Evermarked, p.6
EverMarked, page 6
He let my wrists go, and my arms dropped to my side, as I took a step away and shoved my hands into my pockets.
“I’m sorry—”
“No, you’re not,” Theo said before I could finish. “Don’t tell me what you think I want to hear just because you feel guilty.”
I looked away, unable to explain that I wanted to let him in. I wanted to tell him what I knew he needed to hear from me because it was the truth, but I couldn’t. So I stared at my feet, waiting for him to leave. Better to keep my mouth shut than make this worse than it already was.
“Good luck,” he said, taking a step backward before he turned on his heels and left me to the cold, quiet streets of Cytos.
I didn’t watch him go.
I had to rush my usual routine, having wasted too much time with Theo. The excited energy, usually soothing me, set my pulse racing instead, and my hands wouldn’t stop trembling. The Maestro had been more than accommodating, finding me an opponent last minute. A contender eager for a chance to take down the Champion already waited for me.
My knee bounced with anticipation. The hard wood bench sprang with my nervous movements, rubbing against the brace securing it to the wall with subtle creaks. I shifted uncomfortably while waiting my turn. It was habit to bite my nails when I was nervous, and by the time a knock rapped against the door—and the gruff voice on the other side told me they were ready—my nails were down to the skin.
The cold hallway seemed longer than usual and the walk towards the arena daunting. The crowd wasn’t as big as on the weekends, but they had still come out to see their champion fight.
I shook out my arms as I entered the crowd and bounced on my feet. The crowd parted for me. Fans cheered and others touched my arms as I passed. I had always felt in control in the arena, walking with the swagger of a winner, but today was different. Today, my nerves threatened to get the best of me, and all of a sudden every hand touching my arms felt like a chain pulling me down. I pushed my way through the crowd, nearly running to escape from them until I was at the cage, and slipped through the door as quick as I could.
My breathing was ragged. Sweat already formed at the nape of my neck, and the taste of bile rose at the back of my throat. I was going to be sick.
I knelt down, closing my eyes as I steadied my breath.
You can do this. You will do this. I recited the words over and over again until my heartbeat slowed, and my breathing returned to normal.
Standing back up, I caught the gaze of my opponent. A shadow stood before me. Tall and lean, built for speed no doubt. Long, dark hair pulled back from her sun-kissed face, and brown eyes with tiny flecks of amber scrutinized me from across the stage. She leaned against the metal cage, arms crossed, and her head tilted to one side while she assessed me.
A terrifying smile spread across her blood-red lips. A wolf incarnate.
I shivered.
“As a special treat for each and every one of you, we have a bonus fight tonight featuring your Champion, Blaze, and her new opponent, the Wraith.” The crowd went wild, equal cheers for their champion and this new opponent. A Wraith, indeed. “Tonight’s event is even more spectacular than usual as an anonymous donor has doubled the jackpot for our winners this evening. So get your bets in quick as the game is about to begin.”
My heart began to pound again, and a headache formed at my left temple. Someone doubled the pot? Why would they do that? The crowd of people began digging into their pockets for their funds to transfer. Money always brought out the worst in people, which meant the stakes for me to win had also doubled.
I hardly heard the Maestro when he announced the start of the fight with my heart beating so loud in my ears. My mouth was dry, and the smell of body odor, sweat, and alcohol from the crowd threatened to bring up my meager dinner.
When the ringing of the bell sounded, the Wraith dropped low into position. I let out a staggered breath before narrowing in on her. She had a cocky demeanour about her, one I usually could relate to, but tonight that was not me.
The Wraith swept around the cage, and I mimicked her feline movements. Another breath out and I settled my nerves a little more. Silently, I reminded myself why I was here, why I had come out tonight.
I lunged for her legs, but she nimbly jumped out of the way. Her head tilted to the side in amusement, as I pushed back to my feet and put my hands up.
I expected her to attack. I expected speed and agility and stealth, but she was none of those things. She was better.
