#Chapter 30 – Quarrel

“No, Juniper,” Orion sighs, resting his forehead against his hand and letting his eyes drift shut for a moment. “You’re not being eliminated. So…calm down.” “But…why!?” I breathe, shaking my head and getting more worked up. I mean, I just don’t understand how I can be so completely in the clear. “I – I didn’t do what I was told to do – I didn’t participate –“ “You did participate,” he murmurs. “You showed up in the cloak. You got on the platform and gave your little speech. It was enough.” “But I didn’t get naked – I didn’t do as you said –“ “Not every test is about obedience,” he sighs, opening his eyes to glare at me a little. I sit back in my chair, just staring at him, completely shocked. “This whole thing has been about obedience,” I whisper. “About being tied to the rules – about show up or you die, about not being able to quit and go home when I discover that I’ve been tricked into a Game I never consented to play.” “From your perspective I see how that makes sense,”