Chapter 70: A Game between the Ogre and Sophia

Sophia stirred awake to the muffled crackle of a hearth in the distance and the faint voices of the compound carrying through her shuttered window. Her nap had left her restless rather than refreshed. The memory of the altar’s glowing runes and the echo of her own trembling voice reading the words still clung to her, refusing to fade. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

She sat up slowly, pressing her palm to her temple. Her body felt better, the dizziness mostly gone, but her thoughts churned. Why would anyone fear the Moon Goddess? The question gnawed at her. It didn’t make sense for anyone to fear her.

Throwing her cloak around her shoulders, she stepped outside. The air bit sharp against her cheeks, the snow crunching beneath her boots. She had only one goal in mind: the library. If there were answers to be found about the Moon Goddess, they would be there. She would meet with Eldric and they could go through books together, besides, she hadn’t done her shift for the day at the library.

Her path wound past the training yard, where sparring grunts rang out, and past homes lined with rune-carved stones glowing faintly under the pale sun. The sounds of laughter ahead made her slow her pace. Children’s laughter, bright, wild, unrestrained.

Sophia rounded the corner and froze at the sight before her.

Orion stood in the snow, sleeves rolled to his elbows revealing tattoos Sophia had no idea he had, boots planted firmly as he played referee, and participated in what looked like a lively ball game.

Half a dozen children darted around him, chasing after a rounded leather ball that bounced wildly across the packed snow. Their shrieks echoed, filled with joy. Orion’s deep laughter joined theirs, his usual sharp glare replaced with something lighter, almost boyish.

The sight unsettled her in ways she didn’t want to name. She should move and continue her journey but she stopped because this was the first time she was hearing Orion’s laughter and it was free and joyful, not restrained. It wasn’t even a chuckle, it was a full belly laugh.

Her hesitation to move and continue her business cost her, because in the next moment the ball ricocheted off Orion’s boot, soared high and smacked her squarely on the shoulder.

"Ah!" she hissed, stumbling a step back as the ball plopped into the snow beside her.

The game froze. The children stared, wide-eyed, then in unison darted behind Orion as if the ball had struck a storm beast. Orion himself winced, dragging a hand down his face.

"Of all the people..." he muttered, turning toward her. "Sophia, I swear, that wasn’t aimed at you."

She arched a brow, scooping the ball up with one hand. "No? Are you always this bad at games, or was I just lucky enough to witness it?"

The corner of his mouth twitched in irritation. "Bad? Bad? I’ll have you know I was the best at this when I was their age."

"Which explains why you just nearly killed me with a ball," she shot back with a smirk, tossing the leather sphere lightly between her hands.

The children giggled nervously, their gazes darting between their Alpha and Sophia who had no fear of mocking him.

Orion narrowed his eyes, but there was amusement in them, a spark she had learned to recognize. "If you’re so confident, why don’t you play?"

She blinked, caught off guard. "Play? With you?"

"Afraid to lose?" he challenged, crossing his arms.

Sophia’s lips curved slowly into a dangerous smile. "I won’t lose though."

That did it. Orion plucked the ball from her hands, tossed it into the air, and caught it with a grin that promised war. "Alright then. Let’s have a match. You against me. Let’s see if your mouth can back itself up."

The children erupted in delighted cheers, already sensing a spectacle. They scattered, forming makeshift goal markers out of two branches stuck in the snow on either side of the field.

Sophia pulled her cloak tighter and stepped into the field of trampled snow. "Fine. But when I win, I expect a proper apology for assaulting me with your terrible aim."

Orion chuckled darkly. "And when I win, you’ll admit publicly that I’m the superior player."

"In your dreams," she retorted, planting herself opposite him.

The children dropped the ball in the center, and with a shrill whistle from the smallest of them, the game began.

Snow crunched as Orion lunged for the ball, but Sophia was faster, darting in and kicking it past him with surprising precision. She sprinted toward his goal, her cloak flaring, her laughter escaping before she could stop it.

"Beginner’s luck!" Orion called, charging after her.

"Skill," she corrected, sending the ball flying between the makeshift posts. The children whooped in glee.

"Point to Sophia!"

She turned, smug. "One to zero."

Orion growled in mock warning. "Don’t get cocky."

The game continued, fast-paced and fierce. Orion used his strength to shoulder past her, blocking her advances, but Sophia slipped through gaps like water, nimble and focused.

Every time he taunted, "Is that all you’ve got?" she retaliated with a smirk and another goal.

Her hair stuck to her forehead with sweat, her cheeks flushed pink from the cold, but she was exhilarated. Orion, too, was laughing more than he scowled, though his competitive streak blazed. The children cheered for both sides, running to chase stray kicks and occasionally yelling advice.

At one point, Orion leaned close as they jostled for the ball, his voice low. "Careful, you’re making me look bad in front of my pack."

Sophia smirked, shoving him aside just enough to steal the ball. "Maybe stop being bad then."

The children howled with laughter at her quip, and Orion shook his head with an exasperated grin.

By the time the score was three to two, with Sophia in the lead, Orion was clearly frustrated. He resorted to teasing, trying to distract her.

"Are you always this serious about everything?" he asked, circling her as she prepared to kick.

"Always this bad at distracting people?" she shot back, not breaking focus. The ball shot past him again into the goal.

"How is it that your stamina works so well now?" He asked her, making her pause.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you going easy on me?" She asked him.

"Nope. It seems as though you’ve played this game before. You are using techniques that wouldn’t drain your stamina. Do you remember playing it?" He asked her.

She frowned, the game at a pause. "I don’t remember."

All of a sudden, the ball was taken from her as Orion scored a point.

"You distracted me." She told him with a huff.

"Yeah, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. You seemed so good at the game, it was unsettling."

"Coward." She muttered out.

He chuckled. "But I’m serious though, you appear to know this game, muscle memory?" He asked her.

"Perhaps. I still can’t remember anything about my life."

"Even after going to the shrine?" He asked her.

"Yes, which reminds me..."

"Oh, here we go now." Orion said with a sigh.

"...what do you know about the moon goddess?"