Lightning fast reflexes blocked my first kick. She dodged my fist, as though she’d known exactly what I was about to do before I swung. My brow creased as I tried to assess her—tried to figure out what she was, who she was—but she had already analyzed me. And what she found was flawed, like the Marked kid I was.
I swung left and she stepped back. Her fist aimed for my right temple, and I ducked in time to avoid a severe headache the next day.
The Wraith smiled and gave a slight nod, as if to congratulate me for not getting hit. I hissed and circled back.
The crowd grew rowdy and loud. Drunken slurs and shouts sprang up around us, and they pounded fists against the cage wall. They wanted a fight, not a dance.
Without noticing, I found myself pressed against the cage. A hand slid through the small openings, shoving me in the back towards the middle of the arena where the Wraith stood waiting. I nearly stumbled to my knees before her and scrambled to collect my bearings.
To my surprise, the Wraith didn’t use this to her advantage. Instead, she neared the man who’d shoved me, shook her head at him, and slammed her foot against the cage where his fingers still stuck through. He shouted in pain, and the crowd roared with pleasure.
Turning her attention back to me, the Wraith motioned with her hand for me to proceed, and I had the sinking feeling she toyed with me. I felt like a child all over again, working with instructors who could pin us down and submit us in an instant, but they would give us a small glimmer of hope before taking our dreams of glory away, teaching us painful lessons about what we’d done wrong.
I took a step towards her, but she was beside me in the blink of an eye, her dark hair waving behind her as she spun with such speed I almost felt dizzy. Her elbow connected with my face.
Blood spurted from my nose. From the crunch reverberating through my teeth, it was safe to assume my nose was broken. I was on the floor. The world spinning around as my legs were taken out from under me. I gasped for air but found my lungs empty. The Wraith wrenched my arm back, my wrist snapping like a twig under her hand, and I screamed. Searing, hot pain swept through my body, and I tried to blink away the stars in my vision, but they wouldn’t go away. Traitorous tears sprang down my cheeks.
I tried to push back to my feet, rolling onto my stomach, as a knee dug into my back, and the Wraith’s arms swiftly wrapped around the neck I’d left entirely exposed.
I had the weird sense of knowing what this felt like from the other side, a weird, reminiscent feeling of the Beast clawing at my face and my arms, trying to get me to release my grip. I knew I wouldn’t have let go if it were me, and neither would the Wraith.
My hands flailed and my nails dug into her skin, but I couldn’t breathe. It was like moving through mud and I was trapped, sinking down and down. The world went black as her arm released me, and I slammed against the floor of the cage, defeated.
Chapter 9
Sienna
The Maestro didn’t go easy on me. Even the broken wrist and twisted nose I’d already snapped back into place didn’t hurt as bad as my ego. I’d lost everything. Any chance of winning back my money was long gone. I was lucky they didn’t take me out back and show me exactly how much I’d cost them.
It was safe to say I’d lost my position as their Champion. I would not be invited back anytime soon. That wretched Wraith was the one to blame. The girl had left so quickly I hadn’t got a chance to beg for a rematch. Not that the Maestro would have given me one. Not that I would have won the next time.
When the clock chimed midnight, I finally mustered up enough strength to carry myself out of the building. The arena had gone silent more than an hour ago.
I had to use my shoulder to push open the heavy steel door since my broken wrist was tightly wrapped and held by my other hand, keeping it from moving too much. The pain dizzied me every time my wrist was jarred even the slightest bit.
Damp soil and wet concrete muddled together in a fresh aroma. The smooth puddles on the ground reflected the glass high-rise buildings lining the street. Small drops of rainwater sprinkled from the trees and landed on my hooded head as I snuck through the edges of the street. Unlike the last time I was here, the city was not alive, but sleeping. Only a few streetlights led the way home. No Linked images danced across the sky and no crowded streets to hide in. The few people I passed didn’t look kindly to a stranger walking alone at night, so I picked up my pace.
I’d wasted too much time moping and replaying every wrong move I made that I didn’t have time to see Ava. I’d have to wait for the weekend and pray no one noticed the injuries I’d sustained. My mind reeled; how had that happened? How had I lost?
I let out another long sigh as I turned down the next alley. It was empty, dark, and cold from the rain bringing in cooler temperatures, and a wind sent a shiver down my spine.
I’d lost it all.
I’d failed Vic.
“Care for a rematch?” A voice laced with quiet wrath whispered in my ear like a shadow on the winds.
Turning on my heels, I nearly ran into the figure behind that voice. My breath caught in my lungs, and my blood began to boil.
The Wraith stood before me. Dressed in black from head to toe, leather strapped around her wrists and ankles, and a high collar that cloaked her face in deep shadows. A sleek, black gun sat on her hip that I knew she didn’t need to even touch to inflict pain. She could do that all on her own.
“You,” I seethed, stepping closer as my anger peaked.
The corner of her mouth tipped into a smile. “I don’t think we were properly introduced. Sienna, is it? Or do you prefer Blaze?”
My heart stopped beating. “How do you know my name?”
A quiet chuckle came from the shadows behind her, and I was suddenly aware of the two figures stepping out from the darkness they blended into. The tall blonde narrowed her striking gold eyes on me with a feline grin, nearly licking her lips; she stopped short behind the Wraith. If the Wraith was a shadow, the blonde was the very night herself. The air seemed to still around her, as if holding its breath, waiting for her to strike. Cloaked in the same black attire the Wraith wore, hers clung to a curvy body and strong legs beneath skin-tight pants. My gaze flickered to the knife-like nails she tapped against her leg.
The other, the male, gave me a quick once over, pleased with whatever he saw. His gaze fell to my broken wrist still tucked against my chest. He, too, wore black, but his clothing was simpler. They seemed less for show and more for the practical reasons I was sure he wore them for. His blue eyes were teal like the ocean, bright against his dark skin, unusual and striking. They lingered, taking in every detail of me.
“We know all about you, Sienna,” the Wraith said and tilted her head to the side. I suddenly felt the need to take a step back. My eyes darted down the alley to find an escape. “Grew up in the DEZ, a Marked kid…the usual tragic upbringing. And then we came across something peculiar. A mysterious, red-haired girl known as Blaze, the arena Champion.” The woman inclined her head to the blonde on her right. “Em was quick to notice the similarities, quick to see the champion wasn’t all she claimed to be—wasn’t merely human.”
“What do you want?” I tried to sound braver than I felt. Three of them against only one of me—I didn’t kid myself in thinking I could beat them, and I doubted I’d manage to outrun them either.
“Relax, we just want to talk,” the Wraith assured me.
I was anything but relaxed. “Who exactly are you? Or do you just go by Wraith?”
The girl smiled, enjoying my anger, feeding off of it. “I’ve grown fond of the title, but you can just call me Jayla.” She nodded to the male on her left. “This is Caspian. And you’ve already met Em.”
The blonde gave a wink. I shivered.
“Pleasure to meet you,” Caspian said, a smile that looked like trouble spreading across his face.
“Can’t say I feel the same.” I crossed my arms, wincing at the sharp pain in my wrist tucked against my body.
“Oh, don’t be like that. We’re all on the same side.” Jayla waved her hand.
“Are we?” My temper rose. “Didn’t feel like we were on the same side when you broke my wrist. When you took everything I’ve worked so hard for away from me.”
“You should be thanking me for that. I did you a favor.”
My nostrils flared. “A favor?”
Jayla took a quiet step closer and I froze. Her voice was icy. “Yes, a favor. You may have not realized the lifelong contract you signed when you stepped into that arena, but I do.” She circled even closer, the amber in her eyes dancing off the moonlight like little embers from a fire. “There’s only two ways you get out of that arena. You pay off the Maestro, a lot of money for your release. Or you lose, which usually results in you never being able to fight again…anywhere.”
“Who said I wanted to leave?” I pushed back.
Jayla huffed a laugh. “The desperation on your face told me you weren’t just in it for the glory. You had a reason to be in there, and once you had what you wanted, you thought you’d just stroll out of there without any resistance. As if no one would stop you and demand compensation.”
I clamped my mouth shut. How could she possibly know what my plan was? She had no idea why I was doing all this. My mouth was dry, and I swallowed the hard lump forming at the thought she might also know about Vic.
“I know what that’s like, being desperate for something. And trust me, I saved you a world of pain if you’d continued on the road you were going.” Jayla stepped back to where her two friends stood watching me with keen eyes.
“So, what, you just thought you’d step in and fix a problem you didn’t think I had covered?” I said. “I had a plan, I always have a plan, and you ruined it. You took it all without thinking about the consequences of it for one second. You did me no favors.”
Jayla reached into her pocket and pulled something out. She flicked it at me, and I caught it just in time. A small Linked chip. “If it’s about the money, take it. I don’t need it, trust me.”
My face reddened as I looked down to the chip I knew contained more money than I’d won in any fight. I glared up at Jayla, my jaw so tight it ached worse than my wrist. “I don’t need your charity.”
She snorted. “Don’t be petty. Consider it your retirement fee.”
I wanted to throw it back at her. I wanted to scream I didn’t need anyone to help me, but instead I put the chip in my pocket, and Em gave me a little smirk I did my best to ignore.
Jayla opened her mouth, leaned forward, but stilled. Her eyes flicked down the alleyway. My gaze followed. A few yards away, a familiar figure leaned against the cement wall. His arms crossed as he watched the exchange.
“Friend of yours?” Jayla nodded to Theo, who was already doing his own assessment of the three in front of me. Caspian angled himself a little closer to Jayla, but Em just picked at those razor-sharp nails. Judging by her demeanor, I knew she would be the one to watch out for.
“Something like that.” I glanced back to Theo who didn’t move an inch closer. He gave me a little shrug.
Jayla turned her attention back to me. “Now that you see I’m here in good faith, we need to talk.”
I creased my brow but stayed rooted where I stood.
“You’ve heard about the explosion at the Genetics Lab?” I nodded. “I assume you’re smart enough to know it wasn’t a gas line explosion.”
I glanced to Theo and his mouth twisted. “We thought something was a bit off about it.”
Jayla smirked. “Off is a good word to use. Anything unusual happening in the DEZ these days?”
Again, I looked to Theo and wondered how much I should tell these people. Only a few hours ago, she was my enemy, my opponent. I had no way of knowing their intentions. But Theo gave me a subtle nod, both of us aware these people were not about to let us leave without answers. I turned back to them. “Our graduation process has been changed. Usually, we all leave at once after testing is complete, but they’ve changed the protocols. Now, we’re being paired up and leaving a week apart. And they’ve sped up the process; we’re set to leave much sooner than we should be.”
Jayla glanced back to Em, who’d stopped picking her nails and was intently listening to each word I said. She inclined her head to Jayla as if to confirm I wasn’t lying—that it was indeed outside of the normal protocol. It took me only a second to figure out why she knew; she was a genetic kid, too. Whether she was Pur or Marked, I couldn’t tell. The sleeves of her jacket covered her wrists and any black marks that might indicate one way or another.
“We have reason to believe the explosion was intentional, meant so someone could gain access to a room otherwise impenetrable,” Jayla continued. “They have the records of every Marked kid in the DEZ. We don’t know what they want with it, but someone is spooked by this. They’re hiding something they don’t want others to know.”
I let out a breath, considering all Jayla had said. “We’re nothing. What would they want with us?”
Jayla shrugged. “That’s what we’re going to find out, and why we need your help.”
I tensed, considering what she might ask me to do. Before she had a chance to say anything further, I replied, “No.”
She startled. “No? I haven’t even said what I need you for.”
“It doesn’t matter. The answer is no. I won’t help you. I can’t help you. You don’t get it. If I step out of line, if I get caught, that jeopardizes when I get out of the DEZ. If I get out of the DEZ. I can’t risk that, not now,” I said.
