43. Healthy Dose Of Paranoia
Chapter 43
Healthy Dose Of Paranoia
Raven
Present Day
“ Y ou always were a spit-fire.” Geoff bared his teeth at me, at least those he had left.
He had aged…a lot since I had seen him last.
“At what point did you betray me?”
Geoff cocked his head, his dark blue eyes boring into my own. “Who says I did betray you? Are you not happier here than you were on the outside? We can’t hear everything throughout the game, but I have seen enough. You were reunited with Jayce, have made friends , strong allies, and soon you will meet your missing piece.”
Geoff stood abruptly from his chair before marching to me. I tried to struggle against my restraints, but they held tight.
Is he going to go through all this just to kill me?
His disgusting breath fanned my face as he bent to my side and spoke into my ear. “I have one piece of advice. When you leave here, keep your cards close. Do not trust the rest of the world. They will offer you sweet lies because you are one of their cherished . But there is corruption among their ranks as well. After all, Violencia was formed from a single lie.”
I attempted to swing my head into him, but he backed away before I could.
“This isn’t going to end the way you think it will Raven. But you are exactly where you were meant to be. It took years to strengthen you, to prepare you for this fight, but now that you are in this game, it is only the beginning. Even still, you need to remember that you are no longer just Raven, you are Shadow . Let them underestimate you and use it against them. I wish you well kiddo.” Geoff turned to leave.
Let who underestimate me?
“Wait! You haven’t answered any of my questions! How am I exactly where I am meant to be? What did you do? What is going on?” I kept screaming but he didn’t pause as he made his way out of the door. Leaving me in the bare space alone with just my thoughts.
What could have been hours later, my restraints released on their own, followed by the door swinging back open. Jumping from my chair, I attempted to ready myself for whatever was next. But it was the same guard as before, this time holding Levi around the arm.
“You have three minutes,” Felix advised before shoving Levi inside and slamming us shut into the space together.
“Levi?”
“Oh, darlin’. ”
The bulky man rushed to me. He gave me a once over, checking for any notable injuries; he even lifted my shirt to check my side.
“It isn’t healing properly. You said you were okay. This is my fault.”
“Levi, it’s not your fault. You saved my life.” My hand covered his, pushing the material down. “It is healing, I’m taking antibiotics,” I grumbled. The pain was still there, but it was no longer sharp and stabbing, now it was dull and throbbing. Easier to ignore.
Levi shook his head, but didn’t argue. Carefully, he gathered me into his comforting arms. He leaned down, his nose brushing against mine. His amber eyes were speckled with cosmos of colors and they swirled with equal amounts of adoration and concern.
“If you say so.” He squeezed me gently into him. “I missed you.”
“It’s only been a day,” I attempted to joke, but it fell flat between us.
“A day in here is much longer than it has any right being. And 196 is a certified jackass, but he’s outnumbered, and he knows it.” He brought his lips to mine in a fast-searing kiss before separating from me. He reluctantly set me onto my feet before heaving a sigh.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I don’t know what to tell you. What you need to know and what should come later. But I spoke with my Sponsor.”
Icy dread. Volcanic tension. Explosive anger.
Anadil—Nightingale—caused me to forget all rationality.
Levi had told me at the beginning of these games that she had visited him right before he woke up here, and it was my guess that was who he had met.
“My sister?”
“Yes,” Levi confirmed.
She was close. In this building. She might not be my Sponsor but she was a part of this fucking game .
“I think”–Levi shifted on his feet unsteadily, glancing around anxiously–“you need to at least know this. The next game will turn the teammates against each other. I don’t know how or why. But it won’t go well. If a guard comes to retrieve you in the chaos, let them. Follow them. It will keep you safe.” His voice was off . His accent all but gone.
He’s lying to me .
But what part of it is a lie?
I stepped back from Levi, examining him closely. “Okay.” I didn’t mean the word.
Something wasn’t right. His encounter with my sister had changed things. She was a master manipulator. Maybe she had gotten inside his head? Filled it with her lies? Promised to be our saviors?
The reason everything had gone to shit in the first place was because of her. Maybe she was back here to finish me off.
Placing a blank slate across my face and washing away my flickering unease, I did my best to offer a reassuring smile. “You’re going to be exempt from the next game. You were clearly the fastest in the last round.”
Levi furrowed his eyebrows, but then he let out a long breath. “Yes. Raven. Darlin’. Please just stay safe okay? This isn’t going to end the way we think it will.”
This isn’t going to end the way we think it will.
It was nearly exactly what Geoff had said to me.
Years of needing a healthy dose of paranoia to survive was catching up with me now. Levi had done absolutely nothing for me to not trust him, he had been there every step of the way to keep me alive, to make me feel safe. But right now, warning bells were going off. Maybe he wasn’t lying to me, but my sister had told him something .
“Levi.” I looked up at him through my eyelashes. “What aren’t you revealing to me? You can tell me, you know? ”
“I can’t lie to you. I’m not any fucking good at it, but darlin’ I promise you, knowing right now will not help anything. It’s kind of like with Enzo. Sometimes keeping the secret is less painful. But it will come to light soon. I promise.”
That is the truth.
Most of my anxiety dispersed, but a sturdy cord of apprehension steadily pumped through me.
What does he know? What could my sister have told him that could possibly be worse than everything she had already done? How could it be any more horrific?
“I don’t like it, but I understand. Stay safe you big brute.”
“I love you, Raven.” He bent down, pressing one last soul-crushing kiss onto me. Stamping me as his own.
“I love you, too.” And I did as much as I possibly could love someone with my damaged heart. I just hoped it would be enough. Levi was right though, I had kept a life-altering secret from him when I thought it best. I owed him the same trust he had put into me.
“Time’s up.” Felix whipped the door open.
Another guard next to Felix grabbed hold of me, marching us away before I could do anything to stop him.
I turned my head back to get one last glance at Levi. I wished I hadn’t.
His face was clouded in dark shadows, agony and anguish had been painted across his features, his eyes screwed shut, his lips pinched.
Whatever my sister had told him…whatever he was keeping from me…I could feel with certainty it would rip me apart.
My vision didn’t disappear as the new guard walked with me towards the lift. Nor did it as he pressed a button taking us down into the depths below.
“I’m going to be the one to get you after the next game,” he advised under his breath, not looking at me but watching the doors as they opened and guiding me along with him. “I’m Miko. Winner of the third game.” He used his free hand to drag down his uniform, revealing a familiar collar, as we continued on our path.
“Where will you take me?” I whispered back, lowering my head down.
I wanted to see which way we had come, but all the hallways looked the same. All of the doors were solid metal and as we walked it felt more and more like we were in an underground maze.
“To The Host.”
I froze, my heart beating against my ribs.
Miko tugged on my arm, practically dragging me now. “Don’t you want to see him?” Uncertainty entered his voice. “Or was I not supposed to tell you that? It’s hard remembering everything.” His grip tightened on my arm. “But I was made a promise, and you being here will finally bring it to fruition.”
I remembered his year’s games. Remembered the brutality of the winner. Remembered his lack of empathy. It was what had propelled him to the end. Others had formed alliances, but he didn’t have such predilections. It was almost as if he knew exactly who not to trust. As if he knew that he would need to fight solo to win every round.
“Just come with me when I find you. It’s not like I’m going to hurt you. You’re too fucking important,” he sneered.
It took longer than I cared to admit to realize we were at my new “home” but then he was unlocking the door and shoving me inside. Just before he shut the door, I caught sight of Enzo .
Enzo’s eyes widened as they met mine. “Ra—”
The door slammed shut. And I turned around to come face-to-face with Player 194.