#Chapter 18 – Crush

I’m almost too exhausted to notice how fast the next week passes. Jesse wakes me up early every day, and I scowl at Rafe, who snores peacefully while Jesse drags me out the door for our run. He seriously puts me through my paces, too, not even relenting when I try to bribe him. “Please,” I beg, “I’ll give you my crown –“ “Why would I want your crown, I’m a duke –“ “But dukes,” I pant, “don’t get anything pretty to wear on their heads –“ But Jesse just laughs, and makes me run harder. The candidate lessons are no less brutal. Every other day is spent running through that damn obstacle course, and even though Jesse and Rafe make me work out every night I still can’t climb that damn chain. I mean, I am getting better, which is satisfying. I can pull myself up about three feet of it now. But still, every day, after ten minutes of trying, the Lieutenant at that point on the course blows the whistle and lets me climb the ladder, putting a further demerit on my time. Even Ben gets up fa