Charis
I picked up the band and slipped it over my head, watching as he did the same with his. The matching accessories made us look like an actual team, though the reality couldn't have been further from the truth.
Professor Martinez appeared at the front of the gathering area, carrying her ever-present clipboard and megaphone. She waited until the noise died down before she started speaking.
"Welcome to your first bonding exercise," she announced. "Both students from Ebonvale, for the first time and Ravenshore are here because our academies believe in promoting healthy relationships between students regardless of their gender or pack affiliation."
She gestured to a stack of notebooks being distributed by camp staff members.
"Each member in a partnership will receive a notebook," she continued. "Your task is to meet seven people during your time here —ask them their names, their likes and dislikes, their interests and goals. It doesn't matter whether they're male or female, from your academy or the other. Follow your instincts and connect with people who seem interesting to you."
A camp counsellor handed me a small spiral notebook and a pen. The cover was decorated with the combined logos of both academies.
"However," Professor Martinzez added with a slight smile, "you'll start with your assigned partner. Take thirty minutes to interview each other. Get to know the person you'll be working with for the remainder of your stay. Show genuine interest in their responses —by the end of this session, I expect you to know everything about your partner and something meaningful about their character."
Around us, other partnerships began spreading out across the square, some sitting on benches like we were, others finding spots on the grass or near the decorative fountain at the centre.
I turned to face Kael and saw that his notebook and pen were already open and his pen poised to write.
He looked up at me, and I felt myself tense immediately.
"Eamon," he started with a low voice. "I'm going to tell you a couple of things right now, and I hope you don't get startled. Act normal, occasionally scribble into your notebook, but don't stop looking at me."
I was taken aback by how chatty he suddenly seemed and the strange instructions.
"Oh…" I muttered, nodding my head uncertainly. This wasn't what I'd expected.
He leaned slightly closer, his eyes scanning the area around us before focusing back on my face. "First, you're not to eat or drink anything offered from this moment until we leave this camp. Especially, after this exercise and no matter what you do, try not to fall asleep outside our tent."
The serious, almost protective tone in his voice sent a chill down my spine. "Why?" I asked, trying not to get alarmed.
"You'll find out soon enough," He replied cryptically. Then pretended to write something in his notebook while continuing to speak. "In fifteen minutes, I'm going to stand up and ask to go ease myself. I'll join you later. If anyone asks where I am, make sure you tell them I went to ease myself."
I didn't understand what was happening, but the urgency in Kael's voice made me nod anyway. Something was wrong, something he couldn't or wouldn't explain directly.
Without warning, he reached across and exchanged his notebook with mine. "Write everything about yourself in my book," he instructed quietly. "Make it look like we're doing the exercise properly. I'll do the same."
I opened the notebook that now had Kael's neat handwriting and began scribbling information about me, all the while my mind raced with questions. What was Kael so worried about? Why the warnings about food and staying awake? And why did he seem to know something terrible was about to happen?
I watched as Kael wrote in my notebook. After what felt like exactly fifteen minutes, he stood up smoothly and approached one of the camp staff members, expertly avoiding Professor Martinez, who was making rounds among the various partnerships. I sat there quietly, a growing sense of unease settling in my stomach. Something was definitely wrong.
Thankfully, Professor Martinez didn't approach me directly; instead, she focused on other partnerships and making notes as she walked around. I tried to look busy. After about thirty minutes, Professor Martinez clapped her hands together and addressed the group with a bright smile that somehow didn't reach her eyes.
"Excellent work, everyone! It's time for our next activity."
Almost immediately, a tall man in camp uniform appeared as if he'd been waiting for some signal. He had the kind of build that suggested military training, and his smile was just as artificial as the professor's.
"Follow me, students," he called out. "Time for some fun in the sun!"
We began moving as one, following him. We walked along a winding stone path that led through beautifully manicured gardens filled with flowering bushes and decorative trees. The path was wide enough for students to walk in pairs, and elegant lamp posts lined the route even though it was still daylight.
As we walked, I noticed how the vegetation grew thicker on either side of the path, creating natural barriers that would make it difficult to see what lay beyond. The carefully planned landscaping felt less welcoming now and more like a subtle containment.
The path curved gently to the left, passing by what appeared to be a small maintenance building discreetly tucked among the trees. Solar panels gleamed on its roof, and I could hear the quiet hum of machinery from within.
After about a five-minute walk, we came into a large clearing where an impressive pool complex spread out before us. The main pool was Olympic-sized, surrounded by smaller recreational pools and what appeared to be hot tubs. Comfortable lounge chairs were arranged in perfect rows, and a small snack bar at the side was filled with drinks and refreshments.
But it wasn't the impressive facilities that made my mouth fall open in shock.
There, in the centre of the main pool, was Rhett and two naked, stark naked girls on either side of him, and another girl in front of him, with his male bit in her mouth, bobbing up and down.
All of the girls I had seen arriving on the Ebonvale bus were now scattered around the pool area, but they were no longer wearing their academy uniforms.
Instead, every single girl was dressed in the skimpiest bathing suits I have ever seen. Tiny bikinis that left almost nothing to the imagination and the kind of swimwear that would be considered scandalous at any respectable institution.
The scene looked less like a school activity and more like something from an adult entertainment venue.
While we were still standing there, and I was trying to process the disturbing scene before me, a line of people dressed in black and white suddenly appeared and was coming toward us.
Each of them carried large trays filled with paper cups and slices of what looked like chocolate cake.
What now?
The servers didn't speak as they reached each student, only nodding politely before handing out the refreshments. When they reached me, I automatically accepted the cup and the slice of cake. I snuck a glance at the server.
He had no scent – none I could place – and his face was partially covered by a black mask, so was all of them.
Kael's warning echoed in my ears. Don't eat anything they give you or drink, and make sure you stay awake, no matter what.
Heart still pounding, I waited until the server walked past me and the man who had brought us here turned his back. He was on his phone. Then slowly, I tipped my drink onto the grassy patch beside my foot.
With my eyes trained alternately between the servers and the man, I flicked the cake behind me into a pile of half-eaten food near the refreshment zone.
All around me, the other students eagerly consumed everything they'd been given, wolfing down the cake and draining their cups within minutes. They were all talking excitedly and pointing to the almost naked girls.
I also noticed how quickly everyone seemed to finish, as if they were suddenly ravenous.
Once all the refreshments had been distributed and consumed, the man who had led us here clapped his hands together with a bright smile on his face.
"Go ahead and let loose!"
It was as if someone had flipped a switch.
The girls from Ebonvale Academy turned wild. Loud giggles broke out as they rushed toward the boys, who were also rushing towards them. One by one, they pounced – literally pounced on each other. Throwing their arms around the boys and the boys doing the same to the girls and pressing their lips to theirs.
I blinked. "What—?"
I barely had time to dodge one girl lunging at me with open arms. I sidestepped her only to bump into two more girls giggling uncontrollably. They danced seductively in front of me, leaning in to kiss each other before beckoning to me.
I backed away, and they followed after me, succeeding in cornering me.
They immediately started pulling at my clothes and trying to embrace me. I fought to free myself.
"I'm not—! Wait, I'm not—!" I tried to fight them off me, but the two girls caught my arm again, pulling me toward them.