From Rejected Luna To Lycan Queen (Eloise and Edward) novel Chapter 17

2/2

Chapter 17 Winning Slowly

ELOISE.

The woods were thick, but to me, they felt like home. While the other girls tripped over plants and screamed at every buzzing insect, I moved through the trees with ease. My time living with rogues had taught me one thing: the forest provides if you know

where to look.

I quickly spotted some wild kale and garlic. I gathered them like this was not the first time I was doing it, tying them together with a long piece of lemon grass.

Nearby, I saw Lex crouching by a small bush; she reached out to pull a bright red berry.

“Don’t touch that,” I said with a sharp voice. Lex jumped, looking at me with wide eyes.

“Why? It looks so good.”

“It’s Blood–root,” I explained, walking over. “It looks like a berry, but it will make your throat swell in minutes; it looks pretty, but it’s poison.” I looked around, trying to find one thats not harmful. “There, you can take the one over there.”

Lex looked at the plant, then at me. She dropped the berries and nodded. “Thanks, Eloise. I guess I have a lot to learn.”

“We all do,” I said simply, though I knew some were learning faster than the others.

On the other side of the clearing, Summer looked like a disaster. She was moving too slowly, and holding her silk shey up as if the mud was acid. But who wears a silk long skirt to come and look for vegetables to eat?

This girl needs to be thoroughly checked.

“Ew! A spider.” She shrieked. “Dolly, Natalie, look! It almost touched me. How am I supposed to find food in this dump? My hands are going to be ruined at this point,” she complained to her friends.

Dolly and Natalie were both starting to look annoyed because they wouldn’t get annoyed at Summer’s behavior. They were both hungry and exhausted, and Summer’s constant whining was getting on their nerves.

“Just pick something, Summer.” Dolly snapped, wiping sweat away from her forehead.

“We are all tired,” Natalie added.

When the hour was up, we gathered back at the hall, and the elder inspected our baskets.

“Eloise, your knowledge of the forest is impressive. You have all the right things in your basket, and because of this, you are awarded the highest score of the night.” He said, and I bowed slightly. After he was done with me, he looked over at Summer’s almost empty basket, which contained only a few wilted leaves and a handful of dirt.

“Summer, you are the last. You spent more time complaining than working. So much difference between you sisters, you have more to learn from your elder sister.” He said and looked away from her, turning to address all of us. “For tonight’s dinner, the highest scrirers get to choose the ingredients. The person with the lowest score only gets dry toast and a plain omelet.”

Summer’s eyes filled with tears instantly. She looked up at the drones, ensuring her sad face was broadcast to the entire pack.

“I’m so sorry, everyone.” She sobbed. “I tried my best, I just didn’t want to hurt the plants…”

1/2

Dolly finally snapped, she rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might stay that way. “Oh, if you know you’re making us lose, just learn how to do it properly. Who’s buying this sad act? It’s annoying already.”

Natalie sneered, crossing her arms. “Yeah, what do you think you are? Some princess? We’re all here for the same trials, baby, so wise the fuck up.”

Summer’s face went from pale to a bright, embarrassed red. She hadn’t expected her friends to turn on her so quickly. She looked at me, probably expecting me to look smug, but I looked calm. I didn’t need to gloat; her own failure was doing the work for me.

“Let’s get to the kitchen.” The Elder said. By the time we went to the kitchen, I realised that the kitchen was old school, even the smallest stove was not available, let alone an electric cooker. The only thing there was a large brick of hearth; the other girls stood around it, looking confused.

“How do we turn it on?” Natalie asked, poking at the cold iron.

I didn’t answer; instead, I walked to the hearth and threw on something that looked like an apron. I picked out some fresh pork loin and my wild vegetables. Lex came over, carrying a handful of dry grass.

“Do you know how to start a fire without a lighter?”

“Just watch,” I said.

took two pieces of stone from the corner of the hearth, I arranged the dry grass into a small nest, and struck the stones together. Sparks flew, and on the third strike, a tiny puff of smoke rose. I blew on it gently until a flame caught the grass. I carefully added the wigs and soon enough, a strong fire was roaring.

The other girls stared in shock; even the drones seemed to come closer to catch the act.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify