Chapter Nine
………………………….
Ily
IF THE OLD ILY COULD SEE ME NOW…if she watched me willingly leave behind her only weapon and walk over the drawbridge into Victor’s fortress, she would’ve disowned me for my stupidity.
She would’ve screeched and shouted and ordered me to run and swim and do whatever it damn well took to get as far away from here as possible.
But…
But.
I sighed heavily as I glanced at the sorry company I kept.
I’d come here alone, yet somehow, I’d grown attached.
Three jewels and one Master.
All of us dripping in pain.
Leading the way, Henri prowled on bare feet. His left arm coated in blood from where Kyle stabbed him, his t-shirt soaked with murder.
We matched, him and me.
We all did.
He might be painted in blood, but the rich scarlet matched the red paint covering me.
Stars pinpricked the black velvet sky above. The hazy whirlpool of a galaxy gleamed brightly as if studying our sad procession.
Rachel walked beside me. Her own body covered in red paint like mine. When Henri had snatched Kyle’s gun, checked the canister still had paintballs, and aimed at Rachel and Mollie, I’d leapt in front of him.
“Don’t you dare shoot them.” I’d balled my hands, fighting through debilitating pain from all my bruises. I’d studied his blood-streaked face for some reaction. But there’d been none. He was a total stranger with every emotion shuttered and every feeling hidden.
He hadn’t spoken to me.
But he had spoken to them.
Arching his chin at the two jewels, he shrugged with indifference. “I don’t know what we’ll be walking into when we return, but I do know Victor will expect a winner. I’m claiming all of you. It’s the only way I can think of to keep you safe.”
Rachel and Mollie shared a look.
Keep you safe.
Such a protective sentence yet said with blood-tipped frost.
What did he mean by that?
Had he had a change of heart and seen the errors of his ways?
Is he going to help us?
Peter remained passed out, unable to offer his counsel.
What he’d said before…the comment about seeing something in Henri.
What had Peter seen?
Fragments of light?
Filaments of hope that Henri hadn’t truly forsaken his task?
I sucked in an optimistic breath; pain daggered right in my ribs.
The urge to bend over and hug my bruised chest faded as Rachel cupped her belly, shielding her new pregnancy.
I sucked in shallow breaths as she bit her lower lip. Bracing her shoulders, she nodded. “You’re right. Victor might be psychotic, but he’s strangely fixated on rules. If you shoot us too, I doubt anyone else will have managed to shoot three jewels at close range. He’ll add up the bruises and announce you as the winner.”
None of us mentioned that the winner was entitled to do anything he wanted. And with how empty Henri looked, I honestly didn’t know how far he’d go.
He turned Kyle into ribbons.
“This is nuts.” I threw up my arms, immediately paying for the move with a flush of agony and that nasty stabbing in my side. “Let’s crack open a few balls and just smear the paint over you.”
“It has to be authentic.” Mollie stepped forward, jutting out her chest and presenting her faded bullseye. “The game is called Bruises, remember?”
I shook my head. “The colour doesn’t match. Henri was given orange paint.” I pointed at the area of his jeans that used to be tinged with brightness but only found blood. No sign of orange anywhere, thanks to him wearing every droplet of Kyle’s lifeforce.
“I don’t think it will matter.” Rachel dropped her arms and balled her hands. “Victor has a soft spot for him. I’ve never seen him be so tolerant to another Master before. That has to count for something.”
“What about Peter?” I glanced at our comatose friend. “We can’t shoot him while he’s borderline dead.”
Mollie nodded and pinned her brown eyes on Henri. “I agree with Ily. Just shoot us. Make every bullet count. But leave Peter alone.”
Henri merely nodded.
And then, he let fire.
The canister held far more rounds than I could’ve counted. His aim stayed accurate as he worked his way down each girl’s legs and then shot at their shoulders and arms. At the end, he shot once…directly at their bullseye. They staggered back in matching pain, but at least he hadn’t shot anywhere in their soft middles.
Who was this ice-cold man who moved like rigor mortis had set in, yet had the foresight not to hurt unnecessarily?
I wished Kyle had been that considerate.
Every organ throbbed. My liver and kidneys, stomach and womb. Perfectly round bruises swelled and grew hotter the deeper night fell.
Tossing the empty gun at Mollie, Henri muttered, “Bring that with us.” Then he strode toward the eviscerated corpse that used to be Kyle and hauled him over his shoulder like a dead deer.
My eyes widened as he headed toward the hidden exit where the other Masters had gone.
He disappeared, leaving the three of us to blink in exhaustion and try to figure out our next step.
I couldn’t get a read on him.
I daren’t ask him if he’d suddenly switched back to our side.
When he came back, minus a body, and headed toward the other Master he’d dispatched with a log to his head, he ordered, “Stay here.”
Those two words ignited a fire within us.
We didn’t listen.
All three of us fell into helping.
Henri staggered with his own injuries and exhaustion but didn’t order us to stop as Rachel and Mollie took a dead Master’s arm, and I helped Henri with the legs.
Silently, we’d carried the Master, slung like a hammock, out of the cave via a civilised tunnel and heaved our way up rough-hewn stairs that hinted the open-top cave was known and used, even if its wild appearance said otherwise.
Every step cost me.
Every shallow, painful breath not nearly enough for my winded, wounded frame.
I existed purely in the numbing shock of adrenaline.
At the top, we cut through the sparse trees and ended up at the cliffs.
Down below, the angry tide frothed and crashed.
Dusk had well and truly become night, and the half-moon granted just enough light to catch Henri’s nod. Without a word, we all joined in the rhythmic swing as we gathered up enough momentum to toss the body over the side.
We let go.
The body went sailing through the air.
No splash.
No sign he’d fallen.
Henri raked both hands through his blood-soaked hair, looked at the moon with a heavy exhale, then slowly led us back to the cave.
Peter lay in a small puddle of moonlight, looking as if this wasn’t just a resting spot but his new grave.
None of us said a word as Henri stumbled, righted himself, then headed toward Peter. His shoulders sagged with tiredness; his arm oozed with blood.
He towered over Peter with hands fisted and an unreadable black look. He studied my friend for so long, I feared he meant to dispatch him and leave him there.
Worry crawled up my spine.
If he means to kill him…
Both Rachel and I darted forward and barricaded ourselves in front of him. “What are you doing?”
He blinked as if the answer was obvious even though he didn’t speak.
Pushing us aside, Henri ducked to his haunches, gathered Peter’s unconscious limbs, and hoisted him into his arms.
My heart squeezed.
Hope, delicious hope.
All the pressure, the pain, and the fear of the day threatened to become too much as I witnessed a man who’d willingly bullied this jewel. A Master who’d judged him, ridiculed him, and been jealous of him—cradle him close as if he was a brother.
Tears stung my eyes as Henri swayed a little before clutching Peter closer to his chest.
Peter’s head flopped back, his shoulders supported by Henri’s arm and his legs draped over another.
Was Henri helping him because of tactic and schemes? Did he do this to stay in Victor’s good graces? Or was he helping because none of this was right? All of this was wrong. So very, very wrong.
And…he’d participated.
Silently, we followed him as he carried Peter out through the tunnel and up the stairs. I’d left the knife tucked discreetly behind a rock, aware the guards would steal it the moment I stepped foot into the stronghold.
Every instinct ordered me not to go back there, but…what choice did we have?
Enter with Henri as our reigning winner and trust him to keep us safe or…risk our lives by swimming.
Krish would never forgive me if I drowned.
No one spoke as we padded silently through the forest, climbing higher and higher, following the same paths we’d sprinted down this morning.
Every day since I’d arrived here, the hours had defied the usual length of a normal trip around the sun. It felt as if I’d been a prisoner for years, yet that journey through the woods felt like it lasted an eternity.
My muscles burned with bruises, my ribs felt far too sharp, and my feet had long stopped screaming for walking over painful things. I didn’t want to see how badly cut they were.
We were all spent by the time we broke out of the forest, sighing in relief as bare toes sank into the luscious grass of Victor’s runway.
Rachel bared her teeth as the stronghold with its battlement walls, sniper guards, spotlights, and star-puncturing turrets appeared.
Uplights danced over every chiselled stone. Arrow slits and modern windows flickered like fireflies with illumination from within. With its caged balconies and gargoyles, angels and pointy parapets, Victor’s home might be a nest full of monsters, but…it looked rather beautiful in the starry night.
“You’re late,” a guard muttered as our feet thudded heavily over the drawbridge and traded open air for stagnant imprisonment.
Henri sniffed. “Long day.”
“The Master Jeweler is waiting for everyone to present in the ballroom. Rollcall should’ve finished three hours ago.”
“Tell him he can keep waiting.” Henri looked at Peter in his arms. “This jewel needs a doctor. Now.”
Scowling, the guard spoke into a radio hooked onto his black jacket. Muttering something, his eyes skimmed the rest of us, growing wider as he noticed how paint-covered we all were.
By the time he got a crackly response, his face had traded annoyance for respect, and he bowed a little at Henri. “The Master Jeweler said he’ll meet you in the foyer.”
Stifling a sigh, Henri nodded. “Fine.”
My skin crawled as we all started walking again.
I expected the drawbridge to clang up and lock us inside, but it seemed we weren’t the only tardy ones. The three guards manning the entrance turned to face the dark runway again, their eyes peering through the night for more stragglers.
Rachel glanced at me. “I don’t know if I’m hoping no jewels will show up for rollcall or all of them.”
Mollie nodded. “What if a few jumped?”
“Then I guess they’re better off than we are.” Rachel staggered.
I grabbed her hand, stopping her from falling. Despite my pain. Despite our mutual exhaustion…we were in this together.
I glared at the castle as it loomed closer and closer. The manicured gardens with its animal hedges and fountains swallowed us deeper and deeper. Time quickly ran out of our hourglass, stealing our ability to speak.
I whispered under my breath, “What you mentioned in the caves…we need to talk about it.”
Mollie stiffened. “We can’t—”
“The kitchens. May—that kind cook—said no one hears what they say down there—”
“You want to use the kitchens as our war room?” Mollie hissed back.
I nodded, flicking Henri a look.
His shoulders bunched from carrying Peter. His back rippled beneath his bloody t-shirt. But he showed no sign of hearing us.
“The minute we can get away and meet there…we’re planning something,” I muttered.
“You’re even more crazy than Peter, and he was high.” Mollie rolled her eyes.
“Crazy or just determined?” I smiled sadly.
“I think it’s the same word in this case.”
“Hush, both of you,” Rachel whispered. “No one speaks of this again until we can meet in the kitchens. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” Both Mollie and I dropped our chins in silent acceptance. And just like that, we started gathering troops for battle.
A chill darted down my spine as we traded the empty beautiful gardens for the erotic tapestry-decorated foyer. The familiar sensation of evil wafted over me as my eyes landed on Victor.
He stood beside the curving staircase branching to the left.
Arms crossed, pristine navy suit soaking up the scant light from the crystal-dripping chandelier, his smile seemed crocodilian.
The sense of déjà vu from the night I’d been flown here threatened to overlap this one.
That night, I’d still believed I could escape.
Now…I wasn’t so sure.
But I’ll try…
“Ah, there you are!” Victor grinned with welcome, his greying-blond hair dancing with rainbows from the crystals above. “I was beginning to think you’d all drowned.”
Henri shifted Peter in his arms and stopped before the man who ruled all our lives. “Vic.” He bowed a little. “Like I told your guards, it’s been a long fucking day. Can I have a shower and some sleep before participating in whatever annoying debrief you have planned?”
“Found even more ego out there, I see.” Victor looked past him with a raised eyebrow, smirking at the three of us, red and bruised behind him. “My, my, it has been a long day. I told you to shoot one gem, Henri. Not all of them.”
Henri forced a tired chuckle. “I got lucky.”
Victor frowned at the red coating Henri. “And you also shot yourself?” Reaching out to smear Henri’s bloody bicep, he scowled. “Wait, that’s not—”
“You’re right.” Henri backed up, Peter dangling over his arms. “It’s not paint. Not all of it, at least.”
Victor’s friendly welcome turned arctic. “Explain.”
“I was attacked by a Master in the caves. He stabbed me.” Angling his arm, Henri arched his chin at the wound in his bicep. “I retaliated. It got…messy.”
Victor huffed. “Please tell me you haven’t killed any more of my guests, mon ami.”
“No.” Henri kept a cool expression. “I’ve learned my lesson not to disobey you. I…I merely defended myself. I got injured for the effort, but I left him alive. He was still in the cave when the tide came in. I didn’t see what happened after that.”
“You’re saying a guest drowned? Who?”
Playing a dangerous game, Henri gave a name. “Kyle.”
“Kyle?” Victor gave him a careful look. “Kyle drowned?”
“Well, he said his name was Kyle. I didn’t exactly ask for ID.”
“I wasn’t aware you’d had interactions with him.”
“I haven’t.” Henri huffed, rearranging Peter again. “He was with Charles when we first met. Charles introduced us on the beach.”
“I see.” He inhaled a little harder as if sniffing for lies.
“They went ahead. I didn’t see Charles again, but I did bump into Kyle. He was…having some fun with a jewel and a knife.”
I shivered and fought the urge to touch my neck where Kyle had started to slice.
Victor didn’t speak for a while before nodding slowly. “It’s true he is a violent fellow. I’ve had to educate and discipline him more times than he’s worth.”
“Charles said he was the reason for all your cameras.”
“He was.” Victor nodded again. “Alright, tell me the rest. You interrupted his little filleting fun, and he ordered you to leave. I’m guessing you didn’t?”
Henri shrugged, his biceps bunching under Peter’s unconscious form. “He seemed high as a kite, if I’m honest. The moment I stepped into the cave, he came at me because he knew I’d tell you what he’d gotten up to.”
Mollie, Rachel, and I didn’t dare move as Victor mulled over Henri’s half-truths. “Okay…say I believe you on that. What happened next?”
“I got lost in the caves and barely made it out as the tide came in. I managed to swim, but in my escape, I saw a few bodies floating that weren’t so lucky.”
“A few?”
“Three maybe?”
“All Masters?” Victor asked far too calmly.
“I can’t be sure. But there were definitely a few bodies floating around.” Henri widened his stance as if Peter’s weight grew too much. “Look, Vic, as much as I want to—”
“Rachel.” Victor narrowed his eyes on his favourite gem and the unwilling mother of his unborn child. “You’re very good at telling me the truth, my pet. Did you see any of this?” He waved at Henri’s bleeding arm. “Did you see him get stabbed? Is what he said true?”
I stopped breathing.
Henri didn’t look over his shoulder, but the muscles in his back tensed.
Not looking at me or Mollie, Rachel bit her bottom lip.
She had the power to murder Henri.
She could collaborate or deny, and Victor would decide who he believed.
“Start at the very beginning if you’d be so kind.” Victor never took his reptilian gaze off her. “Don’t spare me a single teensy detail.”
What she said before the bullseye was painted on us echoed in my ears. She’d said she was on our side. That she was in on whatever suicidal mission Peter and I cooked up. But that didn’t mean her courage would hold up beneath direct questioning from the very man who’d made her doubt her feelings several times.
Goosebumps covered me from head to toe as Victor added, “Before you answer, my sweetling, allow me to tell you what will happen if you lie.” His face turned dead and terrifying. “If you lie and I find out you hid something from me, I will carve out that child from your belly while you’re still alive, then serve it to you as a special snack before killing you in the most drawn-out way possible.” He crossed his arms. “Now, go ahead. In your own words. What happened out there?”
Mollie fought a tremble, but Rachel didn’t so much as blink with fear.
Either she’d tipped over the edge of terror or gone into shock just like Peter. “From the beginning? Sure, Sir V. Your wish is my command, as always.” She practically curtsied. “You saw us all run as one. We left the castle and ran through the forest. Some of the jewels thought about swimming away—”
Mollie gasped, cutting off Rachel’s story and adding weight to what she’d said.
Victor smirked, enjoying Rachel spilling everyone’s secrets. “Go on.”
“If you’re missing a few jewels tonight, Sir V,” Rachel murmured. “You might find more took you up on the offer to jump than you would’ve liked.”
He shrugged. “No matter. It was getting a little stale in here. I’ll just tell my team to gather a few more while on their hunt.”
Rachel nodded, still numb, still vacant. “We managed to stay together until we reached the Temple of Facets.”
Victor sucked in a breath, arrowing a look at Peter. “Naughty boy. Seems as if someone has been tattling.”
Rachel didn’t stop. “Most of us couldn’t handle what we saw in there, so…we split up. I don’t know where most of the jewels ended up, but we chose the wrong direction and got stuck.”
I gave her a subtle look.
If she mentioned the cave with the skylight, Victor could easily go and see how much she fabricated. He’d see all the blood. See the droplets as we carried corpses up the steps and tossed them over the cliffs.
But all my doubt in her loyalty vanished as she said, “We had to backtrack. Wading into water when the caves were filling up was petrifying.” She shivered dramatically. “We stumbled into the cave where Kyle was having his own little party and witnessed him stabbing Master H. They were fighting.”
“Please,” Victor said softly. “Do go on.”
“I’m aware of Master K’s tastes and didn’t stick around to see if he’d kill Master H. We scattered. We barely made it out before the sea poured in. But…” She swallowed hard as if resisting the urge to gag. “I-I saw what Master H saw. I’ll never forget the sight as a few bodies floated past and—”
“Mollie,” Victor snapped. “If you lie to me, I’ll allow Roland to share his ultimate fantasy with you.” He paused with a smile, knowing full well what that fantasy was and how painfully Mollie would die. “I’d like to hear your version.”
“Yes, Sir V.” With a shallow inhale, Mollie bowed. “I saw the bodies too, Sir V. Masters, not jewels. I spotted Master H wading out after us. His arm bled so much it left a ribbon of red on the water.”
Victor pinned his eyes on me. “And where was Peter in all of this?”
I swallowed hard, hoping I wouldn’t let the team down.
The fact that they covered for Henri?
That they banded around a Master and implicated him in our war effort without even knowing if he was on our side sent my entire nervous system fizzing with fear.
“Peter was unconscious.” I fought the urge to copy my friends and use Victor’s title with respect. I’d refused to do such things. If I started now…wouldn’t that look suspicious?
Instead, I braced to be reprimanded and snapped, “You burned his hands and feet then sent him off running. You knew he might not survive the day. It’s taken the three of us to keep him alive this long.”
Victor shot Henri a look. “How did you end up carrying him?”
Henri’s voice was low and bored as if this entire conversation fucked him off. “I watched the tide spit them out of the cave system. They looked half drowned, and it was well past dusk. I figured you’d be pissed if I didn’t get them home where they belong. That’s also when I shot them.” He smiled like a killer. “They were too tired to run.”
Victor grinned. “That was very considerate of you to carry Peter, mon ami. Especially seeing as you were wounded yourself.”
“It’s fine. Peter’s useful to you.” Henri sniffed. “I figured you’d miss him for whatever odd jobs he helps you with around here.”
Victor stroked his smooth chin. “You’re quite right. He’s a handy boy to have. But I need to ask…why do you even care? You’ve made it abundantly clear you’re not a fan of his.”
Henri hoisted Peter once again and looked down at the unconscious jewel with a sneer. “He pisses me off, and you’re right, I don’t like him. But…this is my home, and you are my friend. So…here we are.”
“Here we are indeed.” Victor let heavy silence fall, studying each of us with terrifyingly intelligent eyes.
My skin crawled the longer he dragged out the pause.
My breath caught on the nasty sharpness centred in one of my ribs.
I almost sighed in relief as he chuckled under his breath. “So you saved my jewels then shot my jewels. Fitting, I suppose.” He shifted a little, looking at our red paint. “My memory can be a bit fuzzy sometimes, but…didn’t you have orange bullets this morning?” He glanced at my thigh where Henri had shot me in the line-up.
Not even a streak remained, completely branded over with scarlet.
“You’re right, I did.” Henri nodded. “I had an unfortunate incident with a blowhole and broke my gun at the very beginning. I would say you’d find the useless weapon on the beach, but the tide would’ve washed it away.”
“And where did you get the replacement from?” Eyeing the weapon hanging off Mollie’s shoulder.
“Kyle.” Henri grinned. “He stabbed me, we fought, I grabbed his gun and left him to it. I figured he wasn’t using it and had already caught the jewel he wanted, so…”
“Did you see who he cut?”
“No.” Henri shook his head. “Sorry.”
“Quite understandable. It’s a high-stakes game. It’s why I don’t play along. I prefer my position as referee and live vicariously through you.”
“Well, you missed out.” Henri gave him another rancid smile. “It was fun.”
“It definitely seems so, seeing as you’ve returned with three of my jewels as your spoils. I hope you don’t think—just because you covered them in bruises and brought them home safely—that I’ll allow you to keep all three?” His eyes glinted. “Besides, I thought you were only interested in one.”
“I am,” Henri snapped. “I just…got trigger happy. Look, Vic, Peter weighs a fucking tonne. He needs your doctor, and I’m—”
“Yes, yes, you’re tired and want to rest.” Wrinkling his nose, Victor nodded slowly. “I admit you stink of seaweed, and Peter looks as if you should’ve left him for the gulls.” Leaning in, he flicked up one of Peter’s eyelids before letting it snap back down. “The doctor is in her personal rooms, not the surgery. She’s had a long day, and the patient rooms below are full. Go upstairs to her. However, you might’ve wasted your energy carrying him back. He smells as if death has already found him.”
“That’s his hands and feet, you bastard,” I hissed.
Henri turned on me, roaring in French. “Tiens ta putain de langue, Ilyana, ou je vais te la couper. J'en ai marre de ton attitude, tu m’entends?!” (Hold your fucking tongue, Ilyana, or I’ll cut it out. I’m sick to death of your attitude, do you hear me?!)
I recoiled and tripped backward on throbbing feet.
My heart spasmed with the sharpest pain.
I’d never been spoken to that way before.
Scolded that harshly.
Never had my entire soul tuck tail and hide, desperate to run far away from such violence.
Victor chuckled. “You better go rest up, Henri, before you butcher your favourite, hmm? I know what it’s like when your temper is on the edge.” Stepping aside from the marble stairs, Victor waved his arm for us to pass. “Tell Dr Belford to treat you first. You wouldn’t want to die from sepsis. She can then tend to Peter with my blessing.” Looking at us behind Henri, he purred, “Rachel, Mollie, return to the jewel quarters and shower off that paint. Report to me so I can count your bruises.”
Stopping me with a hand on my shoulder as I followed Henri toward the bottom step, Victor grinned. “And as for you…”
I forced myself not to squirm as he dragged me close. Too close. “It looks like you got most of the bullets because your Master is finally seeing the errors of your ways.” He chuckled as his horrible blue eyes skimmed down my hurting body. “You definitely didn’t hold back, Henri.” He clucked his tongue. “I’m impressed.”
Henri growled under his breath. “She deserved it.”
I fought the very real, very awful urge to sob.
Victor let me go with another laugh. “I suggest you rest before you discipline her any further. I would hate to tell you off for going too far.”
“Understood.”
“What are you two still doing here?” Victor barked, looking at Rachel and Mollie.
With a flinch, they shot me a look, then dashed to the left and the corridor leading to the jewel stables.
The corridor swallowed them whole.
I longed to go with them.
The thought of staying in Henri’s company after he yelled…
God, I felt like a naughty child about to be spanked.
“See you later, Mercer.” With a quick salute, Victor strolled toward the games room.
“Night.” Giving me a guarded look, Henri snapped, “Come on.”
He started a weary, slow climb up the stairs.
And I had no choice but to follow him.