Chapter Four
Phi sat at the ornate desk in the small mansion he could barely call his own. Despite his efforts to make his own way and earn his own money, anything he purchased was still owned by the King, which meant this house he called his could be taken away at any moment. Arden and he shared the mansion, a fact Phi’s father would rain down fury on them for if he knew. Phi had to refer to Arden as a pet more often than not. Though Arden didn’t mind and understood why it was necessary, it was not something that sat well with Phi. Arden was his friend, not his slave.
Phi flipped through the webpages and notes on his tablet, looking through their options. They only had two weeks before the race would be upon them, barely enough time to prepare, let alone to find someone capable of driving without much practice. The courses for the Race Games were treacherous at best and deadly at worst. They would need someone skilled to stand a chance at winning.
“We need a car,” Arden grunted from where he paced back and forth, stress eating away at him. “We need a driver that can race. We need weapons—”
“I’m aware of all that we need, Arden,” Phi grumbled, settling on a page on his tablet.
“How are you not more panicked?” Arden’s breathing was growing erratic, a feat which should have been impossible for a vampire. It only belied his true turmoil. “I’m freaking the fuck out!”
“Arden,” Phi growled, making his friend pause. “I know what I have to do. I know what is at stake. Now calm down or I’m going to kill you myself.”
Arden growled and slammed his fist against the desk, rattling everything on top of it. “Fucking prick.”
“You were the one who rose too high above your station and caught his attention. I told you to wait—”
“I shouldn’t have had to wait! I earned my position—”
“And earned my father’s view of you as a threat,” Phi interrupted, eyeing Arden closely. “And he’s not wrong. He sees you as my warrior, and with me set to take his throne, an armed threat is far worse than an unarmed one.”
“Good. I should hope he sees me as a threat and as your warrior. I’ll dismantle—”
“You’re also my best friend and I’ll not have you slaughtered like livestock simply because your arrogant ass didn’t listen,” Phi snarled. His fingers curled into the wood of the desk and made it groan. It didn’t break, but the indents of his sharp fingernails left behind would serve as a reminder of this conversation.
Arden paused, his face softening at the anger in Phi’s voice. “And now your whole title is in play because of me.”
Phi waved away his words. “I expected such. We both knew my father would never give up the crown so easily. I had just hoped for more time. Now, our only prerogative is to win this race fair and square, in a way the King cannot contest it.”
“But you’re not a driver,” Arden pointed out, his face twisting. “And while I’m a great driver, I don’t think I can win this race, Phi. I’m far better at weapons and schematics than driving.”
“I know. We need a third.”
“There’s no vampire good enough. Besides, your father would prevent them somehow from racing.”
Phi grinned. “We’re not going to have a vampire driver.”
Arden paused. “Who then?”
But Phi didn’t answer, switching topics. “I’ve got the car on the way. You’ll approve the specs, but I expect you to make adjustments as needed. We’ll be adding weapons and reinforcing the car. I’ll be the navigator. You’ll be the weapons. We won’t know anything about the course until just before the race, so let’s make sure we’re prepared for everything possible.”
Arden crossed his arms and nodded, switching into the no nonsense mode that had made him climb the ladder far quicker than should have been possible. “And where is this driver you plan on convincing to join our team?”
Phi stood and tucked his tablet beneath his arm. He met Arden’s eyes.
“Indiana. We’re taking a trip to Rockville, Indiana.”