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//-->THE KING'S MENNora SakavicALL FOR THE GAMEThe Foxhole CourtThe Raven KingThe King's MenCopyright 2013-2014 Nora SakavicCHAPTER ONEEven after a semester atPalmetto State University and a couple weeks practicing on the largest Exy stadium in the UnitedStates,Neilwasstillstruckbreathless by the Foxhole Court. He lay flat on his back on the half-court line and soaked it in. Hecounted rows of alternating orange and white seats until they blurred into an indistinct mess near therafters, then studied the spring championship banners hanging in numerical order around the stadium.There was one for each of the Foxes, including the late Seth Gordon. They hadn't been there beforethe Foxes split up for Christmas and Neil wondered what Allison would say when she saw them."You forget how to stand up, Josten?"Neil lolled his head to one side to look at his coach. He'd left the court door open behind him, andnow David Wymack stood in the doorway. Neil didn't think they'd been here long enough forWymack to finish his paperwork. Either Wymack didn't trust Neil to keep his promise not to practiceuntil he was fully healed or Neil had lost track of time again. Neil hoped it was the former, but theknot in his stomach predicted otherwise.He'd agreed to spend Christmas break at Edgar Allan, but the Ravens operated on sixteen-hour daysduring their holidays. What should have been two weeks passed like three, and Neil's internal clockwas going haywire even after two days back in South Carolina. Classes were supposed to startThursday though, and the spring season kicked off the following week.Wymack was sure having a normal routine again would help. Neil could only hope he was right."It's time to go," Wymack said.That was enough to make Neil get up, though his battered body protested. He ignored the pain with theease of long familiarity and resisted the urge to work at the ache in his shoulder as he crossed thecourt to Wymack. He didn't miss the critical once-over Wymack gave him but chose not toacknowledge it."They landed?" Neil asked when he was close enough."You'd know if you were answering your phone."Neil pulled his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. He pressed a couple buttons, then tilted thedark screen toward Wymack. "I must have forgotten to charge it.""Must have," Wymack said, not at all fooled.He was right to be suspicious; Neil had let his phone die on purpose. Before going to bed on NewYear's he'd shut his phone off and left it unplugged. He still hadn't read the messages his teammatessent him over the break. He couldn't avoid them forever, but Neil hadn't figured out how to explain hisactions. The ugly injuries he sported were an expected consequence of facing Riko. The tattoo on hischeek would take a little more work to justify, but it was doable. What Neil couldn't get around waswhat Riko had done to his appearance.After nine years of colored contacts and hair dye Neil finally had his natural coloring back. Withauburn hair and bright blue eyes he was a spitting image of the murderous father he'd spent half hislife outrunning. He hadn't looked in a mirror in two days. Denial wouldn't change his appearance backbut he'd throw up if he saw his reflection again. If he could at least dye his hair a couple shades darkerhe might breathe a little easier, but Riko made it clear what he'd do to the Foxes if Neil changed hislooks."They're at baggage claim,"Wymack said. "We need to talk."Neil bolted the court door behind him and followed Wymack up to the locker room. Wymack cut thestadium lights behind them and Neil looked back as the Foxhole Court was swallowed by darkness.The sudden absence of light sent a chill down his spine. For a moment he was back at Evermore beingsmotheredbytheRavens'malevolenceandthecourt'sforbidding color scheme. He'd never been claustrophobic but the weight of so much hatred hadalmost crushed every bone in his body.The jangle of keys brought him back from that dangerous edge and Neil turned, startled. Wymack hadgone into the locker room ahead of him and was unlocking his office door. Although they were the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]