball because it should fall will have restart the inst ends up falling in the middle. Elle explained the second path and I was halfway quiming inside my feat
Why did I have to provoke Damian for such hassle
“At the end of the kingdom of blocks, you will find a red ribbon which is very significant since will lead yesor dhe princess who will be hiding among the crowd during the game.
Remember, well, Ruby and Cole, the red ribbon is very important en told us
“There will be a time limit of four minutes. You will have to finish the game within the given time limit
of
and the final round before you win our event!” Ellie announced, talking as if winning her event was sy seangchure
Ah, I miss, scouting the food stalls.
en, the second round is about to begin!” Jacob hit the buzzer after Ellie had clasped the magical bracelets and cut
of us ran to the start of the Kingdom of the Bubbles which was a few steps away from the finishing line. After glasting each other and making a silent approval, we jumped on our first sapling.
It was truly slippery because you had to stabilise your footing immediately to prevent yourself from failing. There were live saplings ahead for both of us in our rows within the path.
We had to synchronize our jumping time and finish it while holding hands. We were standing on the fire sapling and the gap between every sapling kept increasing number by number.
After another nod, we jumped on the second successfully although it was hard for me to balance my footing every site.
I blame it on the skirt!
However, I had also started feeling a little confident because of the previous successful two jumps but maybe it was a little too early to rejoice because my foot slipped in the third jump as I shut my eyes tight, ready to take the fall
But instead of the lathery foam and soap, a muscular arm supported me, holding me by my waist while I was about to fall flat on my face.
Damian was leaning towards me with his body stretched between his sapling to mine before he quickly swooperf me in his arm, putting me over his shoulder like a sack, holding my hand the whole time.
My cheeks flushed when he effortlessly held me up with one arm. He did it before too. I couldn’t figure out whether my heart was beating strongly because of the game or because of the man I was partnered up with
The crowd suddenly erupted into cheers and both Jacob and Ellie went crazy over the mike as he jumper with me on hus shoulder crossing the kingdom of bubbles alone by jumping on both of our saplings.
“Ruby and Cole have crossed the first kingdom easily and are now heading to the kingdom of the blocks!” Jacok yeilest excitedly while we tried grabbing the little ball flying out of an open pillar with a circular hole between our checks
“This little thing is annoying” Damian cursed before pulling me closer by my waist as he pinned the ball between our checks after two failed tries.
“Let’s go, let’s go” I squealed suddenly becoming aware of the time limit as we entered the Kingdom of Blocks
They weren’t exaggerating when they said these blocks hit anyone who comes in their way
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Chapter 26
You have to be extremely careful with the ball because it shouldn’t fall. You will have to restart the kingdom of blocks if it ends up falling in the middle.” Ellie explained the second path and I was halfway quitting inside my head.
Why did I have to provoke Damian for such a hassle?
“At the end of the kingdom of blocks, you will find a red ribbon which is very significant since it will lead you to the princess who will be hiding among the crowd during the game.
Remember, well, Ruby and Cole, the red ribbon is very important” Jacob told us.
“There will be a time limit of four minutes. You will have to finish the game within the given time limit to excel to the third and the final round before you win our event!” Ellie announced, talking as if winning her event was as easy as eating churros!
Ah, I miss, scouting the food stalls.
“Then, the second round is about to begin!” Jacob hit the buzzer after Ellie had clasped the magical bracelets around our
hands.
oth of us ran to the start of the Kingdom of the Bubbles which was a few steps away from the finishing line. After glancing at each other and making a silent approval, we jumped on our first sapling.
It was truly slippery because you had to stabilise your footing immediately to prevent yourself from falling. There were five saplings ahead for both of us in our rows within the path.
We had to synchronize our jumping time and finish it while holding hands. We were standing on the first sapling and the gap between every sapling kept increasing number by number.
After another nod, we jumped on the second successfully although it was hard for me to balance my footing every time.
I blame it on the skirt!
However, I had also started feeling a little confident because of the previous successful two jumps but maybe it was a little too early to rejoice because my foot slipped in the third jump as I shut my eyes tight, ready to take the fall.
But instead of the lathery foam and soap, a muscular arm supported me, holding me by my waist while I was about to fall flat on my face.
Damian was leaning towards me with his body stretched between his sapling to mine before he quickly swooped me in his arm, putting me over his shoulder like a sack, holding my hand the whole time.
My cheeks flushed when he effortlessly held me up with one arm. He did it before too. I couldn’t figure out whether my heart was beating strongly because of the game or because of the man I was partnered up with.
The crowd suddenly erupted into cheers and both Jacob and Ellie went crazy over the mike as he jumped with me on his shoulder crossing the kingdom of bubbles alone by jumping on both of our saplings.
“Ruby and Cole have crossed the first kingdom easily and are now heading to the kingdom of the blocks!” Jacob yelled excitedly while we tried grabbing the little ball flying out of an open pillar with a circular hole between our cheeks.
“This little thing is annoying” Damian cursed before pulling me closer by my waist as he pinned the ball between our cheeks
after two failed tries.
“Let’s go, let’s go” I squealed suddenly becoming aware of the time limit as we entered the Kingdom of Blocks.
They weren’t exaggerating when they said these blocks hit anyone who comes in their way.
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Chapter 26
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There were again five rectangular slabs each ahead of us tied to colorful poles like flags. They moved inwards and outwards whenever they desired.
Both of our slabs moved at different time intervals. However, I was able to decipher their pattern after noticing them a little.
The plates on my side moved after Damian’s and while Damian’s plates moved inwards first and then outwards, mine worked oppositely. However, the time they provided to escape was little.
“Damian, I have figured out the pattern so trust me!” I assured Damian quickly tagging him along with me, not that he moved with me trying to drag him unless he allowed his feet to do so.
I first cleared my slab and then let Damian do his. Quickly but composedly we crossed the kingdom of blocks as well, dropping the ball into the tube at the end of the block kingdom.
The open tube was also originating from a pillar and the moment the ball disappeared inside the tube, the space carved into
pillar, a few inches below the tube opened and revealed a bright red ribbon.
an quickly enclosed his fingers around the red piece of satin and we quickly moved near the stairs of the stage ching for the princess.
My hand had started to sweat now but my eyes were searching for a girl resembling a princess like a hawk and suddenly my eyes fell on a girl dressed in a bright red colour that of a ribbon from head to toe crouching a little behind an old couple.
“Damian, it’s her” I quickly told Damian tugging his hand again and this time he followed me right away as we swiftly moved through the crowd, marching towards the old couple.
I wonder how scary we might be looking for those two to get frightened by the seconds we got closer to them. However, we weren’t trying to scare them and without wasting a second, I quickly grabbed the hand of the red girl from behind them, giving her the ribbon.
“They found the princess! Ruby and Cole did it again!” Jacob cheered and the crowd started clapping for us.
Wow, it feels like a proud moment. I was feeling shy from all the attention but winning felt good.
“Our first couple finished the second round in just 3 minutes and 30 seconds!” Ellie announced and we walked back to the stage, still holding our hands.
“They can now move to the third and the final round of the game!”
My confidence has risen compared to before after Jacob mentioned the third round since we had already cleared up the first two rounds.
However, little did I know that we would lose the very third round I was confident about and that too because of me!
The third round as Ellie explained was about how well we knew each other and although those words did make me feel a little dubious, I still thought I would do well but that was just me being overconfident!
“We have prepared a set of four questions for both of you. It will be Cole’s turn to answer first. We will ask questions which will centre Ruby in his turn and both of you will have to answer the same question.
Ruby will give answers to the questions which will be about her and Cole has to match her answers perfectly to score a point” Jacob explained and I soaked the words in.
“Questions will be in a multiple choice option format and both of you will tick the answers on the sheet given to you. You will have to score a total of seven points to win our event” Ellie explained further.
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“Now, we shall also reveal the spectacular three–tier date we have prepared for our winners. We have set up a special venue near the Fairy Lake.
There will be a special dinner for our winning couple. After dinner, we will take you on a romantic boat ride and lastly, we will have you dance on the lakeside while we play soft melodies for you” Jacob announced and the date did sound good.
It was not at all bad for an event pack to come up with themselves, using the pack’s most scenic lake for their location.
They are both creative and smart.
“The date sounds beautiful, isn’t it?” I asked Damian who was by my
side.
“What’s so special about it?” he answered unaffected, crushing my excitement with his cool indifference.
“Isn’t it beautifully planned for a village event?” I asked again, expecting him to slightly edge the way I was thinking.
“They ought to do this much after having us move around a lot. Otherwise, I would have put them in prison for ridiculing others.” I chilled when Damian released his ice shards, not continuing the topic any further.
“Now, shall we begin?” Jacob asked and both of us sat on the chairs opposite each other.
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We were given two cardboards by Ellie with four sheets pinned to them and then Jacob spoke the first question in the mike for the audience to hear while we marked our answers.